QA Test Planner

A comprehensive skill for QA engineers to create test plans, generate manual test cases, build regression test suites, validate designs against Figma, and document bugs effectively.

Activation: This skill is triggered only when explicitly called by name (e.g., /qa-test-planner, qa-test-planner, or use the skill qa-test-planner).

Quick Start

Create a test plan:

"Create a test plan for the user authentication feature"

Generate test cases:

"Generate manual test cases for the checkout flow"

Build regression suite:

"Build a regression test suite for the payment module"

Validate against Figma:

"Compare the login page against the Figma design at [URL]"

Create bug report:

"Create a bug report for the form validation issue"

Quick Reference

Task	What You Get	Time
Test Plan	Strategy, scope, schedule, risks	10-15 min
Test Cases	Step-by-step instructions, expected results	5-10 min each
Regression Suite	Smoke tests, critical paths, execution order	15-20 min
Figma Validation	Design-implementation comparison, discrepancy list	10-15 min
Bug Report	Reproducible steps, environment, evidence	5 min

How It Works

Your Request
    │
    ▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ 1. ANALYZE                                          │
│    • Parse feature/requirement                      │
│    • Identify test types needed                     │
│    • Determine scope and priorities                 │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ 2. GENERATE                                         │
│    • Create structured deliverables                 │
│    • Apply templates and best practices             │
│    • Include edge cases and variations              │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ 3. VALIDATE                                         │
│    • Check completeness                             │
│    • Verify traceability                            │
│    • Ensure actionable steps                        │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
    │
    ▼
QA Deliverable Ready

Commands

Interactive Scripts

Script	Purpose	Usage
`./scripts/generate_test_cases.sh`	Create test cases interactively	Step-by-step prompts
`./scripts/create_bug_report.sh`	Generate bug reports	Guided input collection

Natural Language

Request	Output
"Create test plan for {feature}"	Complete test plan document
"Generate {N} test cases for {feature}"	Numbered test cases with steps
"Build smoke test suite"	Critical path tests
"Compare with Figma at {URL}"	Visual validation checklist
"Document bug: {description}"	Structured bug report

Core Deliverables

1. Test Plans

Test scope and objectives
Testing approach and strategy
Environment requirements
Entry/exit criteria
Risk assessment
Timeline and milestones

2. Manual Test Cases

Step-by-step instructions
Expected vs actual results
Preconditions and setup
Test data requirements
Priority and severity

3. Regression Suites

Smoke tests (15-30 min)
Full regression (2-4 hours)
Targeted regression (30-60 min)
Execution order and dependencies

4. Figma Validation

Component-by-component comparison
Spacing and typography checks
Color and visual consistency
Interactive state validation

5. Bug Reports

Clear reproduction steps
Environment details
Evidence (screenshots, logs)
Severity and priority

Anti-Patterns

Avoid	Why	Instead
Vague test steps	Can't reproduce	Specific actions + expected results
Missing preconditions	Tests fail unexpectedly	Document all setup requirements
No test data	Tester blocked	Provide sample data or generation
Generic bug titles	Hard to track	Specific: "[Feature] issue when [action]"
Skip edge cases	Miss critical bugs	Include boundary values, nulls

Verification Checklist

Test Plan:

Scope clearly defined (in/out)
Entry/exit criteria specified
Risks identified with mitigations
Timeline realistic

Test Cases:

Each step has expected result
Preconditions documented
Test data available
Priority assigned

Bug Reports:

Reproducible steps
Environment documented
Screenshots/evidence attached
Severity/priority set

References

Test Case Templates - Standard formats for all test types
Bug Report Templates - Documentation templates
Regression Testing Guide - Suite building and execution
Figma Validation Guide - Design-implementation validation

Standard Test Case Format

## TC-001: [Test Case Title]

**Priority:** High | Medium | Low
**Type:** Functional | UI | Integration | Regression
**Status:** Not Run | Pass | Fail | Blocked

### Objective
[What are we testing and why]

### Preconditions
- [Setup requirement 1]
- [Setup requirement 2]
- [Test data needed]

### Test Steps
1. [Action to perform]
   **Expected:** [What should happen]

2. [Action to perform]
   **Expected:** [What should happen]

3. [Action to perform]
   **Expected:** [What should happen]

### Test Data
- Input: [Test data values]
- User: [Test account details]
- Configuration: [Environment settings]

### Post-conditions
- [System state after test]
- [Cleanup required]

### Notes
- [Edge cases to consider]
- [Related test cases]
- [Known issues]

Test Types

Type	Focus	Example
Functional	Business logic	Login with valid credentials
UI/Visual	Appearance, layout	Button matches Figma design
Integration	Component interaction	API returns data to frontend
Regression	Existing functionality	Previous features still work
Performance	Speed, load handling	Page loads under 3 seconds
Security	Vulnerabilities	SQL injection prevented

Test Plan Structure

# Test Plan: [Feature/Release Name]

## Executive Summary
- Feature/product being tested
- Testing objectives
- Key risks
- Timeline overview

## Test Scope

**In Scope:**
- Features to be tested
- Test types (functional, UI, performance)
- Platforms and environments
- User flows and scenarios

**Out of Scope:**
- Features not being tested
- Known limitations
- Third-party integrations (if applicable)

## Test Strategy

**Test Types:**
- Manual testing
- Exploratory testing
- Regression testing
- Integration testing
- User acceptance testing

**Test Approach:**
- Black box testing
- Positive and negative testing
- Boundary value analysis
- Equivalence partitioning

## Test Environment
- Operating systems
- Browsers and versions
- Devices (mobile, tablet, desktop)
- Test data requirements
- Backend/API environments

## Entry Criteria
- [ ] Requirements documented
- [ ] Designs finalized
- [ ] Test environment ready
- [ ] Test data prepared
- [ ] Build deployed

## Exit Criteria
- [ ] All high-priority test cases executed
- [ ] 90%+ test case pass rate
- [ ] All critical bugs fixed
- [ ] No open high-severity bugs
- [ ] Regression suite passed

## Risk Assessment

| Risk | Probability | Impact | Mitigation |
|------|-------------|--------|------------|
| [Risk 1] | H/M/L | H/M/L | [Mitigation] |

## Test Deliverables
- Test plan document
- Test cases
- Test execution reports
- Bug reports
- Test summary report

Bug Report Template

# BUG-[ID]: [Clear, specific title]

**Severity:** Critical | High | Medium | Low
**Priority:** P0 | P1 | P2 | P3
**Type:** Functional | UI | Performance | Security
**Status:** Open | In Progress | Fixed | Closed

## Environment
- **OS:** [Windows 11, macOS 14, etc.]
- **Browser:** [Chrome 120, Firefox 121, etc.]
- **Device:** [Desktop, iPhone 15, etc.]
- **Build:** [Version/commit]
- **URL:** [Page where bug occurs]

## Description
[Clear, concise description of the issue]

## Steps to Reproduce
1. [Specific step]
2. [Specific step]
3. [Specific step]

## Expected Behavior
[What should happen]

## Actual Behavior
[What actually happens]

## Visual Evidence
- Screenshot: [attached]
- Video: [link if applicable]
- Console errors: [paste errors]

## Impact
- **User Impact:** [How many users affected]
- **Frequency:** [Always, Sometimes, Rarely]
- **Workaround:** [If one exists]

## Additional Context
- Related to: [Feature/ticket]
- Regression: [Yes/No]
- Figma design: [Link if UI bug]

Severity Definitions

Level	Criteria	Examples
Critical (P0)	System crash, data loss, security	Payment fails, login broken
High (P1)	Major feature broken, no workaround	Search not working
Medium (P2)	Feature partial, workaround exists	Filter missing one option
Low (P3)	Cosmetic, rare edge cases	Typo, minor alignment

Design Validation Workflow

Prerequisites:

Figma MCP server configured
Access to Figma design files
Figma URLs for components/pages

Process:

Get Design Specs from Figma

"Get the button specifications from Figma file [URL]"

Response includes:
- Dimensions (width, height)
- Colors (background, text, border)
- Typography (font, size, weight)
- Spacing (padding, margin)
- Border radius
- States (default, hover, active, disabled)

Compare Implementation

TC: Primary Button Visual Validation
1. Inspect primary button in browser dev tools
2. Compare against Figma specs:
   - Dimensions: 120x40px
   - Border-radius: 8px
   - Background color: #0066FF
   - Font: 16px Medium #FFFFFF
3. Document discrepancies

Create Bug if Mismatch

BUG: Primary button color doesn't match design
Severity: Medium
Expected (Figma): #0066FF
Actual (Implementation): #0052CC
Screenshot: [attached]
Figma link: [specific component]

What to Validate

Element	What to Check	Tool
Colors	Hex values exact	Browser color picker
Spacing	Padding/margin px	DevTools computed styles
Typography	Font, size, weight	DevTools font panel
Layout	Width, height, position	DevTools box model
States	Hover, active, focus	Manual interaction
Responsive	Breakpoint behavior	DevTools device mode

Example Queries

"Get button specifications from Figma design [URL]"
"Compare navigation menu implementation against Figma design"
"Extract spacing values for dashboard layout from Figma"
"List all color tokens used in Figma design system"

Suite Structure

Suite Type	Duration	Frequency	Coverage
Smoke	15-30 min	Daily	Critical paths only
Targeted	30-60 min	Per change	Affected areas
Full	2-4 hours	Weekly/Release	Comprehensive
Sanity	10-15 min	After hotfix	Quick validation

Building a Regression Suite

Step 1: Identify Critical Paths

What can users NOT live without?
What generates revenue?
What handles sensitive data?
What's used most frequently?

Step 2: Prioritize Test Cases

Priority	Description	Must Run
P0	Business-critical, security	Always
P1	Major features, common flows	Weekly+
P2	Minor features, edge cases	Releases

Step 3: Execution Order

Smoke first - if fails, stop and fix build
P0 tests next - must pass before proceeding
P1 then P2 - track all failures
Exploratory - find unexpected issues

Pass/Fail Criteria

PASS:

All P0 tests pass
90%+ P1 tests pass
No critical bugs open

FAIL (Block Release):

Any P0 test fails
Critical bug discovered
Security vulnerability
Data loss scenario

CONDITIONAL:

P1 failures with workarounds
Known issues documented
Fix plan in place

Test Run Report Template

# Test Run: [Release Version]

**Date:** 2024-01-15
**Build:** v2.5.0-rc1
**Tester:** [Name]
**Environment:** Staging

## Summary
- Total Test Cases: 150
- Executed: 145
- Passed: 130
- Failed: 10
- Blocked: 5
- Not Run: 5
- Pass Rate: 90%

## Test Cases by Priority

| Priority | Total | Pass | Fail | Blocked |
|----------|-------|------|------|---------|
| P0 (Critical) | 25 | 23 | 2 | 0 |
| P1 (High) | 50 | 45 | 3 | 2 |
| P2 (Medium) | 50 | 45 | 3 | 2 |
| P3 (Low) | 25 | 17 | 2 | 1 |

## Critical Failures
- TC-045: Payment processing fails
  - Bug: BUG-234
  - Status: Open

## Blocked Tests
- TC-112: Dashboard widget (API endpoint down)

## Risks
- 2 critical bugs blocking release
- Payment integration needs attention

## Next Steps
- Retest after BUG-234 fix
- Complete remaining 5 test cases
- Run full regression before sign-off

Coverage Tracking

## Coverage Matrix

| Feature | Requirements | Test Cases | Status | Gaps |
|---------|--------------|------------|--------|------|
| Login | 8 | 12 | Complete | None |
| Checkout | 15 | 10 | Partial | Payment errors |
| Dashboard | 12 | 15 | Complete | None |

Phase 1: Planning

Phase 2: Test Design

Phase 3: Execution

Phase 4: Reporting

Test Case Writing

DO:

Be specific and unambiguous
Include expected results for each step
Test one thing per test case
Use consistent naming conventions
Keep test cases maintainable

DON'T:

Assume knowledge
Make test cases too long
Skip preconditions
Forget edge cases
Leave expected results vague

Bug Reporting

DO:

Provide clear reproduction steps
Include screenshots/videos
Specify exact environment details
Describe impact on users
Link to Figma for UI bugs

DON'T:

Report without reproduction steps
Use vague descriptions
Skip environment details
Forget to assign priority
Duplicate existing bugs

Regression Testing

DO:

Automate repetitive tests when possible
Maintain regression suite regularly
Prioritize critical paths
Run smoke tests frequently
Update suite after each release

DON'T:

Skip regression before releases
Let suite become outdated
Test everything every time
Ignore failed regression tests

Examples

## TC-LOGIN-001: Valid User Login

**Priority:** P0 (Critical)
**Type:** Functional
**Estimated Time:** 2 minutes

### Objective
Verify users can successfully login with valid credentials

### Preconditions
- User account exists (test@example.com / Test123!)
- User is not already logged in
- Browser cookies cleared

### Test Steps
1. Navigate to https://app.example.com/login
   **Expected:** Login page displays with email and password fields

2. Enter email: test@example.com
   **Expected:** Email field accepts input

3. Enter password: Test123!
   **Expected:** Password field shows masked characters

4. Click "Login" button
   **Expected:**
   - Loading indicator appears
   - User redirected to /dashboard
   - Welcome message shown: "Welcome back, Test User"
   - Avatar/profile image displayed in header

### Post-conditions
- User session created
- Auth token stored
- Analytics event logged

### Edge Cases to Consider
- TC-LOGIN-002: Invalid password
- TC-LOGIN-003: Non-existent email
- TC-LOGIN-004: SQL injection attempt
- TC-LOGIN-005: Very long password

## TC-UI-045: Mobile Navigation Menu

**Priority:** P1 (High)
**Type:** UI/Responsive
**Devices:** Mobile (iPhone, Android)

### Objective
Verify navigation menu works correctly on mobile devices

### Preconditions
- Access from mobile device or responsive mode
- Viewport width: 375px (iPhone SE) to 428px (iPhone Pro Max)

### Test Steps
1. Open homepage on mobile device
   **Expected:** Hamburger menu icon visible (top-right)

2. Tap hamburger icon
   **Expected:**
   - Menu slides in from right
   - Overlay appears over content
   - Close (X) button visible

3. Tap menu item
   **Expected:** Navigate to section, menu closes

4. Compare against Figma mobile design [link]
   **Expected:**
   - Menu width: 280px
   - Slide animation: 300ms ease-out
   - Overlay opacity: 0.5, color #000000
   - Font size: 16px, line-height 24px

### Breakpoints to Test
- 375px (iPhone SE)
- 390px (iPhone 14)
- 428px (iPhone 14 Pro Max)
- 360px (Galaxy S21)

"Testing shows the presence, not the absence of bugs." - Edsger Dijkstra

"Quality is not an act, it is a habit." - Aristotle