In software testing, test case (TC) writing is one of the important activities. Many things will be left out if you are not following the proper process in this area. In this article, let’s try to identify some of the critical areas you need to consider when writing TC for your project.

1. TC must contain a clear definition of the condition for which you are testing the application. In any standard test case template, there is a preconditions section present, so make sure you fill it out correctly. So, if you are testing the login function at 50% load for performance testing, in the precondition mention “the system has 50% process utilization”. So, later, if the client wants to check what condition, this TC has checked, he can check the preconditions section.
2. TC must be clearly traceable to a requirement. The ultimate goal of any test is to make sure you have TCs for each requirement. It is good practice to create a requirements traceability matrix at the end of test case writing and validate if you miss any requirements and don’t have a corresponding test case to cover.
3. TCs must have very clearly established steps. So, in the test steps section, make sure you put the steps in such a way that anyone, even new to the project, can run them. After writing the test case, do a rehearsal in your mind and see if there are any missing steps. It also helps during bug fixes for the development team. You can simply send it to them in Excel or attach it instead. If the steps are clear and simple enough, they will be able to reproduce the error without asking you for further clarification.
4. For each test, TC makes sure that it clearly mentions the expected results or what would happen after executing the steps. If in the step you have four validation conditions, then for each validation, you must have an expected result. For example, if in the first step I say that the user logs in with the proper user id and password, the expected result would be that the user successfully logs into the dashboard and can see various buttons on the dashboard screen. Similarly, if the user does not have enough permission to see all the buttons, you can mention that the user logs into the system successfully, but can only see the screen, but the edit button will be disabled until the user, etc. Be sure to write it down for all those actions. During testing, the tester should not try to assume what the expected result is and overlook a defect.
5. The last critical thought of TC writing is test data preparation. After writing the test case, you must attach the corresponding data. Again, this has to be done for each step. In our example test where a user logs into the system with a role with all permissions and limited permissions, he must find at least two user accounts. You can attach the test data to the test case itself by adding a column called test data.

These are some of the most critical steps during test case writing. Also, make sure all of these areas are checked in multiple coats to ensure proper quality.