Summary of testing needs during the SDLC

There is an often asked question about when testing should occur in the overall product development cycle?

Testing is sometimes incorrectly thought as an after-the-fact activity. Instead, testing should be performed at every development stage of the product. Test data sets must be derived and their correctness and consistency should be monitored throughout the development process. Testing should accompany each phase of “Software Development Life Cycle”. If testing is isolated as a single phase late in the cycle, errors in the problem statement or design may incur exorbitant costs. If this happens, not only must the original error be corrected, but the entire structure built upon it has to be changed. Therefore, testing should be involved throughout SDLC in order to bring out a quality product.

Testing Activities In Each Phase:

1. REQUIREMENTS ANALYSIS
• Determine correctness
• Generate functional test data.

2. Design
• Determine correctness and consistency
• Generate structural and functional test data.

3. PROGRAMMING
• Determine correctness and consistency.
• Generate structural and functional test data.
• Apply test data.
• Refine test data.

4. OPERATION & MAINTENANCE
• Retest

Of course, if you want to add examples of your own to substantiate this, please do so through the comments section.