Reporting takes place in accordance with the reporting structure described in the test plan. The progress report contains data on the most recent reporting period and cumulative data on the entire test process.

Besides figures, the report should also provide textual explanation and advice on the results, progress, risks and any problem areas. The latter is inclined to be forgotten in reports that are generated from test-management tools. It should be realised that explanation and advice are very important in the provision of quick and reliable insight into the figures. It is the most important product of testing. While the explanation can and should be given verbally, it most definitely should be contained in the written report. This forces the test manager to think carefully, as well as making the advice stronger, reaching a wider audience and helping with the process evaluation in retrospect.

• A description of the event / the scenario
• The consequences of the event for the testing
• The significance of the event to the degree to which the various product risks are covered
• Possible countermeasures - If possible, the test manager outlines several measures with the associated costs. An estimate is also made of the influence of the measures on the recognised consequences and degree of coverage of product risks.
• Recommendation - The test manager provides a recommendation in respect of the measure(s) to be selected.
  
  

The release advice is created at the end of the test execution. The purpose of the release advice is to provide the client and other stakeholders with a level of insight into the quality of the test object that will allow them to make informed decisions on whether the test object can go on the following stage with its present status. The following phase in this connection refers to a subsequent test level, or production. For that reason, the release advice is usually created under severe pressure of time, since immediately after execution of the last tests and before the test object is released to the next phase, there is usually very little time available. The test manager would do well to have a draft release advice largely prepared towards the end of the last tests, so that only the last test results need to be processed.

• A recommendation as to whether, from the point of view of the testing, it would be advisable to transfer the test object in its present state to the next phase. The final decision on whether or not to go on to the next phase does not lie within the test process. Many more factors are at work here, other than those relating to the test process. For example, political or commercial interests that make it impossible to postpone transfer to a subsequent phase, despite a negative release advice.
• Obtained and unobtained results - Which test goals have been achieved and which not, or only to a certain degree? On the basis of test results on characteristics and object parts, the test manager gives his opinion and advice on the test goals set by the client. It is also indicated whether the exit criteria have been met. The number and severity of the open defects play an important role here. Per defect, it is indicated what the consequences are for the organisation. If possible, risk-reducing measures are also indicated, such as, for example, a workaround, allowing the test object to go on to the next phase without the defect being solved.
• Risk estimate - During the planning phase at the beginning of the test process, an agreement is made with the client about the extent to which product risks will be overed, and with what degree of thoroughness. For various reasons, it may be decided to cover certain parts less thoroughly with testing than the risk estimate indicates. Moreover, during the test process, all kinds of changes are still usually being made to the original strategy; moreover, the original risk estimate has possibly been adjusted, perhaps resulting in additional or different risks. In this part of the release advice, the test manager points out which characteristics or object parts have not been tested, or have been less thoroughly tested than the risks justify and so present a higher risk. The associated consequences are also shown.
  

The purpose of this report is to obtain insight into the way the test process has gone and to document empirical data for the purposes of future test processes. The final report is created after issuing the release advice, usually when the test object has already been released to the next phase. More time is therefore available for it.

• 1. Evaluation of the test object (BDTM: Result)
  • 1.1 Status per characteristic/object part
  • 1.2 Status of test goals
• 2. Product risk and strategy adjustment (BDTM: Risks)
• 3. Release advice (BDTM: Result, Risks)
• 4. Evaluation of the test process
  • 4.1 Progress (BDTM: Time and Costs)
  • 4.2 Quality of the test process (BDTM: all the aspects)
• 6. Recommendations for future tests
• 7. Empirical data (optional)
• 8. Costs/benefits analysis (optional)

However, whereas a progress report looks ahead, the final report looks back. In other words, it mainly concerns the difference between the original plan and the final realisation. What degree of deviation is there from the original plan? Was the plan a good one, or were issues wrongly estimated? Were adjustments always timely and effective? To what extent were the preconditions met, and met promptly enough? Could bottlenecks have been prevented? These differences are analysed in particular for purposes of the risk analysis, test strategy, estimate and planning. The quality of the test process is also considered: were the chosen procedures, tools and techniques used correctly and was the test environment satisfactory? Recommendations are provided, if possible, for future tests. The task Evaluate The Test Process (AST) supplies the input for this evaluation. Also,use can be made of the “Test process evaluation” checklist. In addition, empirical data may be collected and made available to the client, or, even better, to a Testing line organisation. A last, optional, part of the fi nal report is a costs/benefits analysis.

The final report is made available to the client and other stakeholders, possibly by means of a presentation.