Test Strategy vs Test Plan

In any large-scale project, testing is a vital part of the process. The thorough and accurate conducting of testing ensures that the project is up to standards and has no serious flaws. Before any testing is done, there are two documents that need to be made and followed, the test strategy and the test plan. The main difference between the two is their scope. A test strategy covers the objectives that need to be achieved and the approach to be used. This is often a company or project-wide document. In comparison, a test plan is a more localized document that deals with a specific part or component of the project and follows the guidelines stated in the test strategy.

In some smaller projects, the test strategy is often found as a section of the test plan mainly because there is only one test plan, and it doesn’t seem practical to separate the test strategy. But in large projects with many projects with many components, there is one test strategy and a handful of test plans; usually one for each major component. A test plan is commonly done by the testing manager or testing lead. This is a mid-level position that requires a person who is intimately knowledgeable of the part he is working with. On the other hand, the test strategy is usually done by the project manager or someone higher since it requires a person who has a comprehensive view of the project.

Because the test strategy would cover a whole range of components that can be very different from each other, it only covers general views on how to approach the testing process. The specifics, like who does the actual testing and how the steps are to be conducted, are left to the test plan. Another major difference between the test plan and test strategy is how they exist over a period of time. The test strategy is a static document that stays the same from the beginning until the end. In comparison, the test plan is often changed to accommodate unforeseen circumstances that may happen as the project progresses.

Summary:

1.A test strategy is more comprehensive compared to a test plan.
2.A test strategy is done by the project manager while a test plan is done by a testing manager or lead.
3.Test strategy talks about the general approach while a test plan talks about the specifics.
4.Test strategy remains static while test plan can change.

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