Planning Process

1. Planning Process Best Practices By Gabriel Rodriguez

2. Agenda • What is a Test Plan? • Components of a Test Plan • Developing a Test Plan • Q&A • Reference

3. What is a Test Plan?

4. What is a Test Plan? Test Planning • The plan should be a contract between the customer/user(s) and the testers defining what will be tested. • The project team must design and plan a testing strategy that utilizes a balance of testing techniques. • Without a documented test plan, the test itself cannot be verified, coverage cannot be analyzed, and the test is not repeatable. • A document that defines the overall testing objectives and approach is called a test plan.

5. What is a Test Plan? Test Planning • A document that defines what is selected to test, and describes the expected results is called a test design. • Test plan and designs often combines in the same document. • Test planning should begin at the same time requirements definition starts.

6. What is a Test Plan? Why Plan Tests? • Documented tests are repeatable, controllable, and insure adequate test coverage when executed. • Repeatable • Once the necessary tests are documented, anyone on the test team should be able to execute the tests. • Controllable • Do I know what the expected results are? • Coverage • The test Plan is designed to insure that adequate test coverage is built into the test.

7. Components of a Test Plan

8. Components of a Test Plan • Table of contents of a test plan: • Test scope • Test Objectives • Assumptions • Risk Analysis • Test Design • Roles & Responsabilities • Test schedule & Resources • Test Data Management • Test Environment • Communication Approach • Test Tools

9. Components of a Test Plan • Test Scope • What will be covered in the test? and What will not be covered in the test. • Test Objectives • It is a simply testing “goal”. • It is a statement of what the tester is expected to accomplish or validate during a specific testing activity. • Assumptions • Test prerequisites, which if not met could have a negative impact on the test. • Examples of assumptions: • Skill level of test resources and test budget • Entrance and exit criteria for each stage of testing could be documented here.

10. Components of a Test Plan • Risk Analysis • This section documents Test Risks. • Test Design • Details what types of tests must be conducted, what stages of testing are required (e.g. Unit, integration, system, performance, usability), and then outlines the sequence and timing of tests. • Roles & Responsabilities • This section defines who is responsible for each stage or type of testing.

11. Components of a Test Plan • Tests Schedule & Planned Resources • It Includes major test activities, the sequence of tests, initial estimates for each activity. • Test resource planning includes people, tools and facilities. • Test Data Management • Defines the data required for testing, the infrastructure requirements to manage test data. • Includes methods for preparing test data, backup and rollback procedures. • Data security issues should also be addressed here.

12. Components of a Test Plan • Test Environment • Environment requirements for eash stage and type of testing should be outlined. • For example, unit testing may be conducted in the development environment, while separate environments may be needed for integration and system testing. • Procedures for configuration management and release/version control should be outlined here. • Requirements for hardware and software configurations as the defect tracking mechanisms to be used.

13. Components of a Test Plan • Communication Approach • Should include formal and informal meetings, working sessions, processes (such as defect tracking) tools and techniques such as escalation procedures (e.g. test environment down, etc). • Tools • Any tools needed to support the testing process.

14. Developing a Testing Plan

15. Developing a Testing Plan • The Test Plan is developed by the Test Manager or Test Lead. • The testers usually provide constructive feedback through formal reviews once the test plan has been developed. • Developing a good test plan requires an extensive analysis of the complete project. • The objective of the test plan is to describe all testing that is to be accomplished. • Microsoft Word is the tool used to generate the Test Plan. • Consider the test plan an evolving document.

16. Developing a Testing Plan • The two inputs used in developing the test plan are: • Project Plan • Project Plan Assessment and status • Tasks to Build a Test Plan • Form the Test Team • Understand the Project Risks • Build the Test Plan

17. Developing a Testing Plan Form the Test Team • The test team leadership must be selected and in place prior to developing the test plan • The test team can be: • Internal IT Test Team Approach • External IT Test team Approach • Non-IT Test team Approach • Combination Test Team approach

18. Developing a Testing Plan Understand the Project Risks • The test team should undertake an investigation of the system characteristics in order to evaluate the potential magnitude of the risk.

19. Developing a Testing Plan Build the Test Plan • The development of an effective test plan involves the four subtasks: • Set Test Objectives • Develop Test Matrix • Define Test Administration • Write the Test Plan • The following slides depics examples of Test Plans, keep in mind that the content of a test plan can be tailored depending on the customer needs, however the content explained in this presentation must be followed since it is the standard for the planning process.

20. Developing a Testing Plan Test Plan Example

21. Developing a Testing Plan Test Plan Example

22. Q&A • Any questions…

23. Reference • CSTE Study Guide 2002 by QAI • CSTE Study Guide 2006 by QAI

24. Thank you…