What is the purpose of a test completion criterion?

The purpose of a test completion criterion is primarily to determine when to stop testing. This involves establishing specific conditions or criteria that indicate that sufficient testing has been conducted for a particular project or testing phase. Completion criteria help testers make informed decisions regarding the adequacy of testing, allowing them to assess whether the objectives of the testing effort have been met.

By defining these criteria, stakeholders can gain confidence that the software has been tested to an appropriate level, considering factors such as test case execution, defect discovery rates, coverage targets, and other relevant metrics. This helps ensure that testing is not just conducted arbitrarily but is instead goal-oriented and aligned with project needs.

While the other choices may seem relevant in the context of testing activities, they do not align with the primary purpose of completion criteria. For example, knowing when a specific test has finished execution pertains more to the management of individual test cases rather than the overall testing effort. Similarly, ensuring test case specification is complete or setting criteria for generating test inputs focuses on aspects of test design and preparation, rather than providing a threshold for concluding the overall testing process.