Hello, everyone!
I've been working as a manual tester for over 3 years now, and I've encountered various challenges along the way. One of the most critical aspects that I feel often gets overlooked is developing a robust test plan. While Automated Testing gets much attention, especially in discussions about CI/CD pipelines, I believe that manual testing still plays an essential role in software development, especially for testing usability, exploring edge cases, and ensuring the quality of the final product.
I wanted to create a forum topic that delves into the intricate world of Manual Testing. Specifically, how do you go about creating a comprehensive test plan?
Here are some questions I have in mind:
Scope Definition: How do you define the scope of your manual testing? Do you strictly adhere to specifications and requirements, or do you also explore the application beyond that?
Test Case Design: What methodologies do you use for designing your test cases? Do you follow traditional methods like boundary value analysis, equivalence partitioning, etc., or do you also include exploratory testing techniques?
Test Environment: How do you set up your test environment? Are there any particular tools that you find helpful in manual testing for configuring the environment or managing test data?
Reporting: What strategies do you follow for bug tracking and reporting? How detailed are your bug reports, and what elements do you think are essential to include?
Collaboration: How do you collaborate with developers and other stakeholders during the testing phase? Do you have any tips for effective communication to ensure that bugs are understood and fixed promptly?
Test Plan Review: How often do you update your test plan, and what triggers an update? Is it an iterative process for you?
Time Management: Manual Testing can be time-consuming. How do you manage your time effectively to ensure you cover all the necessary test cases?
I think these points can be a good starting point for a comprehensive discussion on how to optimize the manual testing process and create a well-rounded test plan.
Looking forward to hearing from you all!