Business analysis glossary
Test Case
What it is
A test case is a specific check with preconditions, steps, input data and an expected result. It can be run by a person or automated, and it records whether the actual result matched. A good one is small, repeatable and linked to a requirement, so a failure points to a specific rule.
Why it matters
Test cases make quality visible and repeatable. Tracing them to requirements also shows that every requirement has been checked. Writing test cases also finds gaps in requirements, because an analyst who cannot state the expected result has found something still undecided.
Example
Test case TC-12 for Marlow Online Store: precondition, basket holds two items; steps, enter postcode AB1 2CD; expected result, delivery cost of 4.50 appears and the total updates accordingly. The tester follows these steps and records pass or fail, and any difference between expected and actual result becomes a bug report.