Risk based testing

Risk-based testing is basically a testing done for the project based on risks. It uses risk to prioritize and emphasize the appropriate tests during test execution. Risk-based testing is the idea that we can organize our testing efforts in a way that reduces the residual level of product risk when the system is deployed.

§  Risk-based testing starts early in the project, identifying risks to system quality and using that knowledge of risk to guide testing planning, specification, preparation and execution.

§  Risk-based testing involves both mitigation – testing to provide opportunities to reduce the likelihood of defects, especially high-impact defects – and contingency – testing to identify work-arounds to make the defects that do get past us less painful.

§  Risk-based testing also involves measuring how well we are doing at finding and removing defects in critical areas.

§  Risk-based testing can also involve using risk analysis to identify proactive opportunities to remove or prevent defects through non-testing activities and to help us select which test activities to perform.

The goal of risk-based testing cannot practically be – a risk-free project. What we can get from risk-based testing is to carry out the testing with best practices in risk management to achieve a project outcome that balances risks with quality, features, budget and schedule.