What Is an Emulator? Types, Top Benefits & Examples

Gap Testing | What it is & How Do You Do a Gap Analysis?

Most QA pipelines must necessarily include, among other test types, exploratory testing. However, adequately comprehensive exploratory testing requires a certain measure of planning and organization – testing objectives, the features to “explore” in the test, expected results, how to record the actual results, and more.&nbsp;



All this information needs to be streamlined into a singular, self-explanatory document, accessible and understandable to the right people. In the QA ecosystem, this document is called a test charter.&nbsp;



In this article, we’ll dive into the definition, nature, benefits, format, and usage of test charters. Think of this as your first step into understanding and creating project-optimal test charters.&nbsp;



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#What_is_a_Test_Charter">1 What is a Test Charter?</a></li><li><a href="#Why_do_we_need_a_test_charter">2 Why do we need a test charter?</a></li><li><a href="#Benefits_of_Test_Charters">3 Benefits of Test Charters</a><ul><li><a href="#How_to_Develop_a_Test_Charter">3.1 How to Develop a Test Charter</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Test_Charter_Format_Free_Template">4 Test Charter Format (Free Template)</a></li><li><a href="#Conclusion">5 Conclusion</a></li><li><a href="#Frequently_Asked_Questions">6 Frequently Asked Questions</a><ul><li><a href="#What_is_an_exploratory_test_charter">6.1 What is an exploratory test charter?</a></li></ul></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="h-what-is-a-test-charter">What is a Test Charter?</h2>



Test charter refers to a document providing an overview of the parameters, goals, and plans governing a test session. It includes information defining the feature under test, the premise/query, the required tool, possible risks, data dependencies, and expected results as well as deadlines.&nbsp;



At a high-level, it is a manual for <a href="https://website.testsigma.com/blog/exploratory-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">exploratory testing</a> sessions. It answers questions such as:



<ul><li>What is the primary goal of this test session?</li><li>How long is the test session?</li><li>Which feature(s) will be tested in this session?</li><li>What tools are required for this test session?</li><li>What are the expected results of the test?</li><li>What are the user expectations and requirements for this feature?</li><li>How do I record the actual results?</li><li>Who do I report the results to, once the test is completed?</li></ul>



It is best to assign one test charter to a single session. This helps isolate features when testing and recording results. It also ensures that testers can focus on a single feature, and really get into its systematic operations to verify functionality.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-why-do-we-need-a-test-charter">Why do we need a test charter?</h2>



Simply put, we need a test charter because exploratory testing does not follow predefined steps. It also does not come with “expected results&#8221; set in stone. This is because the point of the test is to “explore”; testers literally explore the software with the intent to come across any bugs within each feature.&nbsp;



Note: Exploratory testing is usually not part of <a href="https://website.testsigma.com/automated-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">test automation</a> suites. It requires human judgment, and must necessarily be manually tested. 



 <button class="btn bg-primary cta-btn" style="margin: auto"><a href="https://website.testsigma.com/automated-testing" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color:#fff">Learn more about test automation</a></button> 



Now, this does not mean that testers “explore” the system randomly. They are chosen for their experience, so they know what to look for, and how users would navigate an app or page. They are also given detailed information about requirements, user expectations, and the software’s main functions – all included in the test charter.&nbsp;



The charter helps testers stay focused during exploratory sessions. By designating a single feature and laying out our user expectations, the test charter ensures that QAs do not get bogged down in unnecessary details. They don’t end up testing irrelevant components or verifying aspects that end-users don’t care about (at this stage of testing).



Despite providing a guiding principle, good test charters also encourage diverse and creative thinking. They don’t tell QAs what to test, but give them the core values for the session. QAs keep the primary variable (user expectations, software design) as the base of their action, and then use their industry experience to replicate common and uncommon user scenarios.&nbsp;



Since test charters don’t restrict testers’ actions, they lead to more interesting and experimental test scenarios. That is always a good thing because it generates innovative thinking.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-benefits-of-test-charters">Benefits of Test Charters</h2>



<ul><li>Facilitates continuous learning: Test charters provide an organized framework for test design, and execution, as well as for interpreting results and extracting accurate learnings. While exploratory testing is always left to the tester’s volition (they decide how to use a certain feature, without predetermined test steps). However, the test charter provides them with relevant information to better guide the testers’ efforts. An important part of that is evaluating the right variables and identifying opportunities for improvement, be it for the software or the testing process. Test charters streamline exploratory testing without limiting the testers’ autonomy. </li><li>Assists with innovation and sharing knowledge: Test charters provide structure, direction, and a central repository for every tester to add their conclusions. As is well known, agile development and testing flourish best when individual members and teams collaborate. Test charters provide sufficient context for such collaboration. They record the intent and duration of each session, enabling quicker feedback cycles and analysis.  These charters provide the framework for testers to apply their domain knowledge, intuition, analysis, and user-first thinking. </li><li>Helps find bugs not predicted in other tests: Since exploratory testing is unplanned in execution, it reveals bugs that other planned tests do not. With no test scripts, exploratory testers are free to literally do anything they want on a certain software application. Unpredictable user actions will automatically increase the likelihood of finding bugs no one expected when creating test cases and scripts. By directing and structuring exploratory testing, test charters expand test coverage, extending it to the blind spots of other tests. It provides a significant failsafe mechanism for all <a href="https://website.testsigma.com/guides/software-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">software testing</a> projects. </li></ul>



<h3 id="h-how-to-develop-a-test-charter">How to Develop a Test Charter</h3>



The key to developing an effective test charter is to be methodical. Break down the process into steps using an outline focused on software requirements and projected user preferences. Additionally, be aware that all elements of the test charter will change as the project and software under development evolve.&nbsp;



<ul><li>Start by isolating the feature to be tested.&nbsp;</li><li>Note down all relevant project specifications, user stories, risk assessment, and technical as well as business requirements.&nbsp;</li><li>Create the “test idea” i.e., the idea around which the test will proceed. This is up to the QA, who will create it using their experience and intuition.&nbsp;</li><li>Detail the resources, data, tools, and environment requirements for the test.&nbsp;</li><li>Mention the goals of the test session.&nbsp;</li><li>Highlight the expected results.&nbsp;</li><li>Describe the process for noting results (whether to take screenshots, record video, etc.)</li><li>Finally, state possible obstacles that may be encountered during the test. These hazards can be estimated reasonably accurately by experienced testers who understand the product end-to-end.&nbsp;</li></ul>



<h2 id="h-test-charter-format-free-template">Test Charter Format (Free Template)</h2>



At a high level, every test charter should include the following variables:



<ul><li>Name: The charter name should describe the test in question. For example, “Profile creation for new users on &lt;application name&gt; or “Testing review mechanisms (leaving comments, star or number reviews)”. The idea is to describe the purpose of the test charter upfront so that anyone else viewing this document immediately knows its purpose and content. “Quick attacks around profile creation” or “Test multi-user comments, permissions, and race conditions within and out of group membership.” </li><li>Test area: Mention and describe the feature to be tested. Additionally, describe the test harness used in the session. </li><li>Date and time: Mention the date and time of the test’s starting. </li><li>Tester’s Name: Self-explanatory. </li><li>Task Breakdown: The tester describes, as an overview, the direction of the test and steps to be taken within the session. </li><li>Duration: How long will the test take or is expected to take? </li><li>Test Design &amp; Execution: This section should comprise information about how the actual test is conducted, and what steps the tester actually took. This can be filled in detail after the test is completed (since exploratory tests are unplanned). Simply describe the actions taken during the test. Don’t forget to include the observations gathered during said test. </li><li>Bug reports: Describe the bugs found, the nature of each, at what point in the test they showed up, and what anomalies are showing up with each bug and steps to reproduce them. This would largely be information about bugs captured through screen recording, screenshots, text logs, etc. For convenience’s sake, number or name each bug. </li><li>Session setup: Detail the tools, test data, and test environment to be prepped before the test begins. </li><li>Charter vs. Opportunity: This is the &amp; of time the tester spends on the expected system features as opposed to unexpected parts of the system under test.&nbsp; </li><li>Expected Results: What is the test expected to achieve? What are the ideal results? </li><li>Actual Results: Self-explanatory.&nbsp;</li></ul>



Here is the link to  a downloadable charter: <a href="https://www.tmap.net/sites/tmap/files/2019-08/Template%20Exploratory%20testing%20charter%20Simple%20v1.docx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">https://www.tmap.net/sites/tmap/files/2019-08/Template%20Exploratory%20testing%20charter%20Simple%20v1.docx</a> 



<h2 id="h-conclusion">Conclusion</h2>



Test charters turn exploratory tests into a science and art. They provide direction without hampering creativity, so testers and projects get the best of both worlds. They are essential to rein in the unplanned nature of exploratory testing, and thus keep them on track (there is a real danger of the tester getting lost in exploring features beyond immediate requirements).&nbsp;



Use this article to create your first test charter. As you keep building more tests and corresponding charters, it will become simpler to predict and understand the needs of the team, customers, and other stakeholders. Consequently, creating mature, targeted test charters will be a simple task.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-frequently-asked-questions">Frequently Asked Questions</h2>



<h3 id="h-what-is-an-exploratory-test-charter">What is an exploratory test charter?</h3>



An exploratory test charter is a document that details all the parameters, goals, and plans governing an exploratory test session. It mentions and discusses the feature under test, the premise/query, the required tool, possible risks, data dependencies, and expected results as well as deadlines.

What is a Test Charter Why Use It & How to Write One

What is a Test Charter? | Why Use It & How to Write One?

“ In June 2023, approximately 90 thousand mobile apps were released through the Google Play Store….. the highest number of app releases via Google Play Store was recorded in March 2019, with over 141 thousand apps released.”



<a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/1020956/android-app-releases-worldwide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Source</a>



With thousands of mobile apps being released every month, how do you know that the app your team is currently building (or is close to finishing) is good enough to compete? The same goes for websites and desktop applications.&nbsp;



You may have followed all the steps in the SDLC, but there’s more to software building than just following a manual. How do you know if your software makes the cut for its digital competitors? 



You use Comparison Testing.&nbsp;



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#What_is_Comparison_Testing">1 What is Comparison Testing?</a></li><li><a href="#What_do_we_compare_in_Comparison_Testing">2 What do we compare in Comparison Testing?</a></li><li><a href="#When_to_perform_Comparison_Testing">3 When to perform Comparison Testing</a></li><li><a href="#Criteria_to_perform_Comparison_Testing">4 Criteria to perform Comparison Testing</a></li><li><a href="#Example_test_cases_for_Comparison_Testing">5 Example test cases for Comparison Testing</a></li><li><a href="#How_comparison_testing_can_help_the_business">6 How comparison testing can help the business?</a></li><li><a href="#Comparison_Testing_Advantagesnbsp">7 Comparison Testing Advantages&nbsp;</a></li><li><a href="#Disadvantages_of_Comparison_Testing">8 Disadvantages of Comparison Testing</a></li><li><a href="#How_to_perform_Comparison_Testing">9 How to perform Comparison Testing</a></li><li><a href="#Manual_Comparison_Testing">10 Manual Comparison Testing</a></li><li><a href="#Conclusion">11 Conclusion</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="h-what-is-comparison-testing">What is Comparison Testing?</h2>



Comparison testing is a testing technique that evaluates and compares a software product’s strengths and weaknesses to other similar products in the market. Of course, you can’t compare your application with literally every other in the domain, but you can certainly do so with the most popular ones.&nbsp;



Comparison tests can be performed on the entire software application, or one or more components – specific features, loading speed, database, security mechanisms, etc. What you decide to put through a comparison test depends on the software being judged, its use cases and its competitors.



Basically, comparison tests help the team and all stakeholders estimate if their software will be marketable and engagement-worthy after public release. It helps (to some extent) answer the question “What will users think of this app when we release it?”



The answers of comparison testing are used to determine if the software is ready to be pushed to prod…or if the team still needs to optimize and tweak it before considering a release.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-what-do-we-compare-in-comparison-testing">What do we compare in Comparison Testing?</h2>



Literally, anything.&nbsp;



You can use comparison tests to compare literally any aspect (functional or nonfunctional) of a software system to its competitors. Be it file contents, databases, authentication mechanisms, UI elements, operability, installation process, device/browser compatibility, aesthetics and even the app’s usability in different geographies. It is also advisable to run comparison tests on the software design, architecture, functionality, speed, storage, performance, and the like.&nbsp;



For instance, let’s say your app looks and works as well as your competitors…..in the US. When you run <a href="https://website.testsigma.com/blog/geolocation-testing-how-can-i-test-my-website-in-different-locations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">geolocation testing</a>, you find that the competitor is much faster when accessed from a user in The Netherlands. Your app, on the other hand, is slower to load, and seems to be missing some essential UI elements. 



Generally, QA teams run comparison tests in two phases. First, the app is tested against industry benchmarks. Second, the app is tested against specific features offered by competitor software systems.&nbsp;



Comparison test tools (like Testsigma) are designed to detect such discrepancies before an app hits production stage. Testers can even set up the tool so that it ignores or masks specific file sections. This lets them obscure the date or time stamps on a screen or field. If testers did not do this, the tool would always flag a discrepancy, because the date and time stamp will always be different from the expected results at the end of comparison.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-when-to-perform-comparison-testing">When to perform Comparison Testing</h2>



Honestly, this depends entirely on the nature of the software under development, and the team actually building it.&nbsp;



Given its nature, comparison testing has no hard-and-fast phase like regression testing. These tests can be performed at any point in the SDLC – early, middle or late stage. It can also be used to test individual components solo, or executed along with some other form of software testing.



Generally, comparison tests are run on different components at all stages of the SDLC. This is normal, considering that the software being built must be compared with competitors at every stage of functioning and for every single feature (as far and as feasibly as possible).&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-criteria-to-perform-comparison-testing">Criteria to perform Comparison Testing</h2>



The criteria for comparison testing is decided entirely by the nature of the software product and its relevant use cases. These are also the criteria for designing application and business-minded test cases in this regard.&nbsp;



Generally, comparison tests are bifurcated into two stages:



<ul><li>Comparing the software under development against known industry benchmarks – pages should load in 3 seconds, there should not be any text overlapping with UI elements, etc., all text should be snappy and brief, etc. </li><li>Comparing the software under development against specific features of one or more particular competing software products. </li></ul>



To explain this, let’s take the example of a test automation platform like Testsigma.&nbsp;



Most test automation tools will have a dashboard for single views of all tests, support for recording individual projects, some record and playback functions, a search function, a consistent, real-time image of the project’s Git and automatic report generation.&nbsp;



So, the first step is to test the application and check that it does, indeed, offer all the functions and abilities expected out of such a tool.&nbsp;



The questions to be asked here are:



<ul><li>Does the tool have all the modules expected from a test management solution?</li><li>Are all the modules functioning as expected?</li></ul>



These two primary questions will form the basis of all test scenarios created at this stage.&nbsp;



For the next stage, testers will pit their own app against features of other popular applications in the same domain. In out example, the QA team will study and compare the two applications on multiple metrics:



<ul><li>Price</li><li>Application performance</li><li>UI aesthetics and usability</li></ul>



At both stages, comparison tests are set up to identify potential discrepancies that can translate into business losses. This is done by choosing the right tool, and deploying apt test design and execution.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-example-test-cases-for-comparison-testing">Example test cases for Comparison Testing</h2>



Whether you’re building a web app, a mobile app, an ERP app or any other kind of software, it is highly recommended that you run comparison tests.&nbsp;



For this section, let’s continue with the “test automation tool” example. Here’s what some of the test cases for comparison testing will look like at the initial stage (comparing against industry benchmarks):



<ul><li>Is all test data stored in the app?</li><li>Does a new ticket automatically get triggered whenever a bug is flagged?</li></ul>



At the next stage (comparing against specific applications), the test cases would look more like this:



<ul><li>Can the application handle the maximum traffic load?</li><li>Can the application work as well as its competitors under limited internet connectivity?</li><li>Are there any flaws with the app’s integration with third-party software?</li><li>Is the price comparable to its competitors?</li><li>Does it look at least as good as its competitors?</li><li>Is it as navigable, intuitive and easy to use as its competitors?</li></ul>



The more <a href="https://website.testsigma.com/guides/what-is-test-case/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">test cases</a> you can innovate and craft, the more your chances of identifying bugs, anomalies, and functional issues. 



<h2 id="h-how-comparison-testing-can-help-the-business">How comparison testing can help the business?</h2>



<ul><li>Helps determine if the app being built is marketable and worth the investment.</li><li>Helps determine gaps in functionality, which leads to optimization, bug fixed and improved product quality.&nbsp;</li><li>Helps make a software product, durable, competitive and actually useful to end-users.&nbsp;</li><li>Helps stakeholders make decisions about the release-readiness of a product. It won’t be ready for prod until QAs run detail comparison tests.&nbsp;</li><li>Helps businesses avoid the backlash, credibility and revenue loss that would have come from releasing software that hasn’t been evaluated against its competitors.&nbsp;</li><li>Helps gain learnings about user preferences and market dynamics. When a team knows what users like and what the market responds to, they will be better equipped to create a more desirable, marketable piece of software.&nbsp;</li></ul>



<h2 id="h-comparison-testing-advantages">Comparison Testing Advantages&nbsp;</h2>



<ul><li>Helps assess <a href="https://website.testsigma.com/blog/software-quality-management/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">software quality</a> in relation to competitors and industry standards. </li><li>Helps judge the usability, performance and user-friendliness of any software. </li><li>Helps evaluate a product’s actual competitive value in digital marketing. </li><li>Identifies areas of improvement that must be addressed before product release. </li><li>Helps understand a software app’s desirability in the market, which is instrumental for creating future development, and even marketing strategies. </li><li>Helps assess estimated portability of the products. </li><li>Helps create a product that actually stands a chance of being profitable. </li><li>Helps establish if a software system is bug-free (classic testing). </li><li>Helps answer the question “Do all components fit and work together seamlessly?”</li></ul>



<h2 id="h-disadvantages-of-comparison-testing">Disadvantages of Comparison Testing</h2>



<ul><li>If your competitors are performing comparison tests against your publicly released products, your offerings’ weaknesses may become visible to them. </li><li>If comparison tests are performed towards the end of the SDLC, any bugs might be incredibly difficult to eliminate. In fact, making any changes at this point would be a Herculean effort for devs. It may also seriously delay a product launch. </li><li>Making changes to software products based on comparison testing may disrupt existing functions – ones already working well. So, QA teams have to pair up comparison testing with regression testing, requiring more time, effort and human hours. </li><li>After making changes to the code based on the results of comparison testing, testers will also have to run black box testing, white box testing, integration testing, performance testing, security testing and more to validate the application’s stability before release. </li><li>From the business POV, if comparison tests reveal glaring issues in the software system, it might dissuade the client from investing in it completely.&nbsp;</li></ul>



<h2 id="h-how-to-perform-comparison-testing">How to perform Comparison Testing</h2>



An easy way to perform comparison testing is to work with a control group of potential end-users for your product. Get a control group of your target audience, and have them compare multiple aspects of both applications (yours vs. your competitors’) side by side.&nbsp;



The testers (users) can then rank each aspect of each app. Add up the ranks to get the overall score, and zero in on specific features to find areas for improvement.&nbsp;



If you’re curious, here are some questions that can be used for user-facing comparison tests:



<ul><li>Do you (the user) prefer the (UI feature) for option A (your app) or option B (competitor app)?</li><li>Do you (the user) prefer the (non functional aspect like image or text) for option A (your app) or option B (competitor app)?</li><li>Do you (the user) get more satisfaction out of this process ( any user flow – to purchase something, for example) for option A (your app) or option B(competitor app)?</li></ul>



<h2 id="h-manual-comparison-testing">Manual Comparison Testing</h2>



The process described in the previous section describes…you guessed it…manual comparison testing. This is quite useful for user-facing features like UI, aesthetics, load speed, etc. It is also important for getting users’ true impressions of the software.&nbsp;



In its manual avatar, comparison testing can actually be considered as user acceptability testing. In both cases, the QA team is listening to the user about their opinions of the software…which is the only thing that will truly determine its profitability (or lack thereof).&nbsp;



Note: It is not possible to comprehensively test any multi-featured, modern-day app with manual testing alone. For comparison testing on the levels of performance, integration (with third party apps), performance across locations, and other essential functionalities, QAs are better off choosing a tool for automated testing. Try an automation tool like Testsigma that is set up for (among others) comparison. Notably. Testsigma offers access to hundreds of real devices (mobile and desktop) and browsers. That means your QA team can view how the app behaves in the hands of real end-users using their device of choice to use the app from a specific location.&nbsp;



Since the user journey and experience can be replicated on a test workstation, you can see how the app would behave in the real world with ease and accuracy.&nbsp;



 <button class="btn bg-primary cta-btn" style="margin: auto"><a href="https://website.testsigma.com/automated-testing" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color:#fff">Learn how to automate your tests with Testsigma</a></button> 



Second Note: Just because you automate globalization tests does not mean you cut human testers out of the equation. Human testers are mandatory to create <a href="https://website.testsigma.com/guides/test-script/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">test scripts</a>, supervise the tests, analyze reports and make final approvals and decisions about software quality. Human testers are non-negotiable. 



<h2 id="h-conclusion">Conclusion</h2>



In a world of dog-eat-dog competition, no brand, company, or team can afford to leave things to chance. Software products can no longer be released willy-nilly into the world, powered by the hope that it will bring profits.&nbsp;



Instead, comparison testing provides a legitimate, reliable way of estimating an app’s success potential. By checking how your software fares against its competitors, competitors give developers and business stakeholders a fighting chance to release the best possible – one that pleases users and profit margins alike.&nbsp;

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