Testing and Validating Reports
This guide provides a systematic approach to testing and validating reports before and after deployment.
Before deploying reports to production, thorough testing ensures they work correctly and produce accurate results. This guide outlines a three-phase testing strategy: unit testing of individual components (cohorts, indicators), integration testing of complete reports, and user acceptance testing with real users. Use the validation checklists to verify technical functionality, business accuracy, and user experience before going live, then follow the post-deployment monitoring practices to maintain report quality over time.
Testing Strategy
1. Unit Testing (Individual Components)
Cohort Queries:
Test with known patient sets
Verify parameter handling
Check edge cases (no results, large results)
Validate date range logic
Indicators:
Test calculations with known values
Verify parameter mapping
Check fraction calculations
Test with empty cohorts
2. Integration Testing (Complete Reports)
End-to-End Testing:
Run complete reports with test data
Verify all parameters work correctly
Test different output formats
Check performance with realistic data volumes
Cross-Validation:
Compare results with manual calculations
Check against other data sources
Verify with subject matter experts
Test with different user roles
3. User Acceptance Testing
Involve End Users:
Have actual users test the reports
Verify reports meet stated requirements
Check usability of parameters and outputs
Gather feedback on performance and functionality
Validation Checklist
Before Deployment
Technical Validation:
Business Validation:
User Validation:
Post-Deployment Monitoring
Regular Checks:
Monitor report usage patterns
Check for error reports from users
Validate results periodically
Monitor system performance impact
Continuous Improvement:
Gather user feedback regularly
Update documentation based on questions
Optimize performance as needed
Add new features based on user needs