What is ALM Test Management Tool, its Benefits | Top 5 of the Best

In recent years, the widespread implementation of the ALM process in the software development life cycle has been taking place. Official statistics confirm this. According to Research And Markets, the global ALM market was valued at $4.8 billion in 2024. That’s quite a sum. Before 2030, it is expected to reach $7.4 billion. This means the industry will develop with a CAGR of 7.6%.

— 🤔 Why is this approach to development so in demand among various teams?
— What makes it unique?

Let’s break it down further ⬇️

What is Application Lifecycle Management?

ALM is an approach to the development process that covers all its stages, from initial planning to the final deployment of the application. However, saying that ALM is simply an approach to application development is not enough. It is a whole philosophy embedded in Agile methodologies, which allows teams to create high-quality digital solutions.

It’s common to equate ALM with software development. Yet this simple approach is too limiting; ALM is much more than this. In fact, an application’s lifecycle includes the entire time during which an organization is spending money on this asset, from the initial idea to the end of the application’s life

David Chappell,
the Principal of Chappell & Associates

🔴 Note. ALM should not be equated with Product Lifecycle Management (PLM). What is the difference? The former focuses solely on the lifecycle of an application, while PLM is a more comprehensive concept that covers not only software development but also other aspects of the product lifecycle, such as hardware, manufacturing, product marketing, etc.

👉 Watch the expert’s video to learn more: What is Application Lifecycle Management (ALM)?

Difference Between ALM VS SDLC

Another common misconception is the software development lifecycle (SDLC). Let’s explore why:

What conclusion can be drawn from this? SDLC is a narrower concept that pertains exclusively to the creation of a digital solution. It can be considered a part of ALM.

Phases of Application Lifecycle Management

— 🤔 What do you think the entire lifecycle of the application begins with?
— Right, With the idea💡
— So, Why not create something that helps achieve a specific goal? The phased work on creating a digital solution starts from its inception.

As seen in the table above, in most cases, ALM includes five phases. Let’s talk about them in more detail…

#1: Requirements Specification

At the first stage, it is necessary to economically justify the idea. That is, to answer the question: what do we want to achieve from this application? All stakeholders should participate in the discussion. Their expectations form the basis for the future product requirements.

Next, it is important to clearly formulate these requirements.

Often, the requirements specification has a hierarchical tree structure. That is, each requirement has its own sub-requirements.

However, teams that have implemented application life cycle management tend to prefer another approach. For example, it may be more convenient to:

• categorize the requirements (by specific functionality, module, etc.);
• structure them by priority (what should be implemented first, what can be done later).

This approach is more in line with Agile methodologies.

#2: Development Phase

Once the requirements are gathered, development of the software application can begin. At this stage, a distinctive feature of ALM will be total collaboration – different teams participate in the application development.

For example, ALM Processes participant’s responsibilities:

→ Project Manager handles financial matters, estimating the duration and cost of the project.
→ Development team members formulate key tasks for design and coding.
→ Testing team determines the scope of work for quality verification, preparing test cases.
→ Marketers and Customer Representatives ensure that the product meets the target audience’s requirements.

Also, before development begins, planning for the sequence of releasing new features is carried out.

#3: ALM testing

Testing and development of the software product go hand in hand in ALM. Testers check the quality of the solution after the release of each new feature or update. Any detected errors are immediately sent to the development team for resolution, after which the QA specialist runs the tests again.

To speed up and increase the accuracy of this process, it is advisable to use ALM testing software.

#4: Deployment

This stage involves releasing the digital solution to end users. How this will be implemented depends on the type of software product.

For instance, it could be a SaaS solution. It needs to be deployed on internal servers. Local applications require deployment, installation, and configuration on the client’s server. Mobile and hybrid products are distributed through app stores. There are other deployment methods as well, but we will not go into detail about them in this material.

#5: Maintenance of the Software Product

At this stage, the team faces one main task — ensure that the application meets user expectations after release! This involves performing the following actions:

• Timely detection of errors and their quick resolution.
• Planning future updates to improve the digital solution.
• Implementing new functionality based on user feedback.
• Discontinuing the use of the product (or its current version) and releasing another application/version using new relevant technologies.

The last activity is called the Retirement of the Product. It is a vital part of ALM.

Benefits of ALM

Thus, why implement ALM if you can continue working according to the familiar SDLC? If you’ve had this question, let us quickly present the key benefits of application lifecycle management.

✅ Improved Communication on the Project

Mismatch between the final product and business requirements, missed deadlines, low team morale, etc. Admit it, you’ve probably faced these issues on projects at least once in your life. One of the reasons for each of them could be poor communication within the team and beyond.

Well, ALM helps prevent such difficulties and their consequences. Each application lifecycle management tool serves as a single platform for collaboration between developers, quality assurance engineers, project managers, and relevant stakeholders. Anyone involved with the product can participate in its creation: track progress, monitor project status, make suggestions, and more.

This helps prevent misunderstandings and contributes to achieving project goals.

✅ Effective Project Planning

Proper planning of the software product’s work is the key to successful development. Clear project plans allow:

• proper prioritization
• accurate project time estimates
• effective resource allocation
• avoiding cost overruns
• tracking progress
• timely identification of issues
• promptly addressing emerging problems.

In other words, ALM allows teams to create a clear project roadmap, which they will then follow to maintain the correct development course.

✅ Reliable ALM Software Testing

As you remember, quality assurance is an integral part of application lifecycle management. Moreover, QA processes in this approach are characterized by clarity and structure. This is facilitated by the use of ALM testing tools. These platforms allow test case creation, have features for managing test data and support test automation.

✅ Risk Minimization

Is the development of the application associated with risks? The answer is clear. Yes. These risks can be caused by technical debt, poor requirements gathering, changes in business priorities, and more. All these risks can be effectively managed using an application lifecycle management tool. Typically, such platforms have enough functionality to identify, assess, and mitigate risks.

✅ Continuous Process Improvement

Specialized tools allow the collection and analysis of many metrics. For example, users have access to project documentation, detailed test reports, and development time data. By tracking various indicators, team members can promptly identify issues with source code and other bottlenecks in the project. What’s the result? Increased team efficiency and improved the quality of the final product.

ALM in Software Testing

The role of ALM in testing is hard to overestimate. This approach ensures smooth integration of QA efforts into the broader lifecycle of an application. In other words, it guarantees that tests will be executed at each development stage.

The following components of ALM for testing are highlighted:

• Requirements Management. Application Life Management helps clearly define requirements and ensure their precise alignment with test plans. Common practice is linking requirements in Jira with the ALM test management tool to track their traceability.
• Test Planning. This activity involves developing a clear testing strategy and its objectives. The teams will need to determine which types of testing to use and create test plans. These plans are easy to document and track in an ALM tool for testing.
• Test Design. It’s time to write test cases and test scripts. Ready? Now you can check whether the application works properly.

• Test Execution. Managing test runs, monitoring their execution, and analyzing results — all of this is available in the ALM test management tool.

• Defect Management. Did you find a defect during testing? ALM implies documenting it, determining its priority, and providing recommendations for resolution.

• Test Automation. ALM supports the use of automated testing tools. This speeds up the process and improves the accuracy of quality assurance results.

• Continuous Testing. ALM perfectly aligns with Agile development principles. This approach fosters continuous testing throughout the development process.

• Reporting and Metrics. Detailed reports help teams identify areas for improvement by studying various metrics. These include test coverage, test execution status, defect trends, and more.

• Release Management. ALM QA testing ensures that all tests (including acceptance tests) have been conducted and that the digital product is ready for market release. Post-release testing is also possible. This allows tracking potential issues.

What is ALM Testing Tool?

An ALM testing tool is a platform that allows optimizing QA processes on a project. These tools help plan, track, and execute tests, as well as provide advanced test Reports and Analytics

In other words, it is a unified platform that combines all the functions necessary for testing teams: requirements management, test case creation, defect tracking, and reporting.

The Role of ALM Test Management Tool in Development

The tools used in application lifecycle management offer users comprehensive functionality. They help optimize all activities on the project.

Key aspects of development in which ALM platforms are indispensable:

• Requirements management. As you can see, this process is important not only for creating relevant test cases. It is crucial for the entire development process.

• Planning and scheduling. Detailed project planning is half the success. ALM tools allow you to create project plans, develop a schedule for implementing tasks, and allocate resources effectively.

• Version control. These tools easily integrate with version control systems. This is very convenient because you can revert to the desired version of the source code at any development stage.

• Test management. We’ve already discussed the role of ALM in testing. So, we will just remind you — the AML test management tool helps optimize test planning and execution. This guarantees high-quality final products.

• CI\CD practices. Tools allow you to automate the process of building, testing, and deploying code. This leads to faster development, early detection of defects, and reduced risk of errors during software delivery to end-users.

What else to expect from ALM tools? They help manage the release of digital products, ensure regulatory compliance, and are used for monitoring after deployment.

ALM Tools: What to Consider When Choosing?

If you need to choose an AML test management tool, ask yourself the following questions 🔎

• What is the size of my team? Larger or remote teams may require tools focused on collaboration, detailed reporting, and good scalability.

• What kind of project are we working on? Choose a tool based on your development methodology. For Scrum or Kanban workflows, you will need a more flexible platform. For a waterfall project, traditional planning and reporting will be more suitable.

• What infrastructure does the ALM tool need to integrate with? Assess whether the tool can be integrated with the CI\CD pipeline, version tracking system, and other services already used in the project.

• How much time will training and adaptation take? An AML test management tool with a steep learning curve is not the best choice, as it may slow down development.

• What features does the tool offer? Remember that ALM is a comprehensive approach covering all aspects of the application life cycle. Make sure the tool has sufficient capabilities, especially in areas such as test automation.

• Does the tool provide built-in reporting and analytics? Detailed test reports and data analytics are essential for informed decision-making. If they are not available, you may have to rely on third-party services, which is inconvenient.

• What if problems arise? Prioritize tools with a well-developed community and comprehensive documentation.

Next, we present a list of the best ALM tools that best meet the criteria mentioned above.

Top 5 ALM Testing Tools

We have selected five tools whose capabilities allow teams to effectively implement application lifecycle management in their projects.

Testomatio

The testomat.io test management system helps teams optimize their testing efforts throughout the entire lifecycle of an application. The platform bridges the gap between manual and automated testing, allowing users to run various types of tests in one place. It offers the following key features:

 Testomatio ALM test management tool key features:

• Test Case Management. The tool supports both manual and automated test cases, enabling users to create, organize, and manage them efficiently.

• Test Automation Integration. With just one click, manual tests can be converted into automated ones. Additionally, the TMS allows importing test cases from other testing tools.

• Defect Management. The system enables defect tracking from detection to resolution. Users can filter, cluster, and monitor defect severity for individual test runs or the entire project.

• Reporting and Analytics. Need to track testing progress? Use real time reports. Looking for insights after test execution? Comprehensive reporting is available. Users can also leverage live documentation and an analytics dashboard to monitor key metrics.

• CI\CD Support. Testomat.io seamlessly integrates with popular CI\CD tools like GitLab or GitHub, CircleCI, Jenkins and AzureDevOps enabling continuous test execution, real-time monitoring, and defect notifications.

• Collaboration. Human-readable reports, BDD support, data visualization, and integrations with tools like Slack enhance team collaboration on projects.

Jira

Jira is a highly demanded project management and bug tracking system among IT teams. It is most commonly used by development teams for working with requirements, defect management, and task execution control. And although the system does not offer a test automation function, this issue can be easily resolved by integrating it with a test management tool — for example, with Testomat.io.

Jira key features, as alm tool in testing:

• Test Case Management. Thanks to seamless integration with Testomat.io, users can easily manage test cases using a familiar tool. All they need to do is link them to user stories and Jira issues.

• Test Execution. Jira supports the management and tracking of manual tests. Automation is only available through third-party integrations.

  And many ALM test management tool providers give this opportunity.

• Defect Tracking. The platform allows users to track defects and integrate them with test cases. This enables control over the development process throughout the application life cycle.

• Agile Integration. As one of the most popular project management tools, Jira supports Agile development methodologies (Scrum, Kanban). Teams can link testing with sprints or user stories.

• Reporting and Traceability. The tool provides users with built-in reports that help track test coverage, test execution, and defect status.

Microsoft Azure DevOps

Microsoft Azure DevOps, formerly known as Visual Studio Team Services, is a set of tools for development teams that have implemented DevOps practices in their project. It allows managing source code, supports continuous integration, QA, and is used for release management.

Azure DevOps key features:

• Agile Project Management. Supports Scrum and Kanban for planning and tracking workflows.

• Test Management. The platform holds a top position as an ALM test management tool within the QA community worldwide. It allows managing manual tests, with the possibility of integration with testing tools for test automation.

• CI\CD Support. Automates pipelines for building, testing, and releasing software.

• Version Control. Enables code repository management through integration with version control systems.

• Defect Tracking and Reporting. The tool provides users with access to monitoring dashboards. With their help, you can track key project metrics and identify defects.

IBM Rational Team Concert

IBM Rational Team Concert (RTC) is a solution for collaborative management of an application’s lifecycle. The functionality of the tool meets the needs of teams at all stages, from planning to post-release support.

Key features RTC AML testing software:

• Collaboration. The platform offers users discussion boards and team rooms for collaboration. Notifications about changes or new comments also play an important role.

• Version Control. You can use the built-in version control system or integrate with an external service.

• Source Code Management. Users have access to the Code Reviews feature and integration with other IBM tools for source code analysis.

• Quality Management. Interested in comprehensive test management? Consider RTC as a tool for your project. However, it goes beyond a traditional namely ALM test management tool. With it, you can plan and execute tests, as well as track the progress and results of testing.

Tricentis

The Tricentis platform is a comprehensive solution for continuous automated testing. It is often used by teams due to its versatility. Here, different types of tests can be run, test cases can be managed, and results can be analyzed.

• Continuous Testing. The tool supports agile methodologies and DevOps. What does this mean in the context of QA? You can test individual functions or the entire application throughout the entire development cycle.

• Test Automation. To accelerate QA, you can automate your tests with Tricentis. Importantly, these can be any type of tests, such as functional, regression, and performance testing.

• Test Management. With the right AML test management tool, you will have complete control over QA processes. What can not say about Qtest from Tricentis. Plan and executing tests, identifying defects, tracking compliance with requirements, and generating detailed reports are quite curly with the Tricentis testing tools, admit their customers.

• Collaboration. Tricentis easily integrates with third-party services (such as Jira or Jenkins). As a result, testers gain access to real-time analytics, dashboards, and other collaborative features.

• Risk-based Testing. This approach to testing is fully justified. It allows you to prioritize test cases and focus on the most critical areas of the application.

You’ll find this valuable:

👉 Comprehensive comparison of Qtest & Testomat.io test management system

Conclusion

ALM is an approach to creating digital products that covers far more aspects than the classic SDLC. Use it for clear planning, automation, and tracking of the entire lifecycle of an application, including testing.

Investing in a more advanced ALM test management tool is sensible if the company is on the way to a large-scale enterprise project and plans its long-term development with ALM as a single source of truth for the entire team, following the best practices of Quality Assurance.