This article demonstrates how to utilize the "Plan Scorecard" in the Analysis screen for modeling review and feature audit of Hexawise test plans.
Keywords: Plan Scorecard, Scorecard, score card
Hexawise provides automated analysis to help you review your plans
Using some rules-of-thumb, feature monitoring, and thorough explanations, Hexawise is able to 'score' your plan and provide valuable feedback. The scorecard is broken-down into 2 main categories:
1) Considerations for a well constructed test plan / potential problem areas
2) Feature usage reporting
Learn Why and How
The scorecard sets each suggestion in context with a linked help file, post, or presentation. Click 'Learn More' to understand why the scorecard highlighted a potential issue. Many posts explain the best practices or instructions on how to achieve the ideal state.
Plan Considerations
The Considerations portion of the scorecard helps explain where some of your modeling in Hexawise might have gone off-course. Such Considerations that are highlighted include the following:
- Coverage/Execution Goals
- Longest list of Values
- Largest Parameter
- 'No Possible Values'
- Unmatched Value Expansions
- Unused Value Expansions
Each Consideration is also given an Explanation for why you might consider editing your plan. All of these are focused on making sure the tester understands what their plan does and does not achieve.
Feature Audit
In addition to providing insight into the modeling of your test plan, the Scorecard also provides a review of what features you did and did not use in the plan. Knowing the features used in a plan can:
1) Increase awareness of unknown Hexawise features
● e.g., "Risk-weighted test scenarios using Mixed-Strength testing? Who knew?!"
2) Give clues into how much work is left to do
● e.g., "Auto-scripts still need to be included."
3) Act as a reminder to add something into the plan
● e.g., "I forgot to add some requirements!"
4) Provide management insight into tester usage
● e.g., "The testers didn't use Hexawise's 'Expected Outcomes' feature."
We can't guarantee that a plan with all the items 'checked-off' is a perfect plan. Similarly, not every potential issue raised by the Test Plan Scorecard will turn out to be an actual problem. Even so, most testers and managers find that referring to the Plan Scorecard is good way to spot potential problems and learn about improvement ideas.