Writing Test Plans

A test plan is a formal document describing the scope, approach, resources, and schedule for testing a specific feature or release, keeping everyone aligned on what will (and won't) be tested.

Key Sections of a Test Plan

While templates vary between organisations, most test plans cover a similar set of core questions.

• Scope — what features or areas are being tested, and explicitly, what's out of scope.
• Objectives — what the testing effort is trying to confirm or discover.
• Test approach — which testing types and levels will be used.
• Resources and schedule — who will test, using what tools, and by when.
• Entry/exit criteria — conditions that must be met to start testing, and conditions that define "done".

Why Test Plans Matter

A written test plan forces explicit decisions about scope and priorities before testing begins, preventing wasted effort on low-priority areas and making it clear to stakeholders exactly what level of confidence a release has been tested to.

Common Mistakes

• Leaving scope vague, leading to disagreements later about whether a feature was "supposed to be tested".
• Skipping exit criteria, making it unclear when testing is actually considered complete for a release.
• Writing an overly long, bureaucratic test plan for a small project where a lighter, more agile approach would serve better.
• Never revisiting or updating the test plan as a project's scope changes.