3. Test Items
There are three key sections for defining the SCOPE of a Test Plan: 3. Test Items, 4. Features to be Tested, and 5. Features not to be Tested.
Within "3. Test Items" there are three suggested sections:
3.1 Items To Be Tested
In this subsection you specify in outline the items, which will be systems and subsystems, that are to be tested along with their version numbers. As an an example for a Library Management System this could be:
The following parts of the Library Information System will be tested:
| Items to be Tested | Version Number |
|---|---|
| The borrowers sub-system | version 3.1 |
| The circulation sub-system | version 3.0 |
| The catalogue sub-system | version 4.0 |
3.2 Items Not To Be Tested
The second section is to define what systems and subsystems will not be tested. An example for a Library Management System would be:
The following part of the Library Information System will not be tested:
| Items Not to be Tested |
|---|
| The reports sub-system |
| The OPAC |
3.3 Related Project Documentation
This lists project documentation which relates to systems to be tested. These documents are those which enable tests to be designed and run. Examples are:
The following documentation is related to the items being tested:
- Requirements Specification
- Design Documents
- Users Guide
Other Articles on SCOPE
SCOPE is one of the five aspects of a test plan. Other articles on it are:
- 4. Features to be Tested gives guidance on what features are in relation to test items.
- 5. Features not to be Tested gives guidance on what features are in relation to test items that will not be tested.
- Basics of Project Plans gives further information on item 2:"Long or Unrealistic Timescales" and item 4:"Scope Creep" as two of the five key characteristics of a project plan and the importance of balancing them.
- Verification and Validation has further information on item 6:"Poor Testing" by explaining what the terms Verification and Validation mean.