Keywords Groups for Test Cases

Keywords — is one of the most used test cases structuration approaches.

If you split keywords into semantical groups and combine them with test cases taxonomy’s FURPS+ model, then you’ll get a very powerful tool in your test cases management and quality assurance process.

The following article aims to answer what are Keywords Groups and how to create and use them. Let’s get started!

Keywords Groups Skeleton

To form a powerful set of keywords groups, I recommend you to start with test cases “types” and use FURPS+ list for that purpose.

Select FURPS+ types, that will help you in your test cases design and test cases management process the most and add your types, if you need.

Then form the “priority” group. Define how many priority categories will help you the most to succeed in testing of your product. Someone tells they need only 2 priorities: High and Low. Someone tells, that they need 3: High, Medium and Low. But I know, that some companies use 5 and they name them with digits: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4. Define it on your own, discussing with your team.

Then make a “project” group and add there your projects.

And you’ll get your Keywords Groups matrix, a skeleton, similar to this one:

Skeleton of keywords groups matrix

This is a very good Keywords Groups skeleton to start.

Now push it into your test cases management tool, assign each test case a keyword from each group — and then use it when you analyse your coverage and define a scope for testing.

Skeleton’s Life

So, you made a skeleton and started working with Keywords Groups. But during your test case design process you may find, that you need to add more there: more groups, more categories, etc. So, go ahead:

Extended skeleton of keywords groups matrix

Do not fix the set. Let it live and help you in your testing process!

But do it wisely: if some category affects all departments, all teams, then add it to keywords. But if some category or type affects just your team, your particular project, then use #hashtags approach (read more about that in test cases structuration article)

Here is a real-life example of keywords-groups usage in test cases design:

Keywords in SQA Mate test cases management tool are used for categorization purposes. Click on image for a more detailed view!

Test case here has “Reliability” type, “High” priority, it is for some project “HMP 9.0” and was created in “Phase 1” of that project, on “Sprint 3”.

Some teams find this set of keywords useful. Aren’t you? Please, write in the comments below if you use this keywords groups approach already, what keywords do you use and why?

Thank you!