Testing systems which require complex and time consuming setup on the backend, initializing parameters, setting system conditions and flags, and using test tools can be challenging and fun, but often as testers we usually have a lot to cover and want to spend the majority of our time testing – which is what we should be doing.

Often in the chaos, we’re learning how and where to set up variables, conditions, flags, tools etc. to enable us to test our conditions and scenarios and observe what’s happening with the software we’re testing, while recording the results of our tests. During all of this, we often forgot to document and take note of the specific and complex setup required to test.

Sure we may remember how to set things up tomorrow, or the day after, but chances are, with the amount of things we’re testing, and the different types of test’s we’re doing, we wont remember them for long.

It may seem like there’s just not enough time to document complex test setup information, but taking some time to do so in whichever medium your project, team, or company uses, will save you and others on your team a lot of time and effort when it’s time to revisit the features. Take those fifteen minutes, you’ll be glad you did.