Can you
differentiate between Test Plan and Test Strategy? Do we really need
Test Plan documents?
Test
strategy is a higher level document defining “How to test”.
However; Test Plan defines “What to Test”.
Test strategy defines how different functionalities will be tested and testing tools to be used. Also, it provides test cases designing methodology that will be used. But test plan defines; features to be tested (In –scope), features not to be tested (Out scope), risk analysis, entry and exit criteria, Roles and responsibilities of each and every team member and Project Schedule It is a set of guide lines that describes test design. Test strategy says - How testing is going to be performed? What will be the test architecture? Test Strategy Document describes what we are going to test and what all are the testing approach to be followed by the Test Engineer.
Test strategy defines how different functionalities will be tested and testing tools to be used. Also, it provides test cases designing methodology that will be used. But test plan defines; features to be tested (In –scope), features not to be tested (Out scope), risk analysis, entry and exit criteria, Roles and responsibilities of each and every team member and Project Schedule It is a set of guide lines that describes test design. Test strategy says - How testing is going to be performed? What will be the test architecture? Test Strategy Document describes what we are going to test and what all are the testing approach to be followed by the Test Engineer.
Below are some more points
that can be included in Test Strategy Document:
a) Defect Report and Tracking
b) How to communicate between Team and Status reports
Test Plan is the set of ideas that guide or represent the intended test process. Test plan is the sub set of Test Strategy. Test Plan covers – What needs to be tested, How testing is going to be performed? Resources needed for testing, Timelines and Risk associated. A test plan acts a guide in the project. It ensures that a project meets all of its specifications and other requirements. It is really good to have a test plan in a project. More than having it, it’s more important is it being followed. A Test Plan is document that is usually prepared by Manager or Team Lead. A software project test plan is a document that describes the objectives, scope, approach, and focus of software testing effort.
Different
types of Test Plans
a. Unit
b. Integration
c. System
d. UAT
The way tests will be designed and executed to support an effective quality assessment is called Test Strategy.
Mentioned below are some points that a good Test Strategy should follow:
A. focuses most effort on areas of potential technical risk, while still putting some effort into low risk areas just in case the risk analysis is wrong.
B. address test platform configuration, how the product will be operated, how the product will be observed, and how observations will be used to evaluate the product
C. is diversified in terms of test techniques and perspectives. Methods of evaluating test coverage should take into account multiple dimensions of coverage, including structural, functional, data, platform, operations, and requirements.
D. Specify how test data will be designed and generated.
Different test techniques ( Ad hoc, Exploratory, Specification based, code based, Fault Injection and etc) and test methods (Black, White and Incremental) is used while designing test cases and execution
Few says that Test Plan document is required for testing as it really contains some useful information such as What needs to be tested, How testing is going to be performed? Resources needed for testing, Timelines and Risk associated.
a. Unit
b. Integration
c. System
d. UAT
The way tests will be designed and executed to support an effective quality assessment is called Test Strategy.
Mentioned below are some points that a good Test Strategy should follow:
A. focuses most effort on areas of potential technical risk, while still putting some effort into low risk areas just in case the risk analysis is wrong.
B. address test platform configuration, how the product will be operated, how the product will be observed, and how observations will be used to evaluate the product
C. is diversified in terms of test techniques and perspectives. Methods of evaluating test coverage should take into account multiple dimensions of coverage, including structural, functional, data, platform, operations, and requirements.
D. Specify how test data will be designed and generated.
Different test techniques ( Ad hoc, Exploratory, Specification based, code based, Fault Injection and etc) and test methods (Black, White and Incremental) is used while designing test cases and execution
Few says that Test Plan document is required for testing as it really contains some useful information such as What needs to be tested, How testing is going to be performed? Resources needed for testing, Timelines and Risk associated.
Do
we really need Test Plan?
Test Plan covers:
a) What need to be tested
b) When to start testing
c) Resources needed for testing
d) Risk associated etc?
But most of the people says that, for efficient Test Planning we do not need Test plan document. Just identify your test strategy and carry on with your testing. No wonder that Test Plan documents are not required formulating a plan. Planning can be done without the Test Plan documents. However, from a systematic point of view, having Test Plan documents is preferable.
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