Test Activities during phases

Test activities vary with the model and also on the type of project. So here is a generic list of items that needs to be done. You can always do it at any point when enough data is available.

1. Requirement Phase :

• Invest in analysis at the begining of the project
• Start developing the test set at the requirement analysis phase
• The correctness, consistency and completeness of the requirements should be analysed.

2. Design Phase :

• Analysis of design to check its completeness and consistency
• Analysis of design to check whether it satisfies the requirements
• Generation of test data based on design
• Setting up of test bed

3. Programming/Coding Phase :

• Check code for consistency with design
• Perform system testing in an organized manner – Buddy testing, feature testing, integration testing, System testing etc
• Use available tools
• Apply stress to the program
• Test one at a time
• Measure test coovergae

4. Maintanence Phase :

• Retest/Regress

Test Plan – Must have’s

Test plans should be concise and include the following:

·         List of features being tested.

·         Approach/strategy to testing each feature concentrating on how and why.

·         Categories of tests applicable to each of the features (ex. Functionality, boundary, negative, security, migration/upgrade, performance, stress, loc/glob, end to end scenario tests etc.)

·         Test plans should have some level of detail regarding the test cases. The level of detail can differ but at a minimum test plans should have details regarding equivalence classes of tests. Test plan owner should have the details regarding individual tests for BVTs and L1s available when test plans are reviewed.

·         Use of TCO (test case outlines) and matrices (spreadsheets) for describing and showing the combinations and hierarchy of the testing efforts – e.g. migration, setup, config, topology is highly recommended.  Testing matrices are much better communication device than a paragraph of words.

·         Exceptions or enhancements to platforms, languages, and dependencies should be noted in the feature level test plans.

·         Test plans should mention tools which are needed for testing the feature/area, either existing tools which will be used or new tools which will be built.

·         Test plans should include the topologies being tested, resources needed such as hardware (existing or need to be acquired), collaboration needed between team members internal or external.

·         Test plan should include what is not being tested.

·         Test plan should include the risks involved.

·         Test plan should make the assumptions made very clear

·         Test plan should help facilitate bottoms up scheduling for the test effort. Test plan owner needs to work with her lead to ensure that the cost for testing her area is reflected accurately in the project level schedule.

·         Cost to develop new tools is an important consideration in test planning and needs to be included as part of overall test estimate and schedule.

Links to relevant documents Functional specs, Design documents can be included in the test plans

Test Plan – Must Not’s

Test Plans should not include the following:

·         Test plans should not repeat information which can be found in other documents such as Functional Specs, Design Docs, QA Overview etc.

·         Overall product platforms, languages, and other product dependencies, integration points, and configurations should be noted in the product’s QA Overview Document.

·         General tools/infrastructure used across teams should not be part of Test Plan but should be noted in the QA overview document.

·         Actual details of the tool design & use should be in a separate document

Test Plan – What is it?

A test plan is a document, written prior to actual testing. A good test plan helps organize and manage the testing effort and contains a high level overview of the strategies for testing the feature or component, list of any specific tools required for testing and the test oracles to be used during testing the feature or component.

 

The benefits of having such a document are many, but I like it them for this:-

• Test plans facilitate the technical tasks of testing.
• Test plans improve communication about testing tasks and process.
• Test plans provide structure for organizing, scheduling and managing the test project