Task: Establish The Assignment (MTP)

Method of operation

Formulating the assignment is one of the vital parts in a test process. When establishing the assignment formulation in the master test plan, arrangements concerning the overall test process with the stakeholders (including the client) are made explicit. Expectations are mutually aligned. The assignment formulation in the master test plan constitutes the overall assignment for all underlying test levels. The assignment formulation of each test level must be in line with it.

An assignment formulation for a master test plan consists of the following components:

Client
Supplier
Assignment
Scope
Preconditions and assumptions

These components are explained in greater detail below:

Client - The party giving the assignment to create the master test plan and execute the tests. It is important for the test project to acknowledge the person issuing the assignment to execute the various tests. This can be the project manager, often employed by or appointed on behalf of the user organisation.

Supplier - The party responsible for creating the master test plan and/or the execution of the test assignment. This person is generally called the test manager or overall test coordinator.

Assignment - The test manager supports the client in the formulation of a concise assignment. It must describe the purpose of the test process and a clear delimitation of the assignment. The client is emphatically responsible for the assignment formulation.

In addition to the primary assignment, the master test plan sometimes also contains a secondary assignment, e.g. improving the test processes of the relevant test levels. A point of concern is that the test manager must include any additional time and resources in the planning and estimated effort.

Scope - This must describe the boundaries of the scope of testing. This specifically involves the scope of the test activities to be executed. It must include the following aspects (if applicable):

system(s)
conversions
Administrative Organisation (AO) procedures
Interfaces with surrounding systems (is the interface tested up to the other system or including the other system or even including the entire chain?).

Furthermore it is important to describe which aspects are outside the scope of testing. In addition to these aspects, you should also think of:

system changes not included in the project (e.g. hardware changes in the mainframe platform)
test activities that are executed by other parties
reorganisations
possible future projects with an impact on this project (in particular if other projects are not yet clear).

Preconditions - Preconditions are understood to mean conditions imposed on the test process by third parties, such as the client, the project or the users, within which the test process must operate.

Assumptions - These are external conditions or events that must occur to ensure the test process’ success, but that cannot be controlled by the test process. In other words, these are the requirements of the test process vis-à-vis others.

Products

The assignment formulation as laid down in the master test plan.