Quality Assurance Test Process: Welcome to the AutomatePro AutoTest Guide for ServiceNow QA, covering critical QA activities from planning and designing test cases to unit testing, managing defects, and conducting production smoke testing, with a focus on comprehensive documentation and best practices.

What is the Test Workflow for Quality Assurance Test Process

The Quality Assurance (QA) Test Process Workflow is designed to ensure a systematic and thorough approach to software testing, guaranteeing high-quality outputs. This workflow includes several key stages, each crucial for the successful testing and deployment of software.

1. Story Creation and Submission

To start, the process begins with the creation and submission of user stories. These stories define the requirements and features that need to be developed and tested.

2. Story Grooming: Pointing and Preparation

Next, the team performs grooming, to clarify details of the story as well as to assesses and assign points to each story based on its complexity and the effort required. This stage ensures that development work and acceptance criteria for stories are clear and well-prepared for the upcoming planning phase.

3. Planning Test Inventory Stories and Manual Tests

Following that, the team plans test inventory stories and manual tests to cover all aspects of the user stories. This includes identifying necessary test scenarios and preparing the test inventory.

4. Sprint Planning

During sprint planning, the team selects the stories and tests to be addressed in the upcoming sprint. This ensures that testing efforts align with development goals.

5. Designing Test Cases

Then, the team designs test cases based on the planned stories and tests. These test cases detail the specific steps and conditions for testing the software functionality.

6. Development and Initial Testing

Afterward, the development team codes the features described in the stories. They conduct initial testing to identify and fix early defects.

7. Delivering Unit Testing

Subsequently, the team delivers unit tests to validate individual components of the software. This step ensures that each unit functions correctly in isolation.

8. Hand-Off to QA

Next, the team hands off the developed features and unit tests to the QA team for comprehensive testing.

9. Running Story Tests

At this stage, the QA team Run Tests based on the user stories. Viewing Test Run Results to verify that the features meet the specified requirements.

• Test Run Results
• Viewing Test Run Results :: AutomatePro Docs
• Viewing Visual Status Bars (Retired) :: AutomatePro Docs
• Visual Status Bars :: AutomatePro Docs

10. Managing Defects and Changes Related Testing

The QA team manages to view and addresses any defects identified during testing. They perform related testing to ensure that changes do not introduce new issues.

11. Demonstration and Final UAT

Following this, the team conducts a demonstration and performs final User Acceptance Testing (UAT) to validate the software’s readiness for production.

12. Performing Production Smoke Testing

Next, the team carries out smoke testing in the production environment to verify the stability and basic functionality of the software.

13. Change Approval and Release

The team reviews and approves changes before the final release. This step ensures that all modifications are thoroughly vetted.

14. Release to Production

Subsequently, the team releases the software to the production environment, making it available to end-users.

15. Improving Test Library

Finally, the team continuously improves the test library with model blocks, regression test updates, user guides, and test packs. This ongoing process enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of future testing efforts.

Quality Assurance Test Process: Who is Involved?

The Quality Assurance Test Process receives handoffs from the Product or Process Owner of the Stories for development. The Grooming is typically done by the Process Owner, partnering with the Solution Architect and a Scrum Master Business Analyst or Business Process Consulting. Other Stakeholders on the team are the Developers of the Development Team. The QA Team for Testing.

This streamlined graphic and the following RACI Matrix clarifies roles and responsibilities across the different stages of the QA Test Process, ensuring effective collaboration and accountability.

Here is the updated RACI matrix with the Product Owner and Process Owner columns combined:

Activity	PO	Solution Architect	Scrum Master/ EM	BA	Dev Team	QA Team	Platform PO
Story Creation & Submission	R	C	I	I
Story Pointing & Preparation	A	C	C	C
Planning Test Inventory Stories & Manual Tests	R	C	A	C
Sprint Planning	I	C	A	C	R	I
Designing Test Cases	I	C	C	A	R	I
Development & Initial Testing	I	C	I	C	R	I
Delivering Unit Testing	I	C	I	C	R	I
Hand-Off to QA	I	C	I	C	R	A
Running Story Tests	I	C	I	C		A
Managing Defects & Changes Related Testing	I	C	I	C	I	A
Demonstration & Final UAT	I	C	I	C		A
Performing Production Smoke Testing	I	C	I	C		A
Change Approval & Release	I	C	I	C		A	R
Release to Production	I	C	I	C		A	R
Improving Test Library	I	C	I	C	I	A	I

R = Responsible, A = Accountable, C = Consulted, I = Informed

Other Resources related to Quality Assurance Test Process

• Agile Development – ServiceNow
• Agile Scrum Master Guide
• Agile Testing: What is it, Can It work?
• AutomatePro AutoTest: Getting Started
• AutoTest Blog: tips and advice with AutomatePro
• DevOps Automated Test
• AutomatePro AutoTest Reference
• Basics of Agile Development
• Business Process Design Excellence
• Defect Fingerprinting :: AutomatePro
• DevOps Automated Test
• DevOps & Change Velocity
• Digital-Transformation Leadership
• Getting Started with AutoTest :: AutomatePro
• How to view Test Defects :: AutomatePro
• Project Management Institute | PMI
• Strategic Portfolio Management Glossary
• Test Run Results :: AutomatePro
• Viewing Test Run Results :: AutomatePro
• Viewing Visual Status Bars (Retired) :: AutomatePro
• Visual Status Bars :: AutomatePro
• What is Agile Testing?