What Do You Know About Test Planning?

Bangalore: A test plan aims at describing the scope and activities involved in testing apart from providing a methodological and systematic approach to testing. It makes the tasks of identifying errors in the system simpler. A test plan document includes the introduction, assumptions, test cases, features to be tested, various approaches apart from the risks and scheduling.

Depending on the processes, standards and the tools being implemented, the format of a software test plan varies. The lack of flexibility for testers is one of the main problems with test planning. Testers also do not go through the test plan once the development is complete.

Types of Test Plan

1.    Master Test Plan
This type of a test plan addresses multiple test levels and unifies all other test plans.

2.    Testing Level Specific Test Plans
A testing level specific test plan addresses each level of testing. These levels include:
a.    Unit test Plan
b.    Acceptance Test Plan
c.    System Test Plan
d.    Integration Test Plan

3.    Testing Type Specific Test Plans
This type of a test plan addresses major types of testing which includes Performance Test Plan and Security Test Plan.

Here is a mind map from the Ministry of Testing explaining everything a tester needs to know about Test Plan.

Click here for an enlarged image.