How to create a test plan for software testing (2023)

When developing new software, it is important to subject it to rigorous testing. It improves ITsecurityand helps identify problems.

As a software developer, the goal is to make the testing process as easy as possible. This ensures that the software can be brought to market quickly. However, the more complex the software, the longer the test takes.

This article covers the definition, goals, and creation of a test plan.

What is a software test plan?

A test plan is a document that establishes the scope, focus, and schedule of planned testing activities. The test plan can also list the features that the software tester needs to function effectively.

The test plan usually contains the following information:

1. The overall goal of the testing effort.
2. A detailed description of how the tests will be performed (the test approach).
3. The function, application, or component to be tested.
4. Detailed schedules and resource allocation plans for testers and developers at all stages of testing.

What are the goals of a software testing plan?

The main purpose of a test plan is to create documentation that describes how the tester will verify that the system is working as intended. The document should describe what needs to be tested, how it is tested, and who is responsible for it.

Writing a test plan allows all team members to work together and communicate their roles to each other. You should consider creating some SMART goals for your test plan.

What is a test case?

A test case is documentation created by the software tester that contains detailed information about what the test is intended to achieve. It is an essential part of recording information about testing activities and results.

Test cases are used in conjunction with test plans. A test case must contain the following information.

1. A unique name or number to identify you.
2. The functions, applications or components covered by the test case.
3. Specific data values ​​needed to test input fields and button controls.
4. The expected results of the actions performed during the test (the expected result).
5. A description of the actual results after each action taken during the test (the actual result).
6. An indication of whether the test case was successful or not.
7. Errors Detected.

How important is a test plan?

A test plan is the foundation of any testing effort. It helps determine how the software will be tested, what specifically will be tested, and who will conduct the testing. By creating a clear test plan that all team members can follow, everyone can work together effectively.

If you arecreate an applicationor develop open source software, a test plan is essential to deliver the end result.

A quality plan will help you identify areas of risk, sequence testing activities, and allocate resources efficiently. The test plan becomes a useful reference document that can be referenced throughout the product development cycle.

How to keep your audience in mind when creating a test plan

Before you start creating your test plan, you need to identify your target customers and ensure their needs are met. This increases the quality of your test plan tenfold.

Here are the key things to make sure your test plan is:

• Concise.Your test plan should not have more than one bulleted page.
• Organized.Make sure all information is grouped logically.
• Readable.The document should be easy to read and avoid jargon as much as possible.
• Flexible.Your test plan should be adaptive, not immutable. You want to create documentation that doesn't interrupt you when new information emerges or changes are needed.
• To need.Make sure all the information you entered is correct.

How to write a test plan

This could be the first job in your lifeSoftware developer resume, and if so, you may need a cheat sheet to successfully write your first test plan.

Luckily we are here for you. This section contains 14 essential things to include in your software testing planquality control process.

1) Know the software

Before testing begins, it is important to learn as much as possible about the software. Ask questions about how it was designed to understand its purpose, how it works, and provide information that can help you understand its functionality.

By properly understanding your software, you can create relevant and useful test cases to test your product.

2) Define the scope of the tests

There is no point in creating test documents that are larger than the product itself. First, establish exactly what will be tested during the process, which modules or features should be covered in detail, and what other basics you need to know.

3) Create test cases

One of the main tasks in developing a software test document is the creation of test cases. A test case is a document that describes the steps to be taken to run your test. You must provide information such as:

• What needs to be tested
• How is it tested?
• Who will conduct the tests
• expected results

Here is a simple worksheet for setting up test cases:

4) Develop a testing strategy

The test strategy defines how you want to implement the tests. All of your testers need to work to the same plan, so make sure each team member knows what they should be doing at all times.

5) Define the purpose of the test

Each test case must be linked to a test objective. Purpose ensures that every action is relevant and helps make your software more valuable to customers. Test objectives can include things like:

• Test of Known Properties
• Test newly implemented functions
• Conducting exploratory tests.
• Ensuring stability throughout the product life cycle

6) Select Test Tools

You have to make sure you have the rightsoftware testing solutionto perform your testing activities. Some of these tools may be software based while others require physical resources such as testing machines. It's important to choose the right tools for each specific task and not to rely on a one-size-fits-all solution.

7) Find bugs early

Schedule time for “troubleshooting” sessions in your planning document. This allows you to identify problems with the software before they become too annoying or expensive to fix. This makes them easier and cheaper to handle. look at someoneApplication Security Measures, use all the features and look for what isn't working well.

8) Define your test criteria

This should be part of the test case, but it's good to split it up separately. Test criteria are essentially your goals broken down into smaller pieces. They contain specific information about how each objective is being achieved and help you track the progress of your tests.

Suspension criteria are criteria that must be met before the test can be aborted. For example, you might want to pause testing when a certain number of errors are found or when the software fails to run due to performance issues.

Exit criteria are criteria that must be met before the test is completed. For example, the test case should end after each goal is met and all bugs are fixed.

9) Resource Planning

Include a resource plan with your software testing document that lists the number of people needed for the testing process. It should detail each person's role and any training required to effectively fulfill that role.

10) Plan your test environment

In your test plan, include information about the environment in which the test will take place, e.g. e.g.:

• Test hardware required to test the product.
• Sizing requirements for software and servers.
• Platforms supported by the product.
• Other important environmental information that may affect your testing process.

11) Planning of test equipment logistics

Test management is one of the most important parts ofimplementation process🇧🇷 If you can't communicate effectively with your testers, your progress will suffer and your test document won't be as useful as it could be.

12) Plan and estimate

Add a timeline to your test plan, which you can use to outline specific test milestones and timelines. Milestones can be the initial product launch, internal testing sessions, public beta testing, or other key times when your team needs to focus their testing efforts.

13) Test Results

Your test document should include a list of all deliverables required for the test. They should be linked to milestones in your agenda so everyone knows exactly when to be up and running.

14) Test Automation

If your software is particularly complex and requires a large number of test cases, you should think about itAutomation of software tests.

Automating the process means testers can do more in less time, increase productivity, and significantly reduce overall testing costs. You might even be able to use amobiles Robotsspeed up testing activities.

Conclusion

A solid test plan is an important partSummary of the development project🇧🇷 Your test document should be transparent, concise, and flexible, adapting to changes in your programming or environment.

This ensures that everyone on your team is working towards the same goal and nothing is lost along the way.‍