---
title: "Test life cycle in quality control"
subject: "ICT Project Management"
chapter: 10
key: "semester_7/ict_project_management:test-life-cycle"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/ict_project_management/test-life-cycle
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Test life cycle in quality control

ICT Project Management · Chapter 10: Project quality management

- Asked in: year not given
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/ict_project_management/test-life-cycle
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_7/ict_project_management/chapter-10

## Question

What do you mean by test life cycle in the quality control process?

## Short answer

The test life cycle (STLC) is the sequence: requirement analysis, test planning, test design, environment setup, test execution, defect reporting, and test closure. It organizes systematic defect finding, with deliverables such as RTM, test plan, test cases, test logs, defect reports, and a summary report.

## Answer

The **test life cycle** (Software Testing Life Cycle, STLC) is a sequence of specific activities performed during the testing process to ensure quality goals are met. In quality control it organises testing so that defects are found systematically. It runs in parallel with the SDLC.

```text
Requirement analysis -> Test planning -> Test design
      -> Environment setup -> Test execution
      -> Defect reporting -> Test closure
```

#### Phases
1. **Requirement analysis (test analysis)**
   - Study requirements to identify testable items; clarify unclear ones.
   - Output: list of test conditions, requirement traceability matrix (RTM).
2. **Test planning**
   - Define scope, objectives, strategy, resources, schedule, tools, risks, entry/exit criteria.
   - Output: test plan, effort estimate.
3. **Test case design / development**
   - Write test cases with input, steps, expected result; prepare test data.
   - Review test cases.
4. **Test environment setup**
   - Prepare hardware, software, network and test data; smoke test the environment.
5. **Test execution**
   - Run tests, compare actual with expected results, log pass/fail.
6. **Defect reporting and tracking**
   - Log defects with severity and priority, assign to developers, retest after fix, regression testing.
   - Defect states: new, assigned, fixed, retested, closed or reopened.
7. **Test closure**
   - Evaluate exit criteria, prepare test summary report, metrics (defect density, coverage), lessons learned, archive testware.

| Phase | Deliverable |
|---|---|
| Analysis | RTM |
| Planning | Test plan |
| Design | Test cases |
| Setup | Ready environment |
| Execution | Test logs |
| Reporting | Defect reports |
| Closure | Summary report |

#### Importance
Gives a structured, repeatable and measurable approach; supports early defect detection; clear entry and exit criteria prevent premature release.

**Example:** For an online exam portal, testers map requirements to 120 test cases, run them on a staging server, log 35 defects, retest fixes and issue a test summary before release.

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. Which is the correct order of the start of the test life cycle?
   A. Test planning, requirement analysis, test execution
   B. Test design, test planning, environment setup
   C. Requirement analysis, test planning, test design
   D. Test execution, test design, test closure
   Answer: C. The STLC begins with requirement analysis, then planning, then design, environment setup, execution, reporting and closure. (Key point: STLC order)

2. Which phase produces the requirement traceability matrix (RTM)?
   A. Test planning
   B. Test closure
   C. Test execution
   D. Requirement analysis
   Answer: D. Requirement analysis outputs test conditions and the RTM. (Key point: RTM output)

3. What does test planning define?
   A. Scope, strategy, resources, schedule, tools, risks and entry/exit criteria
   B. The actual test pass/fail logs
   C. The defect states
   D. The lessons learned
   Answer: A. The plan defines scope, objectives, strategy, resources, schedule and entry/exit criteria; output is the test plan. (Key point: Test planning)

4. Which activity belongs to test closure?
   A. Writing test cases with expected results
   B. Evaluating exit criteria and preparing the test summary report
   C. Smoke testing the environment
   D. Logging defects with severity
   Answer: B. Closure evaluates exit criteria, prepares the summary report, metrics and lessons learned. (Key point: Test closure)

## Related in ICT Project Management

- [Quality control process](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Aquality-control-process) — ICT Project Management, chapter 10
- [Project development life cycle phases](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Aproject-development-life-cycle) — ICT Project Management, chapter 1
- [Testing IT systems in quality control](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Atesting-it-systems) — ICT Project Management, chapter 10
- [Product versus project life cycle](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Aproduct-vs-project-life-cycle) — ICT Project Management, chapter 4
- [System development life cycle](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Asdlc) — ICT Project Management, chapter 4
- [Project life cycles in detail](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Aproject-life-cycles) — ICT Project Management, chapter 4

## Related in other subjects

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- [Control cycle; quality control factors](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fproject_engineering%3Acontrol-cycle-quality-control-factors) — Project Engineering, chapter 4, asked 2×
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- [Life cycle phases and goal setting example](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fproject_engineering%3Alife-cycle-phase-goal-example) — Project Engineering, chapter 1