Difference between Test Planning and Test Strategy
This is a most frequently asked question across testing practices. There is a very fine line of difference between Test Planning and Test Strategy. We can say that a test strategy is a sub set of test planning. While test planning is a broader term, test strategy on the other hand is a very low level descriptive guidance to carry out a specific task. Test plan covers a holistic approach to testing while test strategy covers protocols for particular testing component.
What is Test Planning ?
Test Plan is a road map to testing. A test plan defines the blue print or approach to testing. Following questions are answered in a test plan:
How the testing will be carried out
What will be the approach
How we will proceed with testing
Testing strategy
Features to be tested
Features not to be tested
Hardware requirement
Software requirement
Man power requirement
Manual OR automation will be implemented
Build schedule (when the build will be given for testing)
Test schedule (when the testing will be completed for the given build)
When the retesting will be performed
What will be the regression plan
What features will be tested in regression (regression suite) and so on
Scope of testing is defined in test planning
Types of testing like API, compatibility, UI, functional, non functional
Test deliverables
Test artifacts
Test environments
Risk involved
Risk mitigation
Entry criteria
Exit criteria
Responsibilities (roles and responsibilities of each member)
Staffing and training need.
What is Test Strategy ?
Test strategy is a set of guidelines or guiding principle to carry out a particular testing task. It is a subset of test plan. It features preconditions before arrying out a particulat teting task. For e.g. what would be the strategy when a build come for testing? We might say we’ll be requiring a release note mentioning the features and bug ids addressed in the build along with other details. Then we must carry out a smoke test on the build to accept it for more rigorous testing. The 70% pass percentage of smoke test would be the acceptance criteria for the build. Once the build is accepted, the test case execution will begin and the bugs identified will be logged in respective project management tool. All these low level guidelines documented is a test strategy document.
While test planning go hand in hand during project planning phase and initiation of project, test strategy on the other hand keep evolving during the project development process and may change on a conditional basis as per the progress of the project. Test strategy is more of a conditional execution of testing task — “if this then that.” Test strategy document contains protocols and instructions which determine the execution of a testing task. There are numerous things that can be strategized in a software test plan. Strategizing automation plan, strategizing stress and load testing plan, Strategizing nonfunctional testing, Strategizing functional testing, and so on…
For further reading visit:
https://techno-geeks.co.in/test_planning_and_test_strategy.html