Following test execution, what is typically the next step in the testing process?

After executing tests, the next logical step in the testing process is defect reporting and tracking. This phase is crucial because it involves documenting any issues or bugs that were discovered during testing, allowing the development team to understand the severity and impact of these defects. Proper defect tracking ensures that issues are addressed efficiently and helps maintain a clear communication channel between the testing and development teams.

This step is essential as it forms the basis for informing stakeholders about the quality of the software and aids in making decisions about further development, re-testing, or moving forward to deployment. The insights gained from defect reporting can also lead to enhancements in future testing cycles and development practices.

The other options, while related to the software development lifecycle, do not follow directly from test execution. Test planning typically occurs before execution, release to production would happen after all defects are resolved and the software is deemed stable, and user training sessions would generally be scheduled once the software is ready for use. Each of these activities plays an important role, but they follow the defect reporting and tracking stage in the context of the testing process.