What is involved in test analysis?

Test analysis is a critical phase in the software testing lifecycle where the focus is on understanding what needs to be tested based on the test basis, which includes requirements and specifications. This stage involves defining test objectives, aligning them with the project goals, and ensuring that all necessary aspects of the application or system are covered.

By deriving test objectives from the test basis, the team can prioritize testing efforts, identify risk areas, and ensure that the most critical functionalities are adequately evaluated. This step is fundamental in creating effective test cases that directly address the requirements and expectations of stakeholders, leading to a more targeted and efficient testing process.

While executing test cases and comparing results to expected outcomes are essential parts of the testing process, they occur later in the cycle after the objectives have been established. Determining resource allocation, although necessary for planning and organization, does not directly relate to the analytical aspect of defining what to test. Therefore, defining test objectives stands out as the primary focus of the test analysis phase.