Test prioritization in Testing Fundamentals - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is test prioritization in software testing?

Test prioritization is the process of deciding the order in which test cases should be executed to find defects faster and use resources efficiently.

beginner

Why is test prioritization important?

It helps testers find critical bugs early, saves time, and makes the testing process more efficient by focusing on the most important tests first.

intermediate

Name two common criteria used for test prioritization.

1. Risk of failure or impact of a feature.
2. Frequency of use or critical business functions.

intermediate

How does test prioritization relate to regression testing?

In regression testing, prioritization helps run the most important tests first to quickly check if recent changes broke key features.

beginner

Give an example of a simple way to prioritize tests.

Assign high priority to tests covering new or changed features, medium priority to important but unchanged features, and low priority to less critical areas.

What is the main goal of test prioritization?

A To find defects faster and use testing time wisely

B To run all tests in alphabetical order

C To skip tests that are easy

D To test only the user interface

Test prioritization aims to find defects faster and make good use of limited testing time by running important tests first.

Which factor is commonly used to prioritize tests?

A The color of the test case document

B The risk or impact of the feature being tested

C The number of testers available

D The size of the software company

Tests are often prioritized based on the risk or impact of the feature to catch serious bugs early.

In regression testing, why prioritize tests?

A To test only the database

B To test only new features

C To avoid testing old features

D To quickly check if recent changes broke important parts

Prioritizing regression tests helps quickly find if recent code changes caused problems in key areas.

Which of these is NOT a good reason to prioritize a test?

A The test is the shortest to run

B The feature was recently changed

C The feature is critical to users

D The feature has a history of bugs

Test length alone is not a good reason to prioritize; importance and risk matter more.

What happens if you do NOT prioritize tests?

A You find bugs faster

B All tests run in parallel

C Testing may waste time on less important areas

D Tests become automated automatically

Without prioritization, testing might spend too much time on less important tests and miss critical bugs early.

Explain what test prioritization is and why it matters in software testing.

Think about how you would decide which tasks to do first when you have limited time.

Describe common criteria used to decide which tests to run first.

Consider what makes a feature important or risky.

Practice

1. What is the main goal of test prioritization in software testing?

easy

A. To run the most important tests first to find bugs faster

B. To run all tests in alphabetical order

C. To skip tests that are easy to pass

D. To run tests only after the software is released

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the purpose of test prioritization

   Test prioritization means deciding which tests to run first based on their importance or likelihood to find bugs.

2. Step 2: Identify the correct goal

   The goal is to save time and find bugs faster by running important tests first.

3. Final Answer:

   To run the most important tests first to find bugs faster -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Test prioritization = run important tests first [OK]

Hint: Remember: prioritize tests that catch bugs quickly [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking test order is random
• Believing all tests have equal priority
• Skipping tests without reason

2. Which of the following is a good factor to consider when prioritizing tests?

easy

A. The number of testers available

B. The color of the test case document

C. The font size used in test descriptions

D. Recent changes in the code

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify relevant factors for test prioritization

   Good factors include recent code changes, past failures, and test importance.

2. Step 2: Choose the factor related to code changes

   Recent changes in code can introduce new bugs, so tests covering those areas should run first.

3. Final Answer:

   Recent changes in the code -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Prioritize tests by recent code changes [OK]

Hint: Focus on code changes, not irrelevant details [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Choosing unrelated factors like document color
• Ignoring recent code updates
• Confusing tester count with test priority

3. Given the following test cases and their last failure dates, which test should be run first based on test prioritization?

Test A: failed 2 days ago
Test B: passed last run
Test C: failed 10 days ago
Test D: never failed

medium

A. Test B

B. Test D

C. Test A

D. Test C

Solution

1. Step 1: Analyze failure recency

   Tests that failed recently are more likely to find bugs again, so they get higher priority.

2. Step 2: Compare failure dates

   Test A failed 2 days ago, which is more recent than Test C (10 days ago). Tests B and D did not fail recently.

3. Final Answer:

   Test A -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Run tests with recent failures first [OK]

Hint: Pick tests with the most recent failures first [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Choosing tests that never failed
• Ignoring failure dates
• Picking tests that passed last run

4. You have a test suite with 4 tests. The priority order should be based on recent code changes and past failures. The current order is:

1. Test X (no recent changes, no failures)
2. Test Y (recent changes, no failures)
3. Test Z (no recent changes, failed last run)
4. Test W (recent changes, failed last run)

Which test should be run first to follow best test prioritization?

medium

A. Test W

B. Test X

C. Test Z

D. Test Y

Solution

1. Step 1: Combine recent changes and past failures

   Tests with both recent changes and past failures have highest priority.

2. Step 2: Identify test with both factors

   Test W has recent changes and failed last run, so it should run first.

3. Final Answer:

   Test W -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Prioritize tests with recent changes and failures [OK]

Hint: Pick tests with both recent changes and failures first [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Ignoring one of the prioritization factors
• Running tests without recent changes first
• Choosing tests that never failed

5. A team has 5 tests with these details:

Test 1: covers critical feature, no recent changes, failed last run
Test 2: covers minor feature, recent changes, passed last run
Test 3: covers critical feature, recent changes, passed last run
Test 4: covers minor feature, no recent changes, never failed
Test 5: covers critical feature, recent changes, failed last run

Which order best follows test prioritization principles?

hard

A. Test 1, Test 5, Test 3, Test 2, Test 4

B. Test 5, Test 1, Test 3, Test 2, Test 4

C. Test 5, Test 3, Test 1, Test 2, Test 4

D. Test 4, Test 2, Test 3, Test 1, Test 5

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify highest priority tests

   Tests covering critical features with recent changes and failures have highest priority. Test 5 fits all three.

2. Step 2: Order remaining tests by priority

   Next is Test 1 (critical, failed but no recent changes), then Test 3 (critical, recent changes, passed), followed by Test 2 and Test 4 (minor features, lower priority).

3. Final Answer:

   Test 5, Test 1, Test 3, Test 2, Test 4 -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Prioritize critical, recent changes, failures first [OK]

Hint: Order by criticality, recent changes, then failures [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Ignoring feature criticality
• Not combining multiple factors
• Running low priority tests first