When to Stop Testing?

This may sound weired but it is true we must set the exit point to testing. Some of guidelines are as follows:

• When time runs out
• According to some calculations derived from statistics available from Test cases
• Target test coverage attained
• Certain number of errors found
• Error detection rate drops below a threshold
• Predicted density of errors left drops below a threshold

Pros and Cons of St to Stopping Testing

+VE
- Testers fail to find the defects for long hours
- Defects found are too minor/cosmetic in nature

-VE
- Error levels are on a higher side compared to the expectations Ex. stoppers and critical bugs
- Too many errors found in a short duration of testing
- Some components fail. till they are corrected testing cannot progress.
- Key components are missing.
- Test environment is unstable

Next would be Test Artifacts.