A Basic Approach I Follow as a Test Engineer for Release Testing

Simple but effective practices that help me plan and test releases with confidence.

Testing during a release can feel overwhelming. Deadlines are tight, expectations are high, and there’s always pressure to deliver a stable product.

In this post, I want to share a basic approach I personally follow when planning and doing release testing. It's not perfect, but it’s built from real experiences, feedback from teams, and what I’ve learned (and am still learning) from different test experts and the everyday challenges of the job.

Of course, this approach can change depending on the product, the team, or the situation. But I believe these basics stay helpful for any Test Engineer.

1. Understand the Product

The first and most important thing I do is try to understand the product deeply.

• What problem is this product solving for the customer?

• Who are the users, and what are their key workflows?

• Why does each feature exist, and what value does it add?

I make sure I’m familiar with the product from start to finish, from Login-to-Exploring All Features-to-Logout, and understand how the pieces/features/ fit together.. This helps me plan better tests, think more clearly about customer impact, and spot potential issues earlier.

Without this understanding, testing would just feel like random clicking to me.

2. Prioritize What to Test

Testing everything isn’t realistic, especially with deadlines. So I focus on prioritization:

• New Features: I prefer to test these separately before the full release testing starts. First, I check the expected behavior, and then explore for hidden risks.

• Changed Areas: Any fixes or major changes get special attention.

• Complex or Risky Areas: Even if there are no recent changes, complex features or areas with a history of bugs stay on my radar.

The idea is simple. Spend your time where issues are most likely to happen or where they would matter most to the customer.

3. Combine Planned and Exploratory Testing

I usually start with a planned set of tests, but honestly, things rarely go exactly as planned. That’s why I always include exploratory testing as part of the process.

• It helps find unexpected issues.

• It allows me to adjust based on what I discover.

• It keeps me thinking and learning throughout the process.

Plans are flexible. If I find something interesting or risky during testing, I shift my focus. Testing is a learning process, not just ticking boxes on a checklist.

4. Communicate Clearly

I believe in keeping communication simple and honest.

• I don’t say the product is bug-free, because no product ever is.

• I share what was tested, what issues were found, and where we have confidence.

• Usually, I’ll say something like: "Based on our testing, the product seems ready for release."

The point is not to give guarantees but to provide clear, useful information that helps the team make good decisions.

5. Stay Flexible and Keep Learning

Even with the best plans, surprises are part of release testing. That’s why I stay flexible.

• If new risks show up, I adjust my testing.

• If a feature behaves differently than expected, I dig deeper.

• Every round of testing teaches me something new about the product, the risks, and how I plan my next release.

Final Thoughts

This is a basic approach I follow as a Test Engineer for release testing:

• Understand the product and its value.

• Prioritize based on real risks.

• Mix planned and exploratory testing.

• Communicate honestly.

• Stay flexible and keep learning.

Of course, every product, team, and environment is different. But from my experience, these basics are always helpful and keep me grounded, no matter how big or small the release is.

I’m still learning and improving my approach. This is just what’s working for me so far, and maybe it’ll help you too.

If you found this helpful, stay connected with Life of QA for more real-world testing experiences, tips, and lessons from the journey!