Guidelines in Providing Test estimates

Being Agile means managing changing requirements, accommodating frequent releases, having very good QA processes to support the same. Below blog post is on communicating test Estimates. It's all hypothetical scenarios :). I'm sharing my personal opinion. Before you actually test a project you would be asked to provide test estimates for upcoming projects.

Let’s take below reply
Explanation One

• For testing the changes in this feature, It would require 2 days

Let's see how this explanation can be probed - Peer QA might say, in my opinion, these changes would take only one day to test

Explanation two

• This changes would require 2 days for testing
• I would be covering below test scenarios

Let's see how this explanation can be probed - Few scenarios are missed, below scenarios can be additionally covered

Explanation three

• This changes would require 2 days for testing
• I would be covering below test scenarios
• In scope - Below Cases
• Out of Scope - A and B Features

Let's see how this explanation can be probed - Good to do regression / Sanity testing of B as they also seem to be affected

Explanation Four

• Assumption - Change would be affecting A, B and C Features
• In scope - Below Cases
• Out of Scope - A and B Features
• This changes would require 2 days for testing
• I would be covering below test scenarios

Let's see how this explanation can be probed - This provides the context of the QA. Level of understanding, In-scope, out of scope items. I would rate it a good estimate providing the reviewer good amount of information on estimates and coverage.

Moving a step forward in this discussion would be adding dependencies/risks

Happy Reading!!