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Test Scenario

A Test Scenario is a high-level description of what needs to be tested, derived from requirements, use cases, or business workflows. It represents a testing objective, not detailed steps.

A test scenario answers: “What functionality or workflow should be tested?”

1. Definition

A Test Scenario is a high-level description of what needs to be tested, derived from requirements, use cases, or business workflows. It represents a testing objective, not detailed steps.

A test scenario answers: “What functionality or workflow should be tested?”

2. Purpose of Test Scenarios

  • Ensure complete requirement coverage
  • Provide a clear testing scope at a high level
  • Help identify all possible test cases
  • Enable quick review by stakeholders
  • Serve as a bridge between requirements and test cases

3. Characteristics of a Good Test Scenario

  • High-level and concise
  • Requirement- or business-driven
  • Technology-agnostic
  • Covers end-user intent
  • One scenario can map to multiple test cases

4. Sources of Test Scenarios

  • Business Requirement Documents (BRD)
  • Functional Requirement Specifications (FRS)
  • User Stories & Acceptance Criteria
  • Use Cases
  • Business workflows

5. How to Write Test Scenarios (Steps)

  1. Read and understand the requirement/use case
  2. Identify the main business objective
  3. Cover positive, negative, and alternate flows
  4. Keep it brief and outcome-focused

6. Test Scenario Examples

Feature: Login

  • Verify user can log in with valid credentials
  • Verify error message is shown for invalid credentials
  • Verify user cannot log in with empty fields
  • Verify account locks after multiple failed attempts

Each scenario can expand into multiple test cases.

7. Test Scenario vs Test Case

Aspect Test Scenario Test Case
Level High-level Low-level
Detail What to test How to test
Steps No Yes
Coverage Broad Specific

8. When to Create Test Scenarios

  • During requirement analysis
  • Before writing test cases
  • During test planning
  • For quick test coverage review

9. Benefits of Using Test Scenarios

  • Prevents missing major flows
  • Saves time in test case design
  • Improves communication with stakeholders
  • Helps in effort estimation

10. Common Mistakes

  • Writing test cases instead of scenarios
  • Making scenarios too generic
  • Missing negative and edge scenarios
  • Not mapping scenarios to requirements

11. Interview-Ready Answers

Short answer:

A test scenario is a high-level statement describing what functionality or workflow needs to be tested.

Detailed answer:

Test scenarios define testing objectives derived from requirements or business workflows and act as a foundation for creating detailed test cases.

12. Key Takeaway

Test Scenarios ensure nothing important is missed, while test cases ensure everything is tested correctly.