Share this page

# Manual testing flow

In addition to helping manage the development process, ALM Octane helps you manage your testing and quality efforts with a complete manual testing framework.

In this topic:

## The testing process

Traditionally, test management follows a standard process:

First, you design and develop tests, and then run and analyze the test results.

Repeat this process as many times as you need to test the quality of your development and product on an ongoing basis.

Back to top

## Test types

ALM Octane has the following types of testing entities:

Manual tests | Manual tests are the most basic and efficient way to start tracking quality. These tests contain a list of actions (steps) that a user might perform when using the application. Running the test means you perform each action as written in the test step.
Gherkin tests | Gherkin tests are also a type of manual test. Gherkin tests are built with scenarios. These tests use Behavior Driven Development (BDD) with use-case scenarios based on how a user may use the application. Gherkin tests use natural language syntax. You can also later automate a Gherkin test, line-by-line. When you run the test, you follow the scenario and its parameters.
Automated tests | Automated tests are created and edited in external testing tools and added to a build in your CI server. ALM Octane discovers the test results in the build results and creates the automated test entity inside ALM Octane. Use these results in ALM Octane as part of your product and release quality.
Test suites | Test suites contain multiple manual tests, Gherkin tests, and automated tests. You assign test runs to people and run each test individually. After finishing all the test runs, ALM Octane aggregates the results of each test run into a single suite run. When you run the test suite, the automated test runs run on the CI server. All manual and Gherkin tests, run in the ALM Octane Manual Runner.

Back to top

## Testing design

During test design, you specify what parts of the application to test and creating the tests.

Do your test design when constructing the Backlog and Quality modules:

- When creating the Backlog, create the tests to verify Backlog items.

- As you add application modules, associate new or existing tests with application modules.

- When you open defects, create a test to verify the defect fix.

- Associate tests with Backlog items using a test's Backlog coverage field.

For details on working with the Backlog module, see Build the product backlog. For details on working with application modules, see Quality management.

Back to top

## Test development

To develop tests, add steps to target the specific actions to test. In manual tests, the test steps explain action-by-action what to do in the application. For Gherkin tests, the test script is a use-case scenarios instead of an action-by-action list.

For details on creating manual tests, see Create manual tests. For details on creating Gherkin tests, see Create Gherkin tests.

Back to top

## Test execution

Test execution happens when you run the tests. In ALM Octane, you run manual tests with the ALM Octane's Manual Runner.

When you open a test in the Manual Runner, perform each step as written in the test or scenario. Make notes in each step or scenario and assign a status to validation steps.

If necessary, report defects for problems found during tests. Add attachments to the test run to help others understand the test results and application state during the test.

After you finish, click to end the run. After the test run, ALM Octane compiles the results in a single report.

Run timer. You can measure the duration of manual or Gherkin test runs automatically. The timer starts when the Manual Runner window is launched, and stops when the run ends of the Manual Runner window is closed.

The timing is stored in the test run's Duration field.

The automatic timing option depends on a site or shared space parameter: AUTOMATIC_TIMING_OF_MANUAL_RUN_DURATIONS_TOGGLE. For details, see Configuration parameters.

Back to top

## Test Analysis

After you run manual tests, analyze the results. ALM Octane compiles the test or test suite run results into a single report. View this report, step-by-step, to see the run details.

ALM Octane also provides many useful graphs for release and product quality analysis. Use the standard out-of-the-box widgets or design your own by configuring custom widgets.

To analyze cross-release quality, use the Dashboard module. To analyze release-, sprint-, feature- or application module-specific quality, use the Overview tabs in the Backlog or Quality module.

For details on test results, see End the run and view its results or View the suite run results. For details on analyzing quality, see Use the Dashboard.

Back to top

Next steps:

- Create manual tests
- Manual test syntax
- Plan and run manual and Gherkin tests
- Link manual and Gherkin tests to automated tests
- Use versions of test scripts

https://admhelp.microfocus.com ALM Octane 8942
Tips to improve your search results... ValueEdge & ALM Octane Help Center ValueEdge ALM Octane Help 16.0.100-16.0.400 All View Local Help Center View Online Help Center back Go back in browser history forward Go forward in browser history Remove search highlights next topic Go to next topic previous topic Go to previous topic Print the current topic Version: