Risk-based Testing

Risk-Based Testing (RBT) is a strategic approach to quality assurance that prioritizes the testing of software based on the level of risk associated with potential failures. Rather than treating all parts of an application equally, RBT focuses on the areas with the highest probability of defects and the most severe consequences if those defects were to occur. This method helps teams use their limited time and resources wisely by aligning the testing effort directly with key business objectives and minimizing potential harm.

Example: A bank is developing a new online portal. The quality assurance team decides to use Risk-Based Testing. They identify the following risks:

• The login and payment processing systems are high-risk because a failure could lead to a major security breach and financial loss.
• The "Contact Us" form is a low-risk feature because a bug would have a minimal impact on the business.

Based on this analysis, the team dedicates the majority of its time and resources to thoroughly testing the login and payment systems, including extensive security testing, performance testing, and regression testing. They only allocate a smaller amount of time to the "Contact Us" form, ensuring that their efforts are focused where they matter most.