How do you review and validate your test plan before execution?

To review and validate a test plan before execution, ensure it is comprehensive, covering all aspects of the system. Verify alignment with project requirements and objectives. Confirm clarity in test objectives, scope, and deliverables. Validate that test scenarios are well-defined, and dependencies are addressed. Seek input from team members to ensure diverse perspectives. Check for feasibility and resource availability. Verify that the test environment and data are adequately prepared. A thorough review guarantees a robust test plan, minimizing risks and enhancing the effectiveness of test execution.

Identifying the accurate testing scope of a project is the important first step in laying out quality driven delivery approach. This can be achieved by: - Conduct an in-depth analysis of requirements to gain insights into functionalities and objectives, thus consolidate the functional and non-functional requirements that must undergo thorough testing. - Determine the specific goals of the project and identify suitable test levels and types to align with it. - Analyse dependencies on external systems and services to ensure the right level of test coverage to validate them. - Identify data-driven requirements, regulatory standards, industry-specific criteria, and high-risk areas within the application, to plan focused testing activities.

Ensure test objectives align with project goals and quality criteria. Validate expectations with key stakeholders and make objectives quantifiable and verifiable. Establish traceability and define measurement and reporting processes. Confirm stakeholder agreement and document objectives. Refine objectives iteratively to align with evolving project goals.

A well-defined test strategy established by collaborating with the broader project team detailing the scope of various test phases, objectives, approaches and quality gate criteria is an important step to start off. The testing strategy should evolve continuously throughout the project's lifecycle, based on the reviews of the test process to identify areas for continuous improvement. However, it's common for the information required for strategising all test phases to be incomplete at the project's outset, for example, the non-functional test phases. This outlines the significance of regular review of the strategy and communicates revised approaches to all parties to ensure effective testing cycles.

Test cases should be comprehensive, practical, and effective. Here's how to prepare them: - Link each test case to specific requirements for traceability. - Use test design techniques to identify critical scenarios. - Write test cases in a clear, concise manner. - Maintain a consistent format and structure for all test cases. - Define necessary test data and include both positive and negative test cases. - State any dependencies or preconditions required. - Conduct peer reviews and implement a consistent naming convention. - Keep test cases up-to-date and assess test coverage regularly. - Identify and document regression test cases, and assign priority and severity levels. - Provide a clear description of expected results.

Further to the identification of the accurate set of tests that covers all the acceptance criteria or definitions of Done, linking test cases to requirements and defects is a key best practice I have followed in all the projects and programmes I have delivered so far. This approach enhances requirement/defect traceability, visibility, collaboration, and overall efficiency in the test execution process. It also contributes to better communication among team members and facilitates the management of changes throughout the software development life cycle. The accurate linking of test cases to requirements and defects enables effective audit trials for regulatory compliance with the testing processes and procedures

when you prepare the test cases it is not possible to cover all the possibilities because you can not deliver a bug-zero system to the end users, but can reduce the rising bugs by considering the mass area of test cases. so you can have some confidence in the system by covering as many as test cases possible. So you have to engage with starting the requirement analysis part to do better testing and it is easy to make test cases and cover the scope. Clear, complete, correct, and organized test documentation is necessary to provide a brilliant output to not only users but also within the company to improve your work.

The test plan documentation with the below key elements called out and periodically reviewed will enhance the efficiency of test delivery of a project or programme. 1. A specific phase for Static Testing, along with definitions of the static testing approach for assessing requirements, and design. 2. Outline the test tools and frameworks intended for use in the project, calling out any dependencies on external teams. 3. Define the test data requirements and establish an approach for securing the appropriate test data for various test phases. 4. Detailed test environmental requirements for different test types or phases. Call out the internal and external system integrations that must be operational to achieve the tests.

It is critical to review and validate test plan before execution: Check Requirements Coverage: Ensure all project requirements are included. Evaluate Test Strategy: Confirm chosen testing techniques are still suitable. Resources: Verify availability of People, tools, & environments. Risk Assessment: Identify high-risk areas & plan for mitigation. Timeline Alignment: Ensure testing schedule matches the project timeline. Stakeholder Review: Gather feedback from all involved parties. Approval and Sign-off: Get formal approval from stakeholders. Example: For a web application, ensure the plan covers all features, uses appropriate testing types (functional, usability, performance, security) aligns with resources and timelines.