1. Purpose: purpose of document and short summary of the main sections
2. Project overview: Brief description of the project and software to be tested
3. Intended audience: Who are they and what is their role in the testing process

• May also include methods to be used, brief description of out-of-scope items, and related documents such as Requirements

1. Test objectives: What will you test and why, what is in and out of scope. Common test types: Module, Integration, Acceptance, Beta

2. Test assumptions: Conditions that must be true in order to successfully test

   • Realistic data is available
   • Skills and knowledge of testing resources are adequate

3. Test principles:

   • Test processes will be well defined but flexible
   • Test environment and data will match production
   • Testing will be divided in phases that build sequentially

4. Data approach: Describe the data that will be loaded or not loaded for tests

5. Scope and levels of testing: UAT

   • Validates business logic
   • Performed by end users
   • Test team will write tests based on input from business analyst and end users
   • Testing will be performed after all other testing is complete

6. Estimated effort and resources: List all activities to be performed by the QA team, along with estimated effort hours

1. Entry and exit criteria:

   • Example Entry: All test data is loaded into the environment
   • Example Exit: Pass rate of 95% of test scripts

2. Test cycles: How many cycle will be executed along with the objective for each.

   • Example: Functional testing will occur in two cycles
   • The first cycle identifies critical defects
   • The second cycle identifies medium and low defects and validates corrections for first cycle defects

3. Defect management:

   • Identify how defects are identified and labeled: critical, high, medium)
   • tracking tools (JIRA, etc.)
   • What needs to be documented when opening a defect
   • Roles and responsibilities

4. Metrics: Outline metrics to be reported and frequency

   • Weekly: % complete, % pass, % fail
   • Weekly: Status report
   • Daily: Critical defects

5. Defect tracking and reporting: Define the process/flow for tracking and reporting defects

1. Test management tool: Provide details about tools used to manage tests

   • Location
   • Permissions required
   • Reports

2. Test design process

3. Test execution process

   • Tester executes each step in the test case
   • Mark status as Pass or Fail
   • Raise defects as needed
   • Participate in Triage meetings to help route defects as appropriate

4. Test risks and mitigation factors: Call out risks and mitigation plans

   • Resources (people and money)
   • Schedule
   • Scope
   • Defects

5. Communications plan: How will communication happen and who will be involved

   • Meetings
   • Emails
   • Status reports
   • In-tool communications

6. Roles: Identify roles on the project, with name and contact information

   • Project manager
   • QA lead
   • QA team
   • Business analyst
   • Development lead
   • Development team
   • Stakeholders

1. Location of software to be tested
2. Permissions
3. Hardware and software required for testers
4. Contact information for support

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