Test Strategy

 The problem is not that testing is the bottleneck. The problem is that you don’t know what’s in the bottle. That’s a problem that testing addresses  — Michael Bolton, author, “Rapid Software Testing”

The purpose of the test strategy is to define the overall approach that will be taken by the Testing Team when delivering testing services within the business. The document helps to clarify the testing activities, roles, and responsibilities, processes and practice to be used across successive projects.

Just like developers follow the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) likewise testers also follow the Software Testing Life Cycle which is called STLC. It is the sequence of activities carried out by the testing team from the beginning of the project till the end of the project. A good software tester is expected to have good knowledge of the STLC life cycle and its activities.

https://learnqualitytesting.blogspot.com/2021/07/software-testing-life-cycle-stlc.html

Is it needed to be documented?

Yes, a test strategy is always documented as it is living proof of how the STLC is applied within the organization or a project. It is always best in interest to look out for a test strategy document before starting any project-related work.

What should the Test Strategy Document include?

Scope

The Test Strategy will cover the following:

• Identifying the successive types of testing to be undertaken throughout the lifecycle of development to live operations
• Details of the ongoing testing of service enhancement and change
• The scope of each type of testing
• Identifying how common expectations and testing standards are to be achieved for all types of testing
• The high level technical, resource, and environmental requirements required
• The key testing and quality assurance procedures that will be required.

Testing Overview

The test strategy will identify baselines - both testing and development deliverables, which will be tested at each stage of development, i.e. testing throughout the lifecycle.

Test Environment

This includes the setup or installation process of software and hardware which is required for testing the application. The integration of the third-party application is also carried out if required in the project. This section also contains all details of the team members allocated to each environment, software and hardware requirements for the environment(s), memory, OS, etc.

Tools and Techniques

The important section in the test strategy document mentions the tools which will be used for testing, tracking, and automating the test cases. Also, it can contain the brief architecture of the techniques that need to be carried out for testing.

This section usually outlines the test management and automation tools required for test execution. In order to carry out performance, load, and security testing, the organization needs to list all tools and approaches needed.

Test and Defect Analysis

This section depicts the analysis of the test cases and defects. It also includes high-level details of how to track and close the test cases and defects. For defects, we have a separate life cycle called the 'Defect life cycle' here.

Review and Approval

Once the test strategy is ready it should be properly signed-off from the project management, stakeholders, business analysts. This is a dynamic document hence needs to be updated and approved from a time to time basis.

Test strategy plays an important role in the QA activities as it shapes the STLC (Software testing life cycle). Every tester should look out and understand the document before starting with the test planning. The document should be updated on a regular basis as the requirements and objectives keep on changing.