Lite Test Plan

Traditional test plans can become lengthy documents that are difficult to maintain. In agile environments, testing teams can create streamlined test plans that focus on essential information while maintaining stakeholder visibility.

One-Page Performance Test Plan

A concise test plan can fit on a single page using a structured 3x2 table format:

Section	Content
Project Context	Overview and objectives
Testing Scope	What is and isn’t being tested
Risks & Assumptions	Known risks and assumptions made
Environment & Tools	Test environment specs and tooling
Resources & Timeline	Team assignments and schedule
Testing Methods & Data	Approach and data requirements
Success Criteria	Pass/fail measurements

Key Elements to Include

Purpose Statement

• What are we testing?
• Why are we testing it?
• What do we expect to learn?

Entry Criteria

• Environment is available and configured
• Test scripts are developed and validated
• Test data is prepared
• Monitoring is in place

Exit Criteria

• All planned scenarios executed
• Results documented
• Issues logged and triaged
• Reports delivered to stakeholders

Environmental Setup

• Server specifications
• Network configuration
• Database state
• Third-party dependencies

Volume Testing Approach

• Load profiles and patterns
• Virtual user distribution
• Think times and pacing
• Duration of test phases

Acceptance Standards

• Response time thresholds
• Error rate limits
• Throughput requirements
• Resource utilization bounds

Multi-Page Alternative

When one-page condensation proves insufficient, consider a slide deck format with linked supporting documents for detailed specifications. This allows:

• High-level overview for stakeholders
• Detailed appendices for technical teams
• Easy updates without rewriting the entire document

Template Example

<table>
  <tr>
    <th>Section</th>
    <th>Details</th>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Purpose</td>
    <td>Validate system handles 1000 concurrent users</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Scope</td>
    <td>Login, search, checkout flows</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Entry Criteria</td>
    <td>UAT environment, production-like data</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Exit Criteria</td>
    <td>All scenarios pass acceptance criteria</td>
  </tr>
</table>

Further Reading

• HTML Table Generator
• Performance Test Plan Template