Topic: Formal Test Plan

A formal test plan is a document that provides and records important information about a test project, for example:

• project and quality assumptions
• project background information
• resources
• schedule & timeline
• entry and exit criteria
• test milestones
• tests to be performed
• use cases and/or test cases

For a range of reasons -- both good and bad -- many software and web development projects don't budget enough time for complete and comprehensive testing. A quality test team must be able to test a product or system quickly and constructively in order to provide some value to the project. This essay describes how to test a web site or application in the absence of a detailed test plan and facing short or unreasonable deadlines.