Introduction to Test Plan
A test plan is a document that consists of all future testing-related activities. It is prepared at the project level, and in general, it defines work products to be tested, how they will be tested, and test type distribution among the testers. Before starting testing, there will be a test manager who will be preparing a test plan. In any company, whenever a new project is taken up before the tester is involved in the testing, the test manager of the team would prepare a test Plan.
The test plan serves as the blueprint that changes according to the progressions in the project and stays current at all times.
It serves as a base for conducting testing activities and coordinating activities among a QA team.
It is shared with Business Analysts, Project Managers, and anyone associated with the project.
Objectives of the Test Plan
Overview of testing activities: The test plan provides an overview of the testing activities and where to start and stop the work.
Provides timeline: The test plan helps to create the timeline for the testing activities based on the number of hours and the workers needed.
Helps to estimate resources: The test plan helps to create an estimate of the number of resources required to finish the work.
Serves as a blueprint: The test plan serves as a blueprint for all the testing activities; it has every detail from beginning to end.
Helps to identify solutions: A test plan helps the team members consider the project’s challenges and identify the solutions.
Serves as a rulebook: The test plan serves as a rulebook for following rules when the project is completed phase by phase.
Importance of Test Plan
Quick guide for the testing process: The test plan serves as a short guide for the testing process as it offers a clear guide for QA engineers to conduct testing activities.
Helps to avoid out-of-scope functionalities: The test plan offers detailed aspects such as test scope, estimation, strategy, etc.
Helps to determine the time, cost, and effort: The Test serves as the blueprint to conduct testing activities; thus, it helps to deduce an estimate of time, cost, and effort for the testing activities.
Provide a schedule for testing activities: A test plan is like a rule book that needs to be followed; it thus helps to schedule activities that all the team members can follow.
Test plan can be reused: The test plan documents important aspects like test estimation, test scope, and test strategy, which are reviewed by the Management Team and thus can be reused for other projects.
Test Plan Types
Master Test Plan: The master test plan includes multiple test strategies and has various levels of testing. It goes into great depth on the planning and management of testing at the different test levels and thus provides a bird’s eye view of the critical decisions made, tactics used, etc. It includes a list of tests that must be executed, test coverage, the connection between various test levels, etc.
Phase Test Plan: In this type of test plan, emphasis is on any one testing phase. It includes further information on the levels listed in the master testing plan. Information like testing schedules, benchmarks, activities, templates, and other information that is not included in the master test plan is included in the phase test plan.
Specific Test Plan: This type of test plan is designed for particular types of testing, especially non-functional testing, for example, plans for conducting performance tests or security tests.
How to Write a Test Plan
1-Analyze the product: This phase focuses on analyzing the product, Interviewing clients, designers, and developers, and performing a product walkthrough.
2- Design the test strategy: The test strategy document is prepared by the manager and details the following information:
Scope of testing, which means the components that will be tested and the ones that will be skipped.
Type of testing means different tests that will be used in the project.
Risks and issues will list all the possible risks that may occur during testing.
Test logistics mentions the names of the testers and the tests that they will run.
3- Define test objectives: This phase defines the objectives and expected results of the test execution. Objectives include:
A list of software features like functionality, GUI, performance standards, etc.
The ideal anticipated outcome for every aspect of the software that needs testing.
4- Define test criteria: Two main testing criteria govern all the activities in the testing project:
Suspension criteria: Suspension criteria define the benchmarks for suspending all the tests.
Exit criteria: Exit criteria define the benchmarks that signify the successful completion of the test phase or project. These are expected results and must match before moving to the next stage of development.
5- Resource planning: This phase aims to create a detailed list of all required resources for project completion. For example, human effort, hardware and software requirements, all infrastructure needed, etc.
6- Plan test environment: This phase is critical as the test environment is where the QAs run their tests. The test environments must be real devices installed with real browsers and operating systems so that testers can monitor software behavior in actual user conditions.
7- Schedule and Estimation: Break down the project into smaller tasks and allocate time and effort for each task. This helps in efficient time estimation. Create a schedule to complete these tasks in the designated time with a specific amount of effort.
8- Determine test deliverables: Test deliverables refer to the list of documents, tools, and other equipment that must be created, provided, and maintained to support testing activities in the project.
