How to Create a Test Plan for Software Testing?

Introduction

Software testing is no longer an afterthought, thank god for that! I mean I can’t imagine when developers were asked to keep redoing things repeatedly just because a small bug was found after the software testing was conducted. Today, fortunately, that’s simply not the case, software development and software testing go in tandem with each other. Now I am sure you will come across several interesting posts that focus on the significance of software testing so we won’t get into that. Instead, I would like to emphasize what a test plan is, how a test plan is beneficial, and above all how to create a test plan precisely.

So, what is a test plan?

Software testing is a vast concept and a test plan is one of its most important aspects. When you have a well-defined, comprehensive test plan, it means you can offer all the relevant information to the stakeholders and everyone else involved in the software development project regarding the testing roadmap. Of course, by doing so everyone tends to gain a shared vision for the testing approaches, strategies, objectives, resources, and timelines. Further, we will be discussing what a test plan is, what its true significance is, and how one can develop a great test plan. Also, a quick disclosure, we will be discussing significant ways through which one can enhance the overall efficiency of your testing activities.

So first and foremost let us get the basics right.

What is a test plan?

As the name implies a test plan is where everything is laid out, a formal-detailed document featuring a comprehensive and structured description of all the relevant testing activities as well as strategies that will be employed sooner or later to keep tabs on the overall quality of the software developed. Here you will find everything, basically all small and large information on the approach, methodology, scope, timelines, and risks associated with the project.

It maps out all the necessary points, and landmarks so that you can reach your predetermined destination safely and securely. Similarly, the test plan document successfully outlines all the necessary strategies, objectives, resources, and schedules required to accomplish a software testing process. So what exactly kind of details are included in a test plan?

• The type and number of tests required
• The purpose of each test
• How many tools are required?
• How the test results will be analyzed and reported.

What should an ideal test plan be like?

Well, a test plan or a project management plan needs to feature a wide range of aspects such as objectives, approach, scope, test deliverables, dependencies, test environment, risk management, schedule, roles and responsibilities and so more.

1. Objectives — As the title signifies, this aspect focuses on what exactly the testing teams aim for or what they are planning to achieve, the ultimate objective. Here the concept of the SMART rule is pretty much in vogue- Specific-Measurable-Attainable-Relevant-Time bound.

In addition to this, other aspects that must be considered in the objective are the functionality of the software, performance, usability, security, and compatibility. Every aspect here is needed and must be taken into account. Nothing should be ignored.

2. Approach — The next aspect is the test approach. Here we need to dig a bit deeper and take a higher level of how the testing will be successfully conducted, what types of tests will be executed, testing methodologies that need to be considered and so much more. Here you can even incorporate the usage of testing techniques, tools, and success metrics.

3. Scope — To what extent or boundaries of the testing activities take place, this is what scope is all about. The scope can be easily deprived of the objectives and teams can easily exclude the specific areas which will not be considered to optimize resource allocation.

4. Test Deliverables — As the name implies, test deliverables mainly include all kinds of documentation and artifacts that are developed while conducting the testing process. Test deliverables can also assist you in getting a better understanding of what to prepare.

Let’s say a QA team has a test artifact management system in place, so what happens is there is a full possibility for them to leverage the existing infrastructure just to speed up the testing process. So in other words, here one no longer is required to create everything from scratch. Among the test deliverables, several specifications are made regarding different aspects such as the format, frequency, distribution of test deliverables, and a lot more.

5. Dependencies — Have you ever come across the term called shift left testing movement? Well, it’s a software testing approach that successfully and seamlessly shifts all the testing activities to earlier development stages. Yes, unlike other software testing approaches, here things are not left to be taken care of until the very final stage. No wonder it is even considered as a proactive testing approach which mainly focuses on spotting as well as fixing defects and bugs at a very early stage.

In dependencies, testing and development go hand in hand. You see there are times when certain modules cannot be completely used in testing since they aren’t thoroughly developed, so in such cases, QA teams are required to prepare well for substitution. Here dependency mapping works wonders for better project outcomes.

6. Test Environment — The test environment is highly based on test deliverables. So QA teams tend to plan out how one can successfully set up the hardware — software-network configuration to accomplish their testing projects. Also, here several aspects are decided on whether testing should be considered in a local environment or a remote place. Once that is finalized, all the focus can be shifted to the preparation of resources.

7. Risk management — What if there is a missing deliverable or a sudden change in the resources? The risk management feature focuses on the development of a contingency plan which must be considered as a substitute in such cases. This is when dependency mapping must be considered right away. Here everything must be considered from what impacts the most or what QA managers must be aware of during such a situation, what to adjust, and most importantly whether the team is comfortable with such changes or not. After all, they are the ones who need to deal from start to finish.

8. Schedule — Now the schedule of the software testing varies from time to time, also the approach matters the most here. For example, if you choose manual testing the schedule might extend a bit in comparison to automation testing. Now not all types of projects need manual testing, unless it is a small-scale, simple testing project, and as long as large projects are concerned where repetitive tests need to be conducted then automation testing is what is required. When you opt for automation, testing speeds up, test coverage is increased, human errors are significantly reduced, and overall test reliability is well taken care of.

9. Roles and Responsibilities — As the name implies, here different tasks are assigned to the right person with great knowledge and expertise. In case, if you think there is a need to take a step further, go ahead and try establishing precise communication channels, and protocols that can be successfully considered to facilitate seamless collaboration and communication among test members in no time.

So why is there a need for a test plan in the first place?

Significance of Test Plan

A good test plan is what is needed to come up with a successful software development project and what’s more important is that everyone can benefit from a good test plan. What happens when you have a good test plan?

• Quality analysts no longer have to manage uncoordinated testing efforts
• No inefficient allocation of resources
• Unclear goals and objectives lead to several issues sooner or later.
• An accurate communication tool between all the parties involved
• Everyone is aware of the facts about what needs to be tested, the why part, and how to test.
• One knows how to report test findings
• What are the different criteria available, what is a pass, and what is a fail?
• What are the unexpected outcomes?
• Is the testing conducted per the plan?

I hope now you understand the overall significance of test plans. And now comes the big question, how to create a test plan successfully?

A Small-Prep Before Creating a Test Plan?

Now before you begin creating a test plan there are certain aspects that must be taken into account such as:

• Involving all the needed stakeholders
• It is not just the QAs who should be doing this
• Developers who have a say in system architecture, software design, and coding standards
• The business analyst and domain-specific experts
• Cross-team effort must be given importance.

Step-by-Step Guide for Creating a Test Plan

#1 Product Analysis

The first and foremost step to take is analyzing the product thoroughly. In the following stage, everyone is gathered at a place just to develop a deep understanding of the product, its architecture, and whatnot! Other than gaining a firm understanding of the product, review sessions are also conducted regarding previous testing efforts.

Testers, in general, tend to review the product specifications, documentation, and all other relevant information that is meant to be used to identify all the necessary features and functions of the product that need to be tested in the current situation. In this stage, software testers are asked to identify any dependencies and external systems, especially the ones that are used to interact well with the product. Also, the chances of bugs decrease due to any miscommunication between these modules. During the stage, there are certain points to ponder in front of your stakeholders such as:

• Have you decided on the primary objective of the product?
• Can you determine your target audience?
• Have you figured out the most relevant features or key aspects of your product yet?
• Did you figure out any risks and challenges associated with the product?
• Lastly, what are the critical quality attributes or performance metrics which must be met by the product?

One of the best approaches to consider is behaviour-driven development (BDD). Now do you know what is the most common problem which you might encounter while planning a test? It’s the unnecessary misunderstanding caused between the tres amigos, i.e. software developer, product owner and the software tester.

Unfortunately, traditional software testing or conventional testing methods didn’t correct all these perspectives; fortunately, this is no longer the case. Earlier what used to happen was stakeholders telling the product owner their needs and then the game of Chinese whisper begins. The product owner passes the information to developers and testers. Developers who are in charge of writing the code and testers create test cases, both work based on their understanding which usually leads to unwanted and disappointing outcomes.

With the inception of BDD, it is possible to have the “tres amigos” discuss all the relevant requirements together and end up developing a well-shared document. This common understanding assists testers to write better test cases with the assistance of the BDD framework. So that everyone turns out to feel aligned and on the same page. And of course, by conducting proper product analysis, errors are significantly reduced.

#2 Determining Test Objective

The next step is to determine testing objectives. Once you gather all the relevant information from the product analysis session, it’s time to create a test strategy document. Now this one is a higher-level plan that successfully outlines the project objectives briefly.

So what happens is everything is fairly detailed here including all the different types of testing to be conducted. By doing so, teams can prepare in regards to resources as well as technology for better understanding to meet the predetermined objectives.

Now you don’t have to be rigid with the test objectives, they can be changed by your needs and requirements. However, it is great if you assign a priority value to each objective. By doing so, software testing teams exactly understand which objectives need to be accomplished first. And usually, these are the ones featuring a wide range of dependencies. In case, over time if requirements change or needs to evolve, chances are pretty high that you have to deprioritize certain objectives and so will the test plan.

In addition to this, do consider the entry and exit criteria. You see there are different sets of conditions which must be met anyhow.

For entry purposes:

• The completion of development and unit testing
• Availability of all the necessary test data and test environment
• Signed-off requirements and test plans
• Test scripts and test cases prepared and reviewed
• Test automation infrastructure ready
• Configuration management completed

For exit criteria:

• All critical defects have been resolved and retested
• All test cases have been executed and passed
• All performance targets have been met
• Acceptance criteria have been met and signed off
• The system is ready for production deployment
• The test summary report has been prepared and reviewed

In addition, there are times when software development teams need to define suspension criteria. Here is the time when teams need to stop testing totally and send the code back to the development team for troubleshooting. Fret not such situations are pretty rare and arise in case of too many issues and bugs involved. So testing becomes counterproductive. So in such situations, sanity checks must be given beforehand. By doing so, there is no scope for any wastage of resources while conducting unnecessary tests, especially on a broken build.

#3 Identifying different test scenarios

The next step is to look out for potential test scenarios and delve more and more into the specifics. Time to dive into granularity. Now if you gather all the aforementioned information outlined before, it’s high time QA team members begin brainstorming different kinds of test scenarios. No idea where to begin? Well, start by considering a situation where your users began interacting with your system.

For example, the test team is working on an eCommerce website development project where users can seamlessly purchase products online. What needs to be done by the testing team is:

• Business Logic
• Users can search for different products based on category, name, and brand
• When adding products and checking out
• Making payments in as many ways as possible
• Requirements
• Accuracy and speedy search feature
• The shopping cart and checkout must display the correct information
• Reliable and secured Payment
• Test Objectives
• Verify speed search future
• How is the pricing information in the shopping cart and in the checkout
• How is the security and ease of use especially during payment?

So whichever approach you choose, whether it is business logic or requirements or test objectives, brainstorming can begin right from here.

Let’s say you take the first scenario as searching based on the category. Then the ultimate objective is to verify the overall accuracy and speed of the search features. So the testing teams need to keep tabs on the product based on category, say for example electronics, apparel, home goods, and so more. In the end, you need to verify that all the search results are accurate and displayed in a quick manner.

Another scenario can be adding different products to the shopping cart. So here testing teams are required to verify the overall accuracy of the pricing information in the shopping cart. So what needs to be done is add one or more products to the shopping cart and see whether the pricing information mentioned is pretty accurate or not. Also, you can see whether it reflects any discounts or promotions or not.

The next scenario could be based on the checkout process. So the ultimate objective could be verifying the security and ease of use of the checkout process. How is that possible? Well, simply navigate through the checkout procedure and make sure you do it pretty systematically. So enter all the shipping and billing information, select a specific shipping method, review the order summary, and verify that the process is extremely secure, easy to use, and bug-free.

Another interesting scenario that can be taken into consideration is the payment process. Here testing teams are supposed to verify the reliability and error-free operation of payment procedures. So, choose a credit card, PayPal, or Apple Pay, enter your information, and complete the process. There should be no scope for any mistakes.

You need to understand that all the examples mentioned earlier are must-haves. It would be great if QA teams were capable of brainstorming even more and more such scenarios. Having a clear-cut plan is the key to success.

#4 Resource Planning

By now it is pretty obvious that both the teams have a crystal clear idea of what will be tested. So now it is time to work seamlessly on the resource planning in regards to

• Hardware
• Software
• Testing Tools
• Personnel
• Training materials
• Testing Environments
• Data
• Time
• Budget
• Communication and Collaboration Tools

#5 Define Test Deliverables

Test deliverables are the artifacts that are successfully developed during the testing process and offer significant evidence of the testing activities that were performed.

Now these deliverables may vary depending on different types of testing being conducted and specific requirements of the projects. Some of the test deliverables include:

• Test cases
• Test Scripts
• Test Results
• Test Summary Report
• Defect Reports
• Traceability Matrix
• Test Environment
• User Acceptance Report

Some of the most popular test cases to consider include:

• Test Cases for API Testing
• Test Cases for Login Page
• Test Cases for Registration Page
• Test Cases For Banking Application
• Test Cases For E-commerce website
• Test Cases For Search Functionality

#6 Test Schedule

Now based on the created list of deliverables, it is time to start thinking about test schedules. So try to figure out the approximate time taken for each stage of testing activities depending on complexity, dependencies, resources required, and several other factors. Try setting milestones all along the way. Do look out for temporary signals and checkpoints just so that you know where the team is heading. Also, have specific delivery dates. Stick to the SMART rule and you can simply never go wrong with it.

#7 Review and Finalise

Last but certainly not least comes reviewing and finalizing. Time to walk through all the items laid out. To make things more simpler and better, ask yourself several questions such as:

• Have you included all the relevant key requirements and features that need to be tested?
• Have you found out all the potential risks that could affect the testing process?
• What strategies have you formed to mitigate the potential risks in the test plan?
• Is the test environment perfect enough?
• Are the predetermined requirements outlined perfectly matched in the test plan accurately?
• Are the resources allocated regarding testing activities such as personnel and tools?
• Is the testing schedule feasible?

Once you have figured out all these answers, you are good to go and have a clear test plan ready to be used. And how do we do that?

How to Successfully Run a Test Plan?

1. Set up the test environment featuring required hardware, software, and different network configurations.
2. Execute all the relevant tests and procedures as outlined in the test plan.
3. Record and document the test results featuring any defects and issues encountered.
4. Now it is time to analyze test results to identify major and minor issues and see whether the product is working seamlessly or not according to predetermined user requirements.
5. Seamless and clear communication is needed to attain successful results.
6. Simply report the test status among members as well as stakeholders
7. Overall, review the test plan precisely especially based on feedback and results which are attained in the previous stages.

What if there are any Changes in the Test Plan?

One of the most basic yet important aspects often ignored while creating a test plan is believing that it will change sooner or later. Yes, test plans tend to change sooner or later, so it is very important to deal with this in the right manner.

For starters, you have to be resilient and highly flexible to handle any situation or change. The more detailed and specific the test plan, the greater the chances of its success.

Final Words

So this is all for now! I hope you did get a thorough understanding of the test plan and its importance in the entire software testing procedure. Now last but certainly not least whenever you write a test plan just make sure you follow these below-mentioned pointers such as:

• Keeping the sentences short and using proper bullet pointers
• Begin with a proper introduction and lay the plan in detail
• Make the most of templates, standards, numbered sections, and sub-topics for clarity and easy reference.
• Use plain language which is easily readable and do not use acronyms or complicated jargon.
• Plan out for potential changes
• Maintain accuracy and reliability, errors need to be corrected right away!

Developing a well-structured test plan is extremely important. Unfortunately, quality analysts are bound to get distracted by vague, undefined goals and deadlines which result in slower and delayed release cycles.