A software meeting only functional requirement but do not align with the specific needs for a domain which it serves can be a horrendous mistake. Imagine an e-commerce website that doesn't offer credit card payment option (which is an industry standard), missing out on a significant revenue and losing customers who prefer this popular payment method.
This article is all about answering the questing "What is domain testing in software testing" and how it is different than conventional software testing, who should be responsible for this critical aspect.
Before going in depth of domain testing, lets understand the fundamentals:
What is domain?
A domain refers to a specific industry that the software is designed to serve. Each domain has its own set of rules, requirements, workflows, legal compliances and characteristics that are unique to that particular industry. To understand it better, let's take a few examples:
Banking Domain
A software built for banking domain will have various key functionalities like account management, transactions, loan, credit card management, debit card management, e-banking, sms generation etc. It also needs to comply with banking regulations and policies related to banking industry designed by local government or any other institution.
For an example, If RBI (Reserve Bank of India) issues instruction to Indian banks to impose a limit on net-banking fund transfer then it becomes a need of banking domain software, and any software designed for banking operation should have such restrictions to prevent the transaction above the instructed limit.
Healthcare Domain
Similar to banking domain, healthcare has its own domain and compliances to follow in its software. It may involve features like patient management, electronic health records (EHR), medical billing, and appointment scheduling. Compliance with healthcare regulations and privacy requirements (e.g., HIPAA) is crucial in this domain.
There are many such domains like insurance, travel and hospitality, e-learning, e-commerce etc.
What is Domain Testing in software testing?
In domain testing, we don't pay much attention to functionality of software rather we assess software is meeting the requirements of its domain, it ensures that all the features required for the domain is present in the software. It checks for the specific rules, compliances, workflows, industry standards, user expectations and other domain specific factors. The domain testing differs from what we do in our conventional functionality testing.
Functional testing focuses on overall quality of software and it is verified by running many combinations of positive, negative and non-functional test cases. The ultimate goal of conventional function testing is o verifying the features of a software, example a login feature works as expected, meets the user experience and perform reliable without any issue. However, domain testing does not pay much attention to functionality of software rather it checks for the presence of industry standards, specific rule, compliances, workflow, government policies etc in the software.
Conventional testing, has a broader scope. It aims to ensure that the software meets general requirements and performs correctly across various scenarios. The test design covers a wide range of functionalities, often using different test inputs.
Here's a comparison table differentiating domain testing and conventional testing:
Aspect | Domain Testing | Conventional Testing |
Focus | Testing of domain or industry related features | General quality and behaviour |
Scope | Narrow scope within the targeted domain | Broad scope, targeting entire software |
Requirements | Subject matter expert of domain under test | General Software requirment |
Expertise | Requires domain knowledge and understanding, aware of industry standards, government policies relevant to domain under test. | Focuses on software testing principles and techniques |
Stakeholder | Involves domain experts and business stakeholders | Includes testers, developers, and other project members |
Performed By | Mostly domain experts, SMEs, QA expert in the specified domain | QAs (Any team member) |
End Goal | Verifies software suitability within the targeted domain | Validates software functionality as a whole |
Lets take a few test cases differentiating domain testing and functional testing for a banking domain software:
# Test Case | Domain Testing | Functional Testing |
Ensure privacy and data protection | 1. Verify that customer data is handled securely and with privacy. 2. Verify that real customer data is not used for testing purpose. 3. Verify the restriction on customer data based on Geographical boundry | In functional testing, the scenarios would be related to making sure there is no way of leaking the customer's privacy and data. For that purpose, a QA can design many test scenarios like:
|
Restriction on fund transfer | In domain testing, SME will check for whether system has feature as instructed by local government to limit the amount for online transfer on bank holidays | In conventional functional testing, QA will check for different combination of scenarios like boundary value check for amount, any loop hole like modifying the api request, changing the system date to make sure there is no way to transfer the amount more than its limit. |
Why domain testing is Important?
Domain testing plays a crucial role in preventing penalties, fines, and protecting brand reputation by ensuring that software systems comply with industry standards and regulations. Here's how domain testing helps in this regard:
Identifying compliances issues
Domain testing focuses on validating whether the software meets industry-specific standards, regulations, and compliance requirements. By thoroughly testing the software against these standards, it helps identify any potential non-compliance issues early on in the development process.
Helps in mitigating legal and regulatory risks
Domain testing helps in mitigating the risk of legal issues violations and penalties by ensuring the software has all necessary features which are mandatory for the geographical area where it operates. Example, a e-commerce website operating in London, UK must need to adhere the rules of Ireland government if they are willing to ship their products in Ireland.
Brand Reputation
Compliance failures and security breaches can have severe consequences for a company's brand reputation. By conducting domain testing, companies can demonstrate their commitment to compliance, build trust with customers, and safeguard their brand reputation.
Avoiding Costly Remediation and Reputational Damage
Non-compliance with industry standards and regulations can result in fines and brand reputation. Expert domain testers make sure that the software has all necessary guidelines as instructed for their industry.
Conclusion
Domain testing plays a crucial role in mitigating risks, preventing penalties, and protecting brand reputation. It helps organizations build trust with their users, ensure compliance with industry-specific regulations, and deliver software solutions that are tailored to the unique needs of the domain. By investing in thorough domain testing, organizations can achieve software excellence, drive business success, and gain a competitive advantage in their respective industries.
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