Test data management is an important process of software testing that sadly is often overlooked. It refers to ensuring the accuracy, relevance, and timeliness of data used in software testing and includes the following phases: creating test data, validating it, and ensuring its accuracy.
Importance Of Test Data Management Tools
There are many reasons why effective handling of test data is crucial in software development. First, it guarantees an efficient and comprehensive testing phase.
This is because the reliability of test results depends on the quality of the data utilized in the tests. Second, inadequate data can force testers to make assumptions and produce subpar results, which can then translate into a flawed final product.
Advanced test data management tools play a key role in raising the standard of software products in development. They enable testers to spot possible flaws early on in the development process and fix them before they worsen.
Testers can find bugs, defects, and other problems before they affect end users’ experiences by employing precise and pertinent test data, resulting in a high-quality product that satisfies users’ needs and expectations.
The following are some ways test data management tools play a key role in ensuring data quality in testing:
- Mask Sensitive Data: Organizations can use test data management solutions to mask sensitive data in order to safeguard privacy and adhere to data privacy laws. These tools can hide or obscure private information while keeping it testable.
- Centralized Platform: Test data management tools offer a centralized platform for managing, storing, and distributing test data across many testing environments. These solutions can also automate testing, decrease errors brought on by erroneous or inconsistent data, and enhance the confidentiality and security of data.
- Construct Test Data Scenarios: Organizations can construct test data scenarios based on real-world situations with the use of test data management systems. For instance, test data scenarios based on various customer profiles, order volumes, and product configurations can be easily created. By automating the process of generating test data, testers can save both time and effort.
- Document Test Data: Test data management solutions can assist organizations in documenting test data that can be easily understood by all parties and is accessible to all teams within the organization. The sources, format, volume, and any data conversions or modifications that were carried out, all can be documented. The accuracy and representation of real-world settings in the test data can be ensured with adequate documentation.
- Refresh Test Data: Organizations can use test data management solutions to regularly refresh test data to make sure that testing accurately simulates real-world circumstances. To reflect changes in the data sources, the business needs, or the testing environment, the test data may need to be updated.
Techniques Used In Test Data Management Tools
There are several techniques that testers can use for effective test data management. Some of these techniques include:
Data Masking
To protect sensitive data from unauthorized access, data masking is used as a key strategy in test data management. It’s a method for protecting sensitive data by replacing the actual information with false information.
Organizations can readily share data with developers and testers through data masking without compromising with data security.
Testers can perform their testing duties with the assurance that sensitive data is masked and not exposed. And, because data masking eliminates the need to create separate test environments to protect sensitive data, it can be a cost-effective way of securing data.
Data Subsetting
Data subsetting is a method in which the amount of data utilized in testing is minimized. It involves creating a portion of the complete database that may be utilized for testing, something that can save both time and resources.
Data subsetting makes testing faster and easier by selecting a smaller, more manageable dataset. Testers can choose specific data types, columns, or rows that are essential to the test case.
This technique is especially helpful when testing large databases that cannot be tested with the entire dataset.
By deleting sensitive or private information that is not required for testing, data subsetting can also aid in maintaining data privacy and security. This guarantees that only the necessary data, not sensitive data, is used in the testing process.
Synthetic Test Data Generation
Many test data management tools use the technique of synthetic test data generation in which dummy or fake data is used for testing applications. Usually, there are two situations in which synthetic test data is generated:
- When sensitive/private user information has to be replaced
- When the testers need specific data-related conditions that can’t be found in the production database
Synthetic test data can be generated by logic, or it can also be generated randomly.
Best Practices For Test Data Management Tools
There are several best practices that testers can follow to ensure effective test data management.
The most important one is defining the test data requirements by working with stakeholders to identify the data requirements for each test case.
The next best practice is developing a test data strategy, which can help ensure that test data is managed effectively. The strategy should outline the techniques and tools that will be used for test data management.
Another important practice that must be taken into account before jumping into testing, is using realistic data.
Realistic data is data that’s based on real-world scenarios, like customer profiles, order volumes, and product configurations.
By using realistic data, testing can accurately reflect real-world scenarios, which can lead to more valid outcomes.
Conclusion
In conclusion, test data management tools are essential for ensuring data accuracy during testing. These technologies offer a centralized platform for managing, storing, and exchanging data across various testing environments, which assists organizations in managing their test data effectively.
They also help in enhancing the validity and precision of test data, which ultimately results in better testing results and software quality.
However, a company must choose proper test data management tools to ensure their test data is successfully managed and all demands and specifications are met.
Some key considerations for selecting the tools include data volume, data complexity, and the testing environments.