Azure Test Plans: Comprehensive Guide

Azure Test Plans is an integrated suite of manual and exploratory testing tools for your software projects. It enables you to create test plans, write test cases, execute tests, and track your results directly within Azure DevOps. This guide provides an overview of its core features and how to get started.

Key Features

• Test Plan Management: Organize your testing efforts into logical test plans and suites.
• Test Case Authoring: Create detailed test cases with steps, expected results, and associated data.
• Manual Testing: Execute test cases manually, track progress, and log defects or bugs encountered.
• Exploratory Testing: Empower your testers to explore the application freely and capture findings with rich diagnostic data.
• Stakeholder Feedback: Gather feedback from stakeholders on features and releases.
• Reporting and Analytics: Gain insights into test progress, defect trends, and overall quality metrics.

Getting Started with Azure Test Plans

1. Accessing Test Plans

To use Azure Test Plans, you need to be part of an Azure DevOps organization. Navigate to your project, and then select Test Plans from the left-hand navigation pane.

2. Creating a Test Plan

Click on the New Test Plan button. You'll be prompted to enter a name for your test plan and optionally select a point in the release lifecycle it belongs to.

3. Organizing Tests into Suites

Within a test plan, you can create different types of suites to organize your test cases:

• Requirement-based suites: Link directly to work items like User Stories or Features.
• Feature-based suites: Group tests under specific features.
• Product backlog item suites: Group tests for specific product backlog items.
• Static suites: Manually organize test cases.

4. Authoring Test Cases

Create new test cases within your chosen suite. Each test case should include:

• A clear title.
• Step-by-step instructions for execution.
• Expected results for each step.
• Optional attachments like screenshots or documentation.

You can use the rich text editor to format your steps and results. For example:

Step 1: Navigate to the login page.
Expected: The login form with username and password fields is displayed.

Step 2: Enter valid credentials.
Expected: User is successfully logged in and redirected to the dashboard.
    

5. Running Tests

Select the test cases you want to execute and click the Run button. The test runner will open, allowing you to record your progress, capture screenshots, and log any issues found.

When an issue is found, you can click the Add bug button to log a new defect directly, pre-populated with test execution details.

6. Exploratory Testing Sessions

For more flexible testing, start an Exploratory session. This allows testers to freely navigate the application, taking screenshots and notes as they go. The system automatically captures a rich set of diagnostic data, making it easier to debug issues found during exploration.

7. Viewing Test Results

Azure Test Plans provides several ways to view your test results:

• Test Results tab: See a list of completed test runs and their outcomes.
• Dashboards: Configure widgets on your Azure DevOps project dashboard to visualize test progress, pass/fail rates, and defect trends.

Best Practices

• Keep test cases concise and focused on a single objective.
• Use clear and unambiguous language in test steps and expected results.
• Leverage tags and area/iteration paths for better organization and reporting.
• Regularly review and update test cases as the application evolves.

Azure Test Plans is a powerful tool for teams of all sizes looking to improve their software quality through systematic testing. Explore its features and integrate it into your Azure DevOps workflow for more efficient and effective testing.