Testing Process

The Test Planning Process


What is a Test Strategy? What are its Components?

Test Policy - A document characterizing the organization’s philosophy towards software testing.

Test Strategy - A high-level document defining the test phases to be performed and the testing within those phases for a programme. It defines the process to be

followed in each project. This sets the standards for the processes, documents, activities etc. that should be followed for each project.

For example, if a product is given for testing, you should decide if it is better to use black-box testing or white-box testing and if you decide to use both, when will

you apply each and to which part of the software? All these details need to be specified in the Test Strategy.

Project Test Plan - a document defining the test phases to be performed and the testing within those phases for a particular project.

A Test Strategy should cover more than one project and should address the following issues: An approach to testing high risk areas first, Planning for testing, How to

improve the process based on previous testing, Environments/data used, Test management - Configuration management, Problem management, What Metrics are

followed, Will the tests be automated and if so which tools will be used, What are the Testing Stages and Testing Methods, Post Testing Review process,

Templates.

Test planning needs to start as soon as the project requirements are known. The first document that needs to be produced then is the Test Strategy/Testing

Approach that sets the high level approach for testing and covers all the other elements mentioned above.


Usually, Testing is considered as a part of the System Development Life Cycle. With our practical experience, we framed this Test Development Life Cycle.
The diagram does not depict where and when you write your Test Plan and Strategy documents. But, it is understood that before you begin your testing activities
these documents should be ready. Ideally, when the Project Plan and Project Strategy are being made, this is the time when the Test Plan and Test Strategy documents are also made.