Advantages and Disadvantages of Conventional Testing

This article will provide lots of advantages and disadvantages of conventional testing. Before moving on to the advantages and disadvantages let's first understand what is conventional testing.

The traditional method of software testing, which comprises the creation and execution of a number of test cases to ensure that a software programme satisfies its requirements and performs as intended, is frequently referred to as "conventional testing".

In conventional testing, test cases are often created using the requirements specification or user stories, and testers manually run them to find errors or faults in the product. A few of the testing phases that are frequently used in the process are acceptance testing, unit testing, integration testing, and system testing. Each phase of the testing process verifies a distinct part of the software.

With a focus on the preparation, documentation, and traceability of test cases, conventional testing frequently comprises a clearly defined testing procedure. However, especially for complicated software programs, it can be time-consuming and expensive, and it might not find every flaw or issue. Since test automation and agile testing are intended to increase the speed, efficiency, and effectiveness of software testing, many organizations have adopted these more contemporary testing techniques.

Automated testing has grown in popularity recently and can be a more effective and trustworthy alternative to traditional testing. Using software tools, predefined test cases are executed during automated testing, and the results are compared to what was anticipated.

Overall, conventional testing is still a crucial component of the software development lifecycle and is used to make sure that the final products are high-quality, dependable, and match user needs.

Advantages of Conventional Testing

1. Structured approach: Conventional testing is conducted in accordance with a predetermined set of guidelines, test plans, and test cases, all of which offer a deliberate and systematic approach to testing. By doing this, it is certain that the program has been thoroughly tested and is available with all features and functions.
2. Human intuition: Humans have a natural ability to sense problems that automated testing technologies can miss. Manual testers can find flaws that might otherwise go undetected by applying their knowledge and intuition.
3. Easy to understand: Conventional testing can be easily understood by testers and developers, as it involves following a set of predefined steps and criteria. This makes it simpler to organize experiments, carry them out, and inform the team's other members of the findings.
4. Manual and automated testing: Conventional testing can be carried out manually or automatically using testing tools, giving the testing process flexibility. The advantages of manual and automated testing can thus be balanced.
5. Cost-effectiveness: It can be a profitable testing strategy to use because it does not require a significant investment in testing technologies or equipment. Due to this, it is now accessible to both large organizations and small and medium-sized businesses.
6. Flexibility: Because manual testers can quickly respond to changes in requirements and modify their test cases as necessary, manual testing gives greater flexibility in terms of the sorts of tests that may be run.
7. Ensures software quality: conventional testing ensures that software meets the defined quality standards and criteria. It assists with identifying and fixing issues and flaws before the application is made available to end users.
8. Reduces risk: Traditional testing aids in the reduction of the risk of software failures or flaws, which may be costly or harmful to a company.

Disadvantages of Conventional Testing

1. Limited scalability: Because managing and running a large number of test cases can be challenging, conventional testing may not be scalable for large or complicated software projects.
2. Limited scope: Traditional testing is restricted to specified test cases, which might not cover all potential scenarios or use cases. This may cause the software to have bugs or other problems that have not yet been found.
3. Error-prone: Manual testing can be error-prone as it relies on the accuracy and consistency of human testers. Testers may miss some defects or make errors in the testing process, which can lead to quality issues.
4. Not always successful: Traditional testing may not always be successful in locating all faults in the product. To ensure thorough testing of the software, extra procedures or methods can be needed.
5. Time-consuming: Manual testing can be time-consuming, especially for larger applications. Testing each functionality manually can take a lot of time, which can delay the overall project delivery.
6. Difficult to replicate real-world scenarios: Real-world events are challenging to recreate, and this might lead to defects or other problems in the program that are not usually found via conventional testing.