What role does documentation play in the context of testing?

Documentation plays a crucial role throughout the testing life cycle, making it essential for tracking test progress and outcomes. It encompasses various artifacts such as test plans, test cases, test scripts, and defect reports, which collectively provide a clear structure for testing activities. By maintaining thorough documentation, test teams can ensure that everyone involved in the process understands what tests are being conducted, the criteria for success, and how results are measured.

Moreover, documentation helps in communicating testing efforts and findings to stakeholders, providing a basis for decision-making regarding software quality. It also facilitates traceability by linking requirements to test cases, ensuring that all aspects of the system are adequately tested.

In each phase of testing, from planning to execution and reporting, documentation serves as a valuable resource that informs team members, supports quality assurance, and provides insights for process improvement in future projects. Thus, it is integral to the success and efficiency of the testing process.