Sure! Let’s break down SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle) in the context of Manual Testing in a clear and structured way.

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📌 SDLC in Manual Testing

SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle) is a process used to develop software systematically, ensuring quality and correctness.
Manual Testing is applied throughout the SDLC to detect defects and validate the software.

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1. Phases of SDLC

A. Requirement Gathering & Analysis

• Collect business requirements from clients/stakeholders.
• Identify functional and non-functional requirements.
• Manual testers review requirements to ensure they are clear, complete, and testable.
• Key Manual Testing Role:
  • Participate in requirement review meetings.
  • Prepare Requirement Traceability Matrix (RTM) to map requirements with test cases.

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B. System Design

• Developers create system architecture and design documents (High-Level Design & Low-Level Design).
• Manual testers analyze design to understand the flow and interactions.
• Key Manual Testing Role:
  • Review design documents for missing functionality.
  • Plan test scenarios and high-level test strategies.

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C. Implementation / Coding

• Developers write code based on design documents.
• Manual testers do not write code, but they prepare detailed test cases.
• Key Manual Testing Role:
  • Prepare test data.
  • Identify critical scenarios for functional testing.

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D. Testing / Quality Assurance

• This is where Manual Testing is heavily applied.
• Activities include:
  1. Unit Testing – Typically by developers.
  2. Integration Testing – Verify modules work together.
  3. System Testing – Test complete software as per requirements.
  4. User Acceptance Testing (UAT) – Testing by client/end-user.
• Manual Testing Techniques Used:
  • Functional Testing
  • Exploratory Testing
  • Regression Testing
  • Usability Testing
  • Boundary Value Analysis & Equivalence Partitioning

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E. Deployment / Implementation

• Software is released to production or client environment.
• Manual testers may assist in smoke testing to ensure deployment success.

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F. Maintenance / Support

• Post-deployment, software may have defects or need enhancements.
• Manual Testing Role:
  • Perform regression testing to ensure changes do not break existing functionality.
  • Retest fixed defects reported by users.

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2. Manual Testing in SDLC Flow

Here’s a simple flow showing where Manual Testing fits:

Requirement Analysis → Test Planning → Test Case Design → 
Test Execution (Manual Testing) → Defect Reporting → Retesting / Regression → Test Closure

• Manual testers are involved from requirement analysis to maintenance, ensuring quality at every stage.

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3. Key Points

• Manual Testing ensures defects are caught early in SDLC.
• Testers participate in requirement and design reviews, not just execution.
• It helps in validating functionality, usability, and business requirements.