A test with no notes
A tester finds a bug on Monday. A programmer fixes it on Tuesday. On Wednesday nobody remembers what the tester did, with which data, or what the right answer was.
A test plan is the answer. It is a table that says what to test, how, and what should happen.
Key words
| Word | What it means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Test plan | A table of the tests: what to do and what should happen. | One row for each test |
| Purpose | What the test is for. | Check a 16 year old is accepted |
| Pre-requisite | What must be true before the test can start. | The user is logged in |
| Expected result | What should happen if the software is right. | The form accepts the age |
| Actual result | What really happened when we ran the test. | The form refused the age |
| Re-test | Run a failed test again after the fix. | Run test 3 again |
| Regression testing | Run the old tests again after a change, to check the change broke nothing else. | Run all 12 tests again |
| Test data | The values we use in a test. | 16 |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
The columns of a test plan
| Column | What you write | When you fill it in |
|---|---|---|
| Test number | A number so you can find the test | Before |
| Purpose | What the test checks | Before |
| Pre-requisite | What must be true first | Before |
| Test data | The values you will use | Before |
| Expected result | What should happen | Before |
| Actual result | What did happen | After you run it |
| Pass or fail | Do expected and actual match? | After you run it |
| Changes made | What you fixed | After a fail |
| Re-test result | Pass or fail after the fix, plus the old tests | After the fix |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
Worked example: a filled-in plan
| No | Purpose | Pre-requisite | Test data | Expected | Actual | Result | Change made | Re-test |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A normal age is accepted | Form is open | 17 | Accepted | Accepted | Pass | None | Pass |
| 2 | Lowest valid age is accepted | Form is open | 16 | Accepted | Refused | Fail | Changed age > 16 (bigger than 16) to age >= 16 (16 or more) | Pass |
| 3 | Just below the range is refused | Form is open | 15 | Refused | Refused | Pass | None | Pass |
| 4 | Text is refused | Form is open | abc | Error message | Error message | Pass | None | Pass |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
Look at row 2
data-callouts.note.label
Test 2 failed. The programmer made a change. Then the tester ran test 2 again, and also tests 1, 3 and 4. That second part is regression testing.
Quick check: the plan
Have a go
Quick check: the plan
4 questionsHave a go: your answers are marked here and then forgotten. Sign in if you would like your score kept, and to pick up where you left off.Sign in to keep your score
Your answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.