Generally, we write test plans/cases in a word document, wiki or a test cases management software. When we present to higher management or when we send it for review, they have to scroll down the entire document to verify the document. Generally, higher management may not have time to look at detailed test plan. We may end up with a few set of test cases which QA team thought and the respective developer may add few more cases. Sometimes developers also may not have full context. Developers develop a module and they can provide test cases related to that module. In this cloud world, every application we are integrating with many other systems. We are also providing a large number of features in a web application. Many organizations are offering development platforms over the web application. In this case, if we provide a detailed test plan with 50 pages, people may not be interested to read the entire document. Nobody provides comments unless we add a goal in appraisal document. :)
We need some creative way to present our test plan. Using mind maps, we can present our test plan in a creative way. Not only for review comments. We can use it to present in sprint review meetings. It also can be used for presenting a new feature to customers.
What is Mind Mapping?
A Mind Map is a graphical representation of ideas and concepts. It is a creative and logical way of advanced note-taking using symbols, colors, mind shapes, words, lines and images. This helps you to structure information, helping you to understand requirements in a better way, helps you to analyse, to cover the data comprehensively.
For example:
Let's consider, you want to write a test plan for browser testing. The below mind map depicts all test cases of browser testing. If we include this in test plan it gives full context in a glance.
Example 2:
Let's consider, you want to write a test plan for mobile testing. It will be a very complex test plan.
I am sure it consists of various sections such as testing different mobile manufactures, testing UI, mobile apps, mobile web, security, performance etc. One way is to describe everything in a test strategy document. For summarizing everything you wrote there, you may use a mind map such as the one below instead of writing 100 pages document.
As we all know visual aid is more powerful than any other mode of learning. This has proven many times that people will remember the creative visual aid than learning the things traditionally.
A famous quote - A picture is worth a thousand words
Many Mind mapping online/offline tools are available in the market.
Mind maps are easy to create and so natural. The following ingredients we needed to make a "Mind Map Recipe"
- Blank unlined paper
- Coloured pens and pencils
- Your Brain
- Your imagination!
It is good to follow some steps to make a Mind Map. Please refer to the following article for more details
Happy Mind Mapping :)
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ReplyDeletetest the mind