Are you among those who find a test plan and a test strategy on similar grounds? Well, here’s an eye-opener for you. A test plan and a test strategy are two different sides of the same coin. The world of software testing is pretty vast, consisting of the five main pillars the foundation pillars naming – test strategy, test plan, test cases, test data, and test environment.
The following post emphasizes what is a test Plan in software testing, its true significance, and how it is different from a test strategy.
Fortunately, you may come across several reliable software testing service providers in town as well as overseas who won’t just provide you relevant services but also try to make your journey remarkable. But as the saying goes “Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood”, you must know the field inside-out or at least get the basics right in the first place.
Introducing Test Plan
The first and foremost pillar of the software testing life cycle is test planning. Much like any other planning phase, even a test plan in software testing includes documents. Now, what are these docs composed of? 5 W’s and 1 H – What, When, Why, Who, and How of the project. The main objective of a test plan is to make the team come together and set specific expectations.
So in layman’s terms, a test plan is commenced by software testers and gets terminated by acceptance testing. Much like any other document, this file also comprises some general yet crucial stuff such as defining the scope, approach to be taken, and the schedule of testing as well as identifying the test items for the entire testing process and the person responsible for the different activities of testing.
Now the question is when to conduct test planning? Well, fortunately, it can be done right before at the time of coding and designing. Certain inputs of test planning include a project plan, requirement document, system design document.
Unlike test strategy, the test plan is never rigid. It is a well-crafted dynamic looking document that remains intact but keeps on getting updated with progress being made.
A test plan is shared among everyone from Business Analysts to Project Managers. By doing this, appropriate transparency can be maintained. Everyone is on the same page here. Apart from this, you will come across several detailed aspects in a test plan such as test scope, test estimation, strategy, and so on. If someone wants to get a clear idea, all he or she needs to do is view that one single document where everything is mentioned prior.
Types of test plans in software testing
The overall objectives and some specific types of tests are supported by the test plans documentation.
- Master test plan: It is a high-level document in terms of the goals and objectives of a project or product. It consists of various testing tasks, milestones, and determines the size and scope of the testing project.
- Testing type-specific plan: Test plans reveal the outline and other details related to certain types of tests. For example, if you are planning to conduct unit testing, acceptance testing, and integration testing then the test plans will have deep knowledge about the specific type of test being conducted on the software.
Top Components of a Test Plan
#1 Test plan ID
A test plan is unique. And that’s the reason why it is assigned a unique number. Testers can easily identify this and act upon it instantly.
#2 Testing Scope
As the title suggests, here the objective is mentioned in detail. Also, it details user scenarios to be used in tests.
#3 Allocating the resources
Here the resources are being allocated precisely like which tester will be working on which test.
#4 Defect management
Here the test plan comprises several details in regards to the reporting of the bugs -how, who, what, etc.
5 Simple Exit
Last but certainly not least, a test plan must comprise exit parameters, when to stop the test.
Advantages of creating a Test Plan and Test execution
A test plan or creating a test plan document plays a vital role in software testing. Do you think this has just to do with the testers only? Not really, in fact here every individual who is involved in the software development process is considered.
It may quite interest you to know that a test plan document can also be considered as the baseline document to be adhered to for your software testing project. Now for a test manager, several times a situation arises where they have to take a decision on whether to create a test plan or not. Before making the decision, it’s time to consider its pros.
#1 Road Map
It’s a guide that must be adhered to while conducting a software development process. As a tester, the roadmap definitely assists in what testing approach must be considered and what practices must be applied. Each question is answered here. Every minute detailing is mentioned such as the scope, items that are supposed to be tested, on what criteria they can be tested, etc. And most important of all, how to set up the best software testing environment.
A test plan serves as the complete guidebook for the testing process.
#2 Enhanced functional coverage
A well-written test plan as the name itself suggests, includes everything in detail. Appropriate documentation, unlike exploratory testing, is a major benefit of planned testing.
In addition, several techniques are also given importance just to verify features and functionalities of the developed product. Also, whether the test is passed or failed, details will be seen precisely!
#3 Changing management in the test plan
Gone are the days when any change was difficult to update due to the agile environment. Today, updating a test plan is no big deal. Software Testing is definitely one of the crucial aspects of SDLC. After all, there is no other way to control and determine the quality of your test deliverables.
Lastly, once the test strategy is created a test plan can be written.
Steps to Create a Test Plan
1. Analyze the product or feature you’re testing
Before you start planning to test a product, you must properly understand it first. For example, if you have gone through a redesigned website and now you want to test it before its launch, what do you need to know?
- To understand the mission, vision, and overall scope
- Review the project documentation
- Take a walkthrough
Acquiring this information will give you a context to plan a test, its objectives and draw out the resources you will need to complete it.
2. Designing Test Strategy
The test manager creates the test strategy document to define the project objectives. Not just the definition but how the entire procedure is mentioned here. The document must also provide the details regarding:
- Scope of Testing: The lists of the components that will be tested and those that won’t be tested.
- Type of Testing: Need to determine the types of tests that will be conducted during the test. Each test in the project plan is conducted to identify some specific types of bugs.
- Risks and Issues: You must also list all possible risks.
- Test Logistics: Mention the names of the test that will be conducted and also mention the names of the testers who will run them. Here you have to include the name of tools used in testing projects and the schedule prepared for the same.
3. Define the test objectives
When you are about to define the different types of tests you are going to run, you must also define when your test will be defined as completed. For that, you have to set the pass and fail criteria for each test. Testers have to identify individual system metrics that they are checking to decide what the success of each test means. For example, if you are conducting a performance test then your success metrics might look like:
- Response time
- Wait time
- Transactions passed/failed
- Requests per second
- Average load time
- Peak response time
- memory utilization
4. Establish Test Criteria
Test criteria mean the rules and regulations that govern all the testing activities in your project. The two most important types of test criteria are as discussed below:
- Suspension Criteria: It is the measure for suspending the tests.
- Exit Criteria: The successful completion of the test phase or the project is measured by Exit Criteria. It is also known as the expected test results that must be met before the product is moved on to the next stage of development.
5. Execute your test plan
Once your test plan is ready, you have to follow the software testing life cycle procedure that is very similar to the SDLC process. STLC process follows the following phases:
- Requirements/Design review
- Test planning
- Test designing
- Test environment setup
- Test execution
- Test reporting
Spot the Difference between Test Planning and Test Strategy
Many of you often get confused between a test plan and a test strategy. Well, in the following segment let’s discuss certain aspects that differentiate the two. Without any further ado, let’s begin!
A test plan is a document providing a precise idea about the main objective, scope, and approach of the testing effort. Whereas if we were to define a test strategy then it has a set of rules that takes you through test designs by determining the different methods of testing.
Some of the core components of test plans include the id by which the test is identified, its features that need testing, test methods, and other criteria which decide whether the testing will be successful or not. It will also keep a check on deliverables, sprints, and timelines. If you create a test strategy, it will include purpose, scope, documentation, reporting structure communication strategy, and several other functions.
Test plans can be prepared individually whereas test strategies cannot be prepared in such a manner. Test Plans describe 4 W’s and 1 H Whereas test strategy describes what type of technique to take into account.
It may quite interest you to know that test plans are pretty dynamic and receptive whereas test strategy is more restrictive and difficult to alter.
Conclusion
So that’s all for now! Software Testing Concepts cannot be avoided especially after knowing the fact that how crucial they are for any SDLC procedure. Having a clear understanding of the aforementioned concepts is extremely important for every software tester and test manager to work. In case, if you still have any doubt regarding your testing project, feel free to mention that in the comment section below.
