How to Write a Test Plan Document

STLC can be roughly divided into 3 parts:

1. Test planning
2. Test Design
3. Test Execution

In the previous article we have seen that in a practical QA project, we started with the SRS review and Test scenario writing – which is actually the step 2 in the STLC process – the test design, which involves details on what to test and how to test. Why haven’t we started with the Test planning?

Test planning indeed is the first and foremost activity that happens in a testing project.

How test planning takes place at each phase of the SDLC:

SDLC Phase	Test planning activity
Initiate	Ideally QA team should get involved while the scope of the project is gathered from the customer/client in the form of business requirements. But in the real world, that is not the case. From a practical point of view, the involvement of the QA team is NIL. At the end of this phase, BRD is finalized and a basic Project Plan is created.
Define	SRS is created from the BRD. Test plan's initial draft is created. At this point, since the QA team is not done with the SRS review, the scope of testing is not clear. So the TP at this phase will only contain information on when testing is going to happen, project information and the team information (if we have it).
Design	The SRS review is carried out and the scope of testing is identified. We have much more information on what to test and a good estimate of how many test cases we might get etc. A second version of the Test plan is created incorporating all this information.

From the above table it is clear that test plan is not a document that you can create all at once and use it from then on.

Test Plan is a dynamic document. The success of a testing project depends on a well written test plan document that is current at all times. Test Plan is more or less like a blue print of how the testing activity is going to take place in a project.

It has clear information on the following aspects:

Items in a Test Plan Template	What do they contain
Scope =>	Test scenarios/Test objectives that will be validated.
Out of scope =>	Enhanced clarity on what we are not going to cover
Assumptions =>	All the conditions that need to hold true for us to be able to proceed successfully
Schedules =>	Test scenario prep
	Test documentation- test cases/test data/setting up environment
	Test execution
	Test cycle- how many cycle
	Start and end date for cycles
Roles and Responsibilities =>	Team members are listed
	Who is to do what
	module owners are listed and their contact info
Deliverables =>	What documents(test artifacts) are going to produce at what time frames
	What can be expected from each document
Environment =>	What kind of environment requirements exist
	Who is going to be in charge
	What to do in case of problems
Tools =>	For example: JIRA for bug tracking
	Login
	How to use JIRA
Defect Management =>	Who are we going to report the defects to
	How are we going to report
	What is expected- do we provide screenshot?
Risks and Risk Management =>	Risks are listed
	Risks are analyzed- likelihood and impact is documented
	Risk mitigation plans are drawn
Exit criteria =>	When to stop testing

Since, all the above information is the most critical for theday-to-day working of a QA project,  it is important to keep the Test Plan document updated at all times.

Here are a few important pointers regarding a test plan:

1. Test Plan is a document that is the point of reference based on which testing is carried out within the QA team.
2. It is also a document we share with the Business Analysts, Project Managers, Dev team and the other teams. This is to enhance the level of transparency into the QA team’s working to the external teams.
3. It is documented by the QA manager/QA lead based on the inputs from the QA team members.
4. Test Planning is typically allocated 1/3^rd of the time it takes for the entire QA engagement.  The other 1/3^rd is for Test Designing and rest is for Test Execution.
5. Test plan is not static and is updated on an on demand basis.
6. The more detailed and comprehensive the Test plan, the more successful the testing activity.

Sample Test Plan Document for OrangeHRM Project

A sample Test plan template document is created for our “ORANGEHRM VERSION 3.0 – MY INFO MODULE” Project and attached below. Please take a look at it. Additional comments have been added to the document in Red to explain the sections. This Test plan is for the Functional as well as the UAT phases. It also explains the Test Management process using the HP ALM tool.