Test Strategy
A test strategy is the shared set of decisions that directs how a team tests software. It connects product risks and delivery goals to the test work, evidence, and release decisions that matter.
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Intro
Test Strategy
A test strategy decides how a team will obtain useful evidence about product quality. It is not a catalog of every test case. It is the set of choices that makes test work fit the product, its risks, and the way it is delivered.
The central question is not “How much testing can we do?” It is “What evidence does this release need before people can accept its remaining risk?” A payment change, a data migration, and a copy edit do not deserve the same test effort. A strategy makes that difference explicit before the deadline does it for you.
Strategy, plan, and execution
Keep three layers separate.
- A test strategy sets the enduring approach. It explains how the organization or product family chooses scope, risk, test levels, test types, techniques, environments, evidence, and ownership.
- A test plan applies that approach to a release, project, or iteration. It records objectives, resources, schedule, constraints, risks, entry criteria, exit criteria, and communications.
- Test execution produces evidence: results, defects, coverage information, observations, and a statement of residual risk.
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Sources
- https://istqb.org/certifications/certified-tester-foundation-level-ctfl-v4-0/
Supports
- CTFL curriculum covers testing concepts, test levels and types, test analysis and design, test planning, risk management, reporting, and tools
- CTFL applies across Waterfall, Agile, DevOps, and Continuous Delivery approaches
- https://istqb.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/ISTQB_CTFL_Syllabus_v4.0.1.pdf
Supports
- Test planning defines objectives and selects an approach within context constraints
- Test-plan content includes risks, approach, levels, types, techniques, criteria, metrics, data, environments, budget, and schedule
- Risk level uses likelihood and impact; product risk analysis influences scope, levels, types, techniques, coverage, effort, and prioritization
- Risk-based testing selects, prioritizes, and manages activities using risk analysis and risk control
- Entry criteria are preconditions; exit criteria define completion conditions
- Test work products include plans, risk registers, criteria, results, and reports
- Testing activities can be iterative or parallel and must be tailored to the system and project
- https://committee.iso.org/sites/jtc1sc7/home/projects/flagship-standards/isoiecieee-29119-series.html
Supports
- The ISO/IEC/IEEE 29119 series defines internationally agreed software testing standards
- The series covers organizational, management, and dynamic test processes, documentation, and test techniques
- https://standards.ieee.org/ieee/C2/10779/
Supports
- IEEE/ISO/IEC 29119-1 specifies general testing concepts
- IEEE/ISO/IEC 29119-2 specifies processes for governing, managing, and implementing testing
- IEEE/ISO/IEC 29119-3 covers test documentation and IEEE/ISO/IEC 29119-4 covers test techniques
- https://github.com/TheJambo/awesome-testing
Supports
- Curated collection of testing software, extensions, and resources for the ecosystem links tab