What is Boundary Value Analysis Testing

Boundary Value Analysis testing is a software testing technique used to validate application functionality while processing boundary conditions. Also, we can consider that this is one of the Software Testing Techniques available in Black Box testing

This is one of the most effective software testing techniques to find defects.

Boundary Value Analysis Testing with Example:  We will see how Boundary Value Testing is used to test below requirement

Requirement: Risk assessment team in a credit card department of a bank requires to monitor payments when each transaction of an amount greater than or equal to Rs 1, 000, 00 is made more than or equal to 2 times in a day

The above requirement is developed technically as below

1. All credit card transactions for a day are captured in a mainframe file called dataset2. Dataset above as in step 1 is loaded daily into a database table called credit card transactions
2. A COBOL program is developed which picks up the data from database table ‘credit card transactions’ to create a report called ‘Risk Assessment Report’ in showing a transaction of amount greater than or equal to Rs 1, 000, 00 is made more than or equal to 2 times in a day
3. Risk assessment team reviews the ‘Risk Assessment Report’ daily for transactions as specified in the above requirement

QA Testing services approach will be as below to test this requirement:

We must make sure the report is created with the specific amount and number of transactions as mentioned in the requirement. So, in this case it is appropriate to use Boundary Value Analysis testing technique to test this requirement.

Test Approach or Mainframe Test Approach: In Software QA Services testing we must simulate the steps 1 to 4 like in real time environment as mentioned above to make sure right transactions are captured in ‘Risk Assessment Report’

1. First we have to create a mainframe file called dataset. In this file, we have to update the boundary value conditions like below
2. a) First boundary value condition in the dataset:   Amount == Rs 1, 000, 00 and Number of Transactions == 2 times.

Expected Result: Boundary value conditions on ‘Amount’ and ‘Number of Transactions’ ensures that this transaction is captured in ‘Risk Assessment Report’ for Risk assessment team to review the file.

b) Second boundary value condition in the dateset:   Amount == Rs 2, 000, 00 and Number of Transactions == 2 times

Expected Result: Boundary value condition on ‘Number of Transactions’ ensures that this transaction is captured in ‘Risk Assessment Report’ for Risk assessment team to review the file.

c) Third boundary value condition in the dataset:   Amount == Rs 1, 000, 00 and Number of Transactions == 3 times

Expected Result: Boundary value condition on ‘Amount’ ensures that this transaction is captured in ‘Risk Assessment Report’ for Risk assessment team to review the file.

3. After creating data set with boundary value conditions as in step 1, load the dataset into a database table credit card transaction

4. Run the mainframe job which in turns executes a COBOL program to create ‘Risk Assessment Report’

5. Now QA team must verify if all the expected boundary value conditions discussed above in 1 a), 1 b) and 1 c) are captured in the ‘Risk Assessment Report’