How To Create Test Strategy Document [Sample Test Strategy Document]

Test Strategy is a high level document (static document) and usually developed by project manager. It is a document which captures the approach on how we go about testing the product and achieve the goals. It is normally derived from the Business Requirement Specification (BRS). Documents like Test Plan are prepared by keeping this document as base.

Even though testing differs between organizations. Almost all the software development organizations follow Test Strategy document to achieve the goals and to follow the best practice.

Usually test team starts writing the detailed Test Plan and continue further phases of testing once the test strategy is ready. In Agile world, some of the companies are not spending time on test plan preparation due to the minimal time for each release but they maintain test strategy document. Maintaining this document for the entire project leads to mitigate the unforeseen risks.

This is one of the important documents in test deliverables. Like other test deliverables, test team shares this with the stakeholders for better understanding about the scope of the project, test approaches and other important aspects.

The Complete Guide To Writing Test Strategy

If you are a beginner, you may not get an opportunity to create a test strategy document but it’s good to know how to create test strategy document. It will be helpful when you are handling a QA Team. Once you become a Project Lead or Project manager you have to develop test strategy document. Creating an effective test strategy document is a skill which you must acquire. By writing a test strategy plan you can define the testing approach of your project. Test strategy document should be circulated to all the team members so that every team member will be consistent with the testing approach. Remember there is no rule to maintain all these sections in your Test Strategy document. It varies from company to company. This list gives a fair idea on how to write a good Test Strategy.

Following are the sections of test strategy document:

1. Scope and overview
2. Test Approach
3. Testing tools
4. Industry standards to follow
5. Test deliverables
6. Testing metrics
7. Requirement Traceability Matrix
8. Risk and mitigation
9. Reporting tool
10. Test summary

We have seen what is test strategy document and what it contains. Let’s discuss each section of Test Strategy in STLC briefly.

#1. Scope and overview

In this section, we will mention the scope of testing activities (what to test and why to test) and mention an overview of the AUT.

Example: Creating a new Application (Say Google Mail) which offers email services. Test the functionality of emails and make sure it gives value to the customer.

#2. Test Approach

In this section, we usually define the following

• Test levels
• Test types
• Roles and responsibilities
• Environment requirements

#3. Test Levels

This section lists out the levels of testing that will be performed during QA Testing. Levels of testing such as unit testing, integration testing, system testing and user acceptance testing. Testers are responsible for integration testing, system testing and user acceptance testing.

#4. Test Types

This section lists out the testing types that will be performed during QA Testing.

#5. Roles and responsibilities

This section describes the roles and responsibilities of Project Manager, Project Lead, individual testers.

#6. Environment requirements

This section lists out the hardware and software for the test environment in order to commence the testing activities.

#7. Testing tools

This section will describe the testing tools necessary to conduct the tests

Example: Name of Test Management Tool, Name of Bug Tracking Tool, Name of Automation Tool

#8. Industry standards to follow

This section describes the industry standard to produce high quality system that meets or exceeds customer expectations. Usually, project manager decides the testing models and procedures which need to follow to achieve the goals of the project.

#9. Test deliverables

This section lists out the deliverables that need to produce before, during and at the end of testing.

Read more on Test Deliverables here..

#10. Testing metrics

This section describes the metrics that should be used in the project to analyze the project status.

Read more on Test Metrics here..

#11. Requirement Traceability Matrix

Requirement traceability matrix is used to trace the requirements to the tests that are needed to verify whether the requirements are fulfilled.

Read more on RTM here

#12. Risk and mitigation

Identify all the testing risks that will affect the testing process and specify a plan to mitigate the risk.

#13. Reporting tool

This section outlines how defects and issues will be tracked using a reporting tool.

Must read: Popular defect tracking tools

#14. Test Summary

This section lists out what kind of test summary reports will be produced along with the frequency. Test summary reports will be generated on a daily, weekly or monthly basis depends on how critical the project is.

Download Sample Test Strategy Document

Click the below download button to download the sample Test Strategy Document.

Conclusion

Test strategy document gives a clear vision of what the test team will do for the whole project. It is a static document means it wont change throughout the project life cycle. The one who prepares this document, must have good experience in the product domain, as this is the document that is going to drive the entire team and it won’t change throughout the project life cycle (it is a static document). Test strategy document should be circulated to entire testing team before the testing activities begin. Writing a good test strategy improves the complete testing process and leads to produce a high-quality system.

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Read more:

• Test Plan Template with Detailed Explanation
• Test Deliverables
• How To Write A Good Bug Report