Manual testing is the foundation of software quality assurance. Even in a world of automation and CI/CD, manual testing plays a critical role in finding bugs, validating functionality, and improving the user experience.
But how do you actually do manual testing? What’s the process?
In this post, we’ll break down the step-by-step manual testing workflow, from receiving requirements to reporting defects—perfect for beginners or teams formalizing their QA process.
🧭 Step 1: Understand the Requirements
Before testing begins, review the functional specifications, user stories, or acceptance criteria.
🎯 Goals:
- Understand what needs to be tested
- Clarify business rules, user flows, and edge cases
- Identify any gaps or ambiguities
✅ Tips:
- Ask questions early
- Highlight testable conditions
- Create a list of features and scenarios based on the documentation
🧪 Step 2: Create Test Scenarios
Test scenarios are high-level descriptions of what to test. They guide your test case design.
✏️ Example:
Scenario: Verify user can reset password using “Forgot Password” link.
🎯 Goals:
- Cover all main flows and edge cases
- Think from the user’s perspective
📋 Step 3: Write Test Cases
Test cases are detailed instructions that tell you how to perform the test and what to expect.
🧾 A Good Test Case Includes:
- Test case ID
- Title/Description
- Preconditions
- Test steps
- Expected result
- Actual result (during execution)
- Status (Pass/Fail)
✅ Example:
- Title: Login with valid credentials
- Steps:
- Open login page
- Enter valid email and password
- Click “Login”
- Expected: User is redirected to the dashboard
📊 Step 4: Prepare Test Data
Gather the data you’ll need to run your test cases.
🔢 Examples:
- User accounts
- Product SKUs
- Invalid inputs (e.g., special characters, empty fields)
Test data helps simulate realistic scenarios and ensures repeatability.
🧪 Step 5: Execute Test Cases
Run the tests manually by following each step and comparing the actual result to the expected result.
🎯 Goals:
- Confirm functionality works as expected
- Observe any visual, functional, or performance issues
- Note down any inconsistencies or bugs
Use tools like Excel, Google Sheets, or test management platforms (e.g., TestRail, Zephyr) to track execution status.
🐞 Step 6: Report Bugs
If something doesn’t work, raise a defect report.
A good bug report includes:
- Clear title
- Steps to reproduce
- Actual vs expected result
- Screenshots or video
- Severity and priority
- Environment details (browser, OS, version)
Use tools like Jira, Bugzilla, or qTest to log and track issues.
🔁 Step 7: Retesting & Regression
Once bugs are fixed, retest the failed test cases.
Also perform regression testing to ensure new changes haven’t broken existing features.
🎯 Goal:
- Confirm the fix works
- Prevent new bugs from being introduced
🧾 Step 8: Test Summary Report
At the end of the cycle, create a Test Summary Report to share with stakeholders.
It includes:
- Number of test cases executed
- Pass/fail ratio
- Open/closed defects
- Major risks or blockers
- Sign-off recommendation
This helps the team make informed release decisions.
🧠 Final Thoughts
Manual testing is much more than clicking through an app—it’s a structured process that requires clear thinking, strong documentation, and communication skills.
By following this step-by-step workflow, testers can:
- Stay organized
- Improve coverage
- Build confidence in product quality
Even if your team moves toward automation, this manual testing foundation will remain essential.
