One cannot undermine the presence of Software Testing, as it is essential to point out the defects which occurred during the development phase. The prime objective of the QA Team is to get rid of the bugs which do not allow the software to function in its natural flair.
A study by Statista reveals there are now 3.58 billion internet users. Well, that’s over half of the entire world population. The count is likely to even increase as you read this. While the number is undoubtedly huge, another alarming stat tells us that only 25% of app users return on the second day they install the app, and retention rates continue to steep. This is what happens when an app or software is released with faults. And this is why we say software testing is not a preference, but a priority!
From producing an error-free software and ensuring it is properly working in all functionalities across multiple platforms, testing can do wonders for any product or software before it gets launched.
Master Test Plan
One does not pack their bags and take a holiday immediately, right? We Google the places to see, things to do, book a hotel and plan things correctly before departure because we do not want our time to be wasted, as every travel trip is a memory to cherish for a lifetime.
So is Master Test Planning.
Every software development company wants to get their product quickly to the market or, wishes to unveil an amazing feature before others. In the process of doing so, one underrated yet a powerful testing procedure is creating a Master Test Plan to achieve the desired result.
The Master Test Plan is a document which describes in detail how testing is planned and the way it will be intuitively managed across multiple test levels, such as unit testing, component testing, integration testing, system testing, and so on.
This plan presents a bird’s eye view of the journey the QA Team is about to undertake while testing a particular website or software.
Why is Master Test Plan Important?
From delivering on time (or much ahead if you have an excellent team), managing costs, having a roadmap in place to foresee the time-taking challenges, and much more. Take a look at the essential factors of the Master Test Plan.
- Acts as a blueprint to do software testing in a defined process
- Helps avoid effort in functionalities which are out of scope
- Makes the testing process easy and organized
- Awareness of test objectives that shall be validated
- Gives an overview to where to begin the work and end
- Finalize resources (manpower, software, hardware) required
- Defines roles and responsibilities of tester
- Helps to work with a schedule and saves a large chunk of time
- Saves company costs
- Keeps a check on the whole testing process
- Better prepared with mitigation strategies
- Redundancy and stay away from unnecessary testing
- Reliable as a source of proof in the future (if the need arises)
How to Write an Awesome Master Test Plan?
Anyone can create an awesome Master Test Plan, literally.
Presenting a predefined route map to the must-haves in a Master Test Plan (MTP) might not be accurate, as every other company and project have different presets to be tested based on the software/app functionalities.
Now that you know the importance of an MTP, let us delve into a breakdown on the plan outlay, with six simple steps.
- Product/Software Analysis
- Develop Test Strategy
- Define Test Objectives
- Resource Planning
- Schedule And Estimation
- Determine Test Deliverables
Product/Software Analysis
Understand the product, inside and out.
It is not possible to implement an in-depth testing of the product without a thorough understanding of what the product is, who the users are, its features and functionalities, user requirements and expectations, the existing pain points this product/software will drive away after its launch, the features integrated that will make this remarkable, and so on.
In-depth analysis of the product/software coupled with existing market structure and the environment is a must before you kick start the testing. And don’t forget to document your understandings.
Develop Test Strategy
The strategy towards perfection.
Different test levels such as unit testing, component testing, integration testing, system testing, mobile responsive testing, etc. comprise the whole testing process. While specific projects need equal scope at all testing levels, many projects might not.
For instance, in an eCommerce store, the emphasis would be on loading time owing to a massive amount of SKUs and product information. Similarly, the core focus would be on security in case of a site which has online transactions. Depending on the requirement, create a strategy, and work with a clear plan.
In the process of developing a test strategy, be sure to:
- Define the scope of testing
- Identify the testing type
- Document prospective risks
- Create test logistics
Test Objectives
When the objectives are clear, the goal is clearer.
Once the strategy is developed, it is crucial to understand the business objectives on the whole as the line of business can help us fix test objectives. Charting out objectives helps us to prevent defects, identify prospective risks, know the ways to tackle such issues ,and key testing areas across different levels. All this, to ensure result meets the business and user requirements.
If there is any testing which is not required in the process, the same can be listed here to lessen redundancy and maximize effectiveness.
The A-Team
Finalize who works and what works.
Based on the testing scope and the business requirements, the team lead needs to come out with a list of resources – people, hardware, and software which should be in constant pace and place to ensure testing is being as per the schedule.
This helps the test manager comes up with a prospective deadline.
Timeframe
Schedule things and work accordingly.
Now that you know the objectives and the resources required to complete the testing, develop a timeframe on the tasks to be achieved within a certain period.
The time frame usually consists of tasks to do, members responsible for the functions, testing activities to be completed, estimated efforts, project estimation, and project deadlines.
With such a clear schedule in place, it helps enormously in getting things done, smartly, swiftly.
Test Deliverables
Your relevant reports, documents, and more.
During the process of software testing, the team prepares various documents and reports that improve communication among the testers, developers, and everyone involved. All the reports and documents compiled are collectively known as Test Deliverables.
As we approach the final stage, Test Deliverables offers a summary of the activities performed during the software testing cycle. They include:
- Test Specification Document
- Test Plan Document
- Test Strategy
- Test Scenario Document
- Test Design Standard
- Test Case Document
- Requirements Traceability Matrix
- Test Logs
- Test Data
- Test Status Report
- Installation Guide
- Test Execution Report
- Test Incident Report
- Bugs Report
- Test Closure Report
- Release Notes
Master Test Plan Checklist
While the Master Test Plan differs from project to project, we have listed out some basic and familiar things which can be included in your plan.
- Test Plan Identifier
- Introduction
- Test Items
- Features To Be Tested
- Features Not To Be Tested
- Approach
- Items Pass or Fail
- Suspension Criteria
- Test Deliverables
- Testing Tasks
- Resource Needs
- Responsibilities
- Staffing Needs
- Schedule
- References
- Staffing and Training Needs
- Risks
- Assumptions and Dependencies
- Approvals
Master Test Plan enhances not just the software, but your company as a whole in terms of responsibility, teamwork, and delivering results. It’s in your hands to offer amazing end products and software to delight the customers.
Once you are ready with the Master Test Plan, make your plan a possibility with QA touch – the Test Management Tool Modern QA Teams can rely upon. Happy testing!
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