Test-Driven Development Using Visual Studio and MSTest (4006) — Lesson 2: Assertions, Test Cases, and Incremental Implementation

Learning Objectives

• Use assertions for values, exceptions, collections, state, and expected behavior
• Apply data-driven tests, boundaries, equivalence cases, and representative failure inputs
• Write the minimum implementation needed to pass tests without over-design

Detailed Topics

• Use assertions for values: Use assertions for values, exceptions, collections, state, and expected behavior
• Apply data-driven tests: Apply data-driven tests, boundaries, equivalence cases, and representative failure inputs
• Write the minimum implementation needed to pass tests without over-design: Write the minimum implementation needed to pass tests without over-design

Guided Demonstration

1. Review the requirement, environment, dependencies, roles, risks, and expected outcome.
2. Demonstrate the relevant configuration, analysis, code, or administration workflow step by step.
3. Capture settings, outputs, logs, screenshots, calculations, or test evidence.
4. Compare the observed result with the stated acceptance criteria.

Hands-On Activity

Develop a feature incrementally with tests covering normal, boundary, and error behavior.

• Document assumptions and the planned sequence before making changes.
• Complete the activity and preserve evidence of normal and exception behavior.
• Record issues, corrective actions, and reusable operational or development notes.

Troubleshooting Focus

• Separate symptoms from causes and collect evidence before applying a fix.
• Check configuration, permissions, data, dependencies, capacity, connectivity, and recent changes.
• Validate rollback, recovery, support ownership, and user or business impact.

Validation Checklist

• The requirement and expected outcome are clear.
• The selected configuration, design, query, code, or process is documented.
• Normal, boundary, failure, security, and operational conditions are reviewed.
• The result is supported by evidence and the next improvement is prioritized.

Lesson Outcome

Learners can explain and apply Assertions, Test Cases, and Incremental Implementation in a realistic scenario and validate the result with documented evidence.