Test Planning

A structured test plan

Test planning is an important part of testing a complex website, mobile app or web application. It allows for sufficient focus on the scope of the testing, the approach, expectations around project deliverables and outcomes plus provides the chance to clarify and seek answers that will be hugely beneficial to the testing overall.

Test Planning

Structured Test Planning

Much of the testing we do is exploratory, especially with the website audits we carry out, as these are designed to be exploratory and unplanned.
‍

However, there are many other projects that we test, which do require a more structured test planning phase before the actual testing begins.
‍

Putting together a test plan can be extremely beneficial to the project, especially if conducted early on, as it helps to clarify how some functionality is intended to work, what constitutes a pass or fail and ask questions about ambiguous aspects or areas that don’t seem quite right.
‍

Having a test plan also means that the testing phase can begin more smoothly, as much of the test preparation is already complete and test environments are in place.
‍

Therefore, for more complex web builds and mobile apps, we would recommend undertaking the test planning phase first of all.
‍

Talk to us

Test Planning Process

Typically test planning usually follows the following process:

We discuss the requirements for the testing with you and your team, either face to face or on a call.

We take specifications, wireframes, designs, user stories or any other documentation related to the requirements for the project.

This documentation is digested and often results in some queries and clarifications to be discussed.

We identify risks and look for where there may be gaps in requirements or potential problem areas.

Test cases are written to cover the whole project and ensure that the test requirements are met.

The final test plan is produced and signed off by you. Alterations can be made until you are 100% happy.

Test cases are loaded into our test management software (or yours) ready for testing to begin.

The test planning process can be altered to fit with your planning and development processes. The output can also be adapted to provide a formal Test Approach Plan document or individual test cases added to user stories or test management software.

Learn more

Test Planning

Exploration of Requirements & Identification of Risks

The primary purpose of test planning is not to simply generate a long list of test cases for someone (or AI) to 'test' like a checklist.

We've seen how AI can take requirements and spew out test cases and call test planning done. This misses fundamental parts of planning something, which is understanding and critical thinking.

We plan testing to find out what the intention is for how the application is going to work, determine what the approach should be for testing that feature, think about what the risks are, find gaps in the requirements with situations that haven't been thought of yet.

Above all, we're learning about the application, often before there is something to actually test, through an exploration of the requirements and thinking about how we should structure the testing to best handle the risks and important aspects of the project.

Let's have a chat to talk about test planning for your web project.
‍

Let's talk

Test Planning Projects