So how do new Test Case Ideas during execution, affect reporting?

by | Syndicated



Oh yeah, it’s test execution time on my current project. Bow chika wow wow.
Time to run test cases which I wrote a few weeks ago.

  • Where else is this behaviour occurring?
  • How does it affect other parts of the system?
  • How have my expectations changed based on seeing how the system actually works?


  1. Is it normal for people to add test cases during test execution so that as ideas come to their head as the execute tests, the new test case ideas will be included in reporting?
  2. If 1. is the case, then what fraction/percentage of test cases ideas arise from actual test execution?


    Don’t get me wrong, I make sure I do some exploratory testing to see what happens then record my findings/raise a defect if need be.  But then since these test case ideas aren’t ‘formally covered’ in test cases it makes me wonder about reporting if they only look at defects and test cases run/passed.


    I started a discussion in Software Testing Club asking:
    What do you think of coming up test case ideas as you do test execution? How would it affect reporting?

    I was asked if I had to, in fact, write test cases.
    Answer: Yes I do on my current project

    You see, I think it’s important for any form of test reporting on the current system to reflect the actual state. 

    At the moment, as new test case ideas come to my head, I am making an effort to jot them down on a spreadsheet so I can properly track them. I’m also planning to mind-map my new test case ideas as they come to me.