The development testing assignment is given implicitly in most situations. With the issue of a development assignment, it is obvious that the development tests are expected to be carried out, but it is often unclear how this should be done. In order to coordinate expectations, there should be clarity as regards which result the project requires of the development tests. That is described in an assignment description, which should correspond with the assignment description as formulated in the master test plan.

The assignment description contains the following subjects:

• Client - The client issues the instruction for the execution of the development test. This is often the (overall) project leader or someone else with final responsibility.
• Contractor - The contractor coordinates the development tests. This may be the development project leader or a developer in the role of test coordinator or application integrator.
• Scope - The scope describes the limits of the development tests. If work is carried out in accordance with the principle of basic quality and selected quality, then the parts of the system are mentioned here, for which demonstration of the basic quality does not offer adequate certainty.
• Preconditions and assumptions - Preconditions describe the conditions laid down by third parties in respect of the development tests. Examples of preconditions are:
  • Requirements set from within the subsequent test levels (often formulated in entry criteria)
  • Minimum delivery of basic quality as a requirement of the development department
  • Compatibility with the development approach used, e.g. test driven development or pair programming.
• The assumptions describe the requirements set by the development testing on the others.
• Assignment - Finally, all the agreements between the developer and client are documented in an assignment, e.g. in the development plan. If there are no explicit requirements in the master test plan of a project in respect of development testing, this assignment formulation should also serve to obtain confirmation of the absence of these requirements.