Test planning is the first activity of test team. If a tester does not plan for testing then it leads to failure. Test plans are defined in framework created by test strategy and established by test policy Like any project, the testing also should be driven by a plan. The test plan acts as the anchor for the execution, tracking and reporting of the entire testing project. The test plan acts as the anchor for the execution, tracking and reporting of the entire testing project and covers.

1. Preparing test plan:

i. What needs to be tested – the scope of testing, including clear identification of what will be the tested & what will not be tested.

ii. How the testing is going to be performed – breaking down the testing into small and manageable tasks and identifying the strategies to be used for carrying out the tasks.

iii. What resources are needed for testing- computer as well as human resources.

iv. The time lines by which the testing activities will be performed.

v. Risks that may be faced in all of the above, with appropriate mitigation and contingency plans.

2. Scope management: It entails:

i. Understanding what constitutes a release of product.

ii. Breaking down the release into features.

iii. Prioritizing the feature of testing.

iv. Deciding which features will be tested & which will not be

3. Deciding Test approach/ strategy: This includes identifying.

i. What type of testing would use for testing functionality?

ii. What are the configurations for testing features?

iii. What integration testing would you do to ensure these features work together?

iv. What “non-functional” tests would you need to do?

4. Setting up criteria for testing: Some of the typical suspension criteria include:

i. Encountering more than a certain numbers of defects, causing frequent stoppage of testing activity.

ii. Hitting show stoppers that prevent further progress of testing.

5 . Identifying responsibilities, staffing & Training needs:

The next aspect of planning is who part of it. Identifying responsibilities, staffing & training needs addresses this aspect.

6. Identifying Resource Requirement:

As a part of planning for a testing project, the project manager should provide estimate for the various h/w & s/w resources required.

7. Identifying Test Deliverables:

It includes : test plan itself, test case design specification, test cases , test logs & test summary report

8.Testing task: Size and Effort estimation: This gives estimation in terms of size, effort & schedule of testing project.

Advantages of test planning:

• Work involved in test planning and setup pays in the long term. It gives insight testing activity completely. One knows scope and deliverables of test plan execution.

• Test plan describes the way in which testing team will show whether software work correctly as per requirements and the acceptance criterial as defined b customer or development team with customer. It defines various objectives for testing to measure its performance and coverage offered.

• Test plan addresses various levels of testing such as unit testing module testing, System testing, integration testing, black box testing as well as white box testing. Some time there may be single master test plan with several child test plan at each level for a number of a small plans or one monolithic test plan covering every aspect of testing.

• Test plan explain who does testing. Why test are performed how test are conducted and when tests are scheduled (calendar date and milestone). It defines various criteria such as entry criteria, exit criteria, suspension criteria and resumption criteria at various stages of testing.

• Test plan must contain procedures, environment and tools necessary to implement an orderly, controlled process for test execution, defect tracking, coordination of rework and configuration, and change control.

OR

It is strategic document describes how to perform a task in as effective, efficient and optimized manner. It also specifies, the scope and objectives for testing

Primary tasks in testing are :.( Explanation of followings related to):

1. Scope of testing
2. Set objectives of test planning
3. Methodology for testing
4. Requirement,
5. Entry and exit criteria
6. Develop Test matrix
7. Test estimation and administrative component
8. Write and execute test cases.
9. Deciding Criteria for test-to-pass, test-to-fail,
10. Schedule of testing
11. The main purpose of test planning is to show whether software is correct as per requirement.