8 Things That Make a Test Management Tool Next Generation

Software testing has been around for decades. Although many software processes have transformed over the years, testing hasn’t exactly caught up with changing times and changing needs.

Companies are still clinging to legacy software test management tools that hold up efficiency and are a nightmare for Agile and DevOps focused teams.

If your goal is to deliver software faster and with high quality, you need a test management tool that isn’t an anachronism. You need a next generation test management tool that simplifies software testing across your enterprise.

But what is a next generation test management tool? How is it different from your current tool and why should you even consider switching? Read on to find out.  

8 Things That Make an Enterprise Test Management Tool Next Generation

Legacy test management tools are expensive, involve jumping in and out of multiple databases, and reinforce enterprise software delivery silos.

Modern test management tools, however, have all the capabilities that help software testing teams not just overcome these problems but also experience a number of additional benefits.

Here’s what makes an enterprise test management tool next generation:

1. Single view of all testing projects

A modern test management tool weaves enterprise, line of business, department, and team visibility into delivery pipelines so you can see all test activities in one place.

Many legacy applications require jumping in and out of each database to view its status or make changes – a clunky feature that silos testing data and doesn’t jibe with speed-focused Agile and DevOps teams.

A next generation test management tool makes life easy for testing teams with one login that gives all stakeholders a single view of test coverage across the entire testing lifecycle.

2. Real-time, actionable insights

A modern test management tool provides unprecedented insights into software quality and delivery pipelines with comprehensive metrics, reports, and leaderboards. And unlike legacy tools, you can keep your finger on the pulse by viewing reports on the go. Plutora provides a comprehensive data mart that automatically captures every detail and result from every test throughout the enterprise, then rolls them up into reports and dashboards that can be viewed by testers, stakeholders, and decision makers.

3. Support for multi-speed IT

Legacy tools only support the stable and sequential Waterfall methodology. Try using a legacy tool for multiple cadences and your efforts will fall flat.

With a modern test management tool, teams focusing on Waterfall, Continuous Delivery, Agile, DevOps, and Lean can rejoice. A modern tool goes with the flow of your choice of development methodology, whether it’s one or multiple at the same time.

If your enterprise is not a digital native, chances are you have stable systems running on Waterfall alongside speed-focused projects that have a short time to market.

4. Support for the entire software delivery process

An ideal test management tool wouldn’t exist as an island in the software delivery process. It would integrate with tools that help manage end-to-end software delivery.

Along with test metrics, Plutora also features release management and environment management modules that form a value stream management platform to support the entire software delivery process from idea to production. A next generation tool really comes into its own when used as part of a whole.

5. Instant collaboration

A next generation test management tool has in-tool commenting that gives contextual information by getting rid of the need to communicate comments and updates through outside tools.

In-tool communication means you can keep a full audit trail of conversations between stakeholders.

6. Integrations with your favorite tools

A modern test management tool has open APIs that enable it to gel with your existing toolchain.

A next generation test management tool should sync with tools like JIRA so developers can keep using their own tools while testers view progress in the requirements traceability matrix. It should also integrate with test automation tools like Selenium to pull in your existing library of test automation scripts.

7. Easy migration from legacy test management tools

A modern test tool makes it a breeze to import all test cases from any legacy application in just a few clicks. Enterprise test teams can get a single project running in minutes, and fully migrate to the tool in less than a week.

8. SaaS architecture with low-cost ownership

A next generation test management tool understands your software testing needs and adapts to them with a one hundred percent SaaS architecture.

It requires no hardware or software installation and scales best-in-class with the lowest total cost of ownership.