Is it a standard practice to start all the Test Case Heading from the word 'Verify'?

Dilusha K's picture
Dilusha K asked on August 5, 2017 - 6:10am | Replies (4).

Is it a standard practice to start all the Test Case Heading from the word 'Verify'?
Ex :
Verify show .................
Verify Create................
Verify Edit................

4 Answers

Sriharsha ng's picture

No. Although testers use Verify, Check e.t.c its all depends on how the test case title should sensible against the steps and expectations.

Zephan Schroeder's picture

Starting test cases with "Verify ", "Check that the ", or similar boilerplate prefix statement is somewhat common but is not at all a standard practice or even recommended. I personally find such static prefixes counterproductive. They diminish human ability to quickly scan a list or alphabetically recognize a group of tests. It takes up valuable mental parsing not to mention screen/paper real-estate. It adds no value to the reader IMHO.

I strongly recommend using a standardized test case naming convention focused on conveying summary info so familiar tester can run without opening the details. I help drive consistency with the following naming convention:

Test Case Title Naming Convention:  
<Feature>: <Initial State> <Action[s]>[,] [Expect ]<Expected result>

Examples:

  1. Homepage: Login as Admin user with a clean browser cache. Website authenticates and shows Admin user homepage (Admin menu + admin home content section)
  2. Homepage: Login as Normal user with a clean browser cache. Website authenticates and shows Normal user homepage
  3. Menus: Edit submenus each open successfully
  4. Menus: File submenus each open successfully
  5. Menus: Login as Admin user, menubar contains File, Edit, View, Links, and Administrator menus
  6. Menus: Login as Admin user, Admin submenus each open successfully
  7. Menus: Login as Admin user, Admin submenus each open successfully
  8. Menus: Login as Normal user, menubar contains File, Edit, View, Links menus (but no Admin menu)
  9. ...

Notice above are sorted alphabetically and provide easy sorted by Feature and then by initial state. 

QUIZ #1: Did you spot the duplicate test case? 
QUIZ #2: Can you quickly spot the gap in these high-level menu tests?
QUIZ #3: Is it easy to do parallel testing by assigning Admin user tests to one tester and Normal user tests to a different tester?

Test case titles can get long. You can use terminology, length limits, and other guidelines to produce consistent test titles that meet any additional restrictions. The point I want to emphasize is that test case titles get plenty long without adding filler words that add no actionable information.

OPEN QUESTION: Have you seen or used different test case title naming conventions or have other test case heading best practices? Comment here!

Stewart Lauder's picture

i personally always try and avoid using the word "verify" at any point when writing test cases, as it suggests we are "checking" and not "testing" - i tend to make my heading as a clear statement aligned to whats being tested

Devira Kuswhara's picture

I dont think it's necessary to put word 'Verify' on the heading. I usually put it on the expected result section. For complex business process, I usually put some important configuration hints on the heading, so it is easier for someone else to catch the main idea of the test case.

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