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3. Risk Based Prioritization Approach – The Way to Provide maximum value in a short time frame. Part 2

Process of Risk Based Prioritization

Risk Based Prioritization is a process that is led by a Test Manager. It’s a responsibility of a Test Manager to make sure that Risk Based Prioritization is carried out effectively throughout SDLC. It’s a three step process.

Step 1: At the end of Analysis phase, Test Manager distributes the latest copy of all requirements. Everyone checks if requirements are crystal clear. Team Manager then arranges a meeting with everyone within the team including Business Analyses, Stakeholders, and Developers.

Step 2: In that meeting everyone goes through all the requirements and gives numbers to the input parameters (i.e. impact and Probability).

Obviously, there will be some instances when team members will have different numbers. In that case team members have to discuss and come up with a common number. Still if team members are very firm on their numbers, it is recommended to go with a higher number to begin with.

Step 3: Test Manager consolidates all the inputs and circulates the results of Risk Based Prioritization mentioning the number of High, Medium and Low risk requirements. The Result looks something like this

Based on these inputs the team starts working on development / testing / implementation.

Benefits of Risk Based Prioritization

• It helps you to identify whether your requirements are testable. If they are not, then it helps you to convert them into testable requirements.
• It helps you to put focus on testing activities right from Analysis phase
• It keeps all the stakeholders up-to-date on requirements
• It helps you to identify critical requirements. You can then put more focus on testing those requirements.
• It helps you to communicate Risks in your projects in quantifiable terms
• It could also help you to optimize User Acceptance Testing by skipping testing of Low Priority requirements in UAT phase. However, for doing this you need to check the comfort level of your business teams and get their buy in.
• It helps you to streamline your entire testing process

Conclusion

Risk Based Prioritization is a testing technique which will enable you to scrutinize requirements in Requirements Gathering phase itself. This will enable you to focus on testing and minimize defects that get penetrated into the system due to inaccurate requirements. At the same time it will help you to identify priorities and categories requirements. This will also enable you to optimize your User Acceptance Testing. This process basically acts as a strong foundation of your testing and thus it automatically improves your development process.