Why this matters
Before any release, someone has to answer: what will we test, how, and are we ready? Adverts for testing roles ask for test plans and test reporting, and regression testing is a core part of every tester's routine. This is also where you show the judgement that makes teams trust you.
Test plans
A test plan is a short document that sets out the testing for a release or project. It does not need to be long. A useful one answers:
- Scope: which features are in and which are out.
- Approach: what kinds of testing you will do, such as test cases, exploratory sessions, API checks and accessibility checks.
- Environments and devices: which browsers, phones, Android versions and test servers.
- Test data: what accounts and data you need.
- Risks: what could go wrong with the testing itself, such as a late build or no access to a payment test account.
- Entry and exit criteria: when testing can start, and what "ready to release" means, for example no open critical bugs.
- Schedule and people: who tests what and by when.
A one page plan that the team reads beats a long one nobody opens.
Regression testing
Every change can break something that used to work. A developer fixing the sign in screen might accidentally break password reset. means rechecking existing features after changes. Teams keep a : a set of test cases covering the most important flows, rerun before each release.