Performance Questions

One of the keys to performance testing is being able to understand the requirements but also to ask the right questions to bridge any gaps.

Requirements

Determine whether documented business processes, Service Level Agreements (SLAs), and Non-Functional Requirements (NFRs) exist. Understanding critical processes, expected volumes, and measurable acceptance criteria forms the foundation for effective testing strategy.

Key questions to ask:

• Are there documented business processes?
• What SLAs are in place?
• What are the Non-Functional Requirements?
• What are the critical processes?
• What are the expected volumes?
• What are the measurable acceptance criteria?

Test Assets

Teams should inventory preferred testing tools, existing test scripts, test data availability, and performance environment specifications. Confirming whether load injectors are available is also essential.

Consider:

• What testing tools are preferred or available?
• Are there existing test scripts?
• Is test data available?
• What are the performance environment specifications?
• Are load injectors available?

Test Execution

Prior test completion history, scenario comprehension, pre-execution monitoring setup, and retention of previous results (including logs and performance counters) should be evaluated before beginning tests.

Evaluate:

• Have performance tests been run before?
• Are the test scenarios well understood?
• Is monitoring set up before execution?
• Are previous results retained (logs, performance counters)?

Reporting

Identifying existing test results, reporting templates, available log files, documented acceptance criteria, and understanding the report’s intended audience ensures meaningful communication of findings.

Clarify:

• Are there existing test results to compare against?
• What reporting templates are available?
• Are log files accessible?
• Who is the intended audience for the report?
• What are the documented acceptance criteria?

This checklist provides a practical framework for organizations planning performance testing initiatives.