How to Write a Manual Test Plan

Manual testing can reveal bugs in the specification.

While there are numerous automated testing tools for software applications, manual testing will always be required as well. Test plans include a collection of test cases and test scripts. Manual test plans can sometimes uncover software defects, called bugs, in the specification itself, whereas automated tests only verify that the software meets the specified requirements. Manual test plans can uncover system behaviors that can only be interpreted by a human, and can often be used in conjunction with automation in regression, user acceptance, unit, integration and functional testing.

Instructions

1. Determine the timetable you have to test your system. This can be difficult to predict depending on your development methodology and how many new features are being introduced to your software. If your available time is abnormally short, you may have to forgo some types of tests in order to send your software to the release engineering team.

2. Document your test cases in an electronic file format of your choosing. Some organizations use specialized testing software to document their cases, while others use simple word processing or spreadsheet programs.

3. Design your test cases from the software specification. Include fields for a unique identifier, the name of the unit to be tested, assumptions, variables or input data, the step by step instructions the tester must take, the expected and actual results, the pass or fail result, and notes or comments.

4. Determine the appropriate variables to test in each case. It is impossible to test every possible combination of values for every field, but testing boundary values usually gives adequate test coverage. Boundary values are the minimum and maximum values of each field, including minimums and maximums for numeric fields, and text character counts for text fields. Don't forget to include negative values when testing numeric fields.

5. Write test cases for every case in the specification, staying as consistent as possible. Once you have finished writing cases, have a team of business analysts and developers review your cases for clarity and coverage.

6. Combine your test cases into a test suite by storing them in a repository. Determine a schedule for test engineers to complete each test, incorporating time for the engineer to complete the steps, analyze the system responses, and enter bugs.

Tips & Warnings

• Begin writing test plans as early in the software development life cycle as possible.

• Requirements change over time, so make sure to incorporate these changes into your test plan as they are made.

References

• Software Testing Help: How to Write Effective Test Cases, Procedures and Definitions
• Robdavispe: How do you Write Test Cases?