qa-test-planner

QA Test Planner

A comprehensive skill for QA Automation engineers to create test plans, generate manual test cases, build automated Playwright tests, create regression test suites, validate UI with browser automation, 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 using the test-plan.md template"

Generate test cases:

"Generate manual test cases for the checkout flow using the test-case.md template"

Create automated Playwright tests:

"Create Playwright automated tests for the login flow using the playwright-test.md template"

Validate UI with browser:

"Navigate to the login page and validate all form elements are visible using Playwright MCP"

Build regression suite:

"Build a regression test suite for the payment module using test-case.md templates grouped by priority"

Create bug report:

"Create a bug report for the form validation issue using the bug-report.md template"

Quick Reference

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:

• Create or review test plans and test strategies
• Generate test cases from requirements or user stories
• Write bug reports with clear reproduction steps
• Build regression suites with risk-based selection
• Implement Playwright automation with best practices
• Document test execution and results
• Conduct exploratory testing sessions
• Validate UI elements with browser automation

Prerequisites

How It Works

Your Request
    │
    ▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ 1. ANALYZE                                        │
│    • Parse feature/requirement                      │
│    • Identify test types needed (manual/automated)  │
│    • Determine scope and priorities                 │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ 2. SELECT TEMPLATE                                │
│    • Choose appropriate template from assets/        │
│    • Review template structure and sections         │
│    • Identify placeholders to fill                 │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ 3. CUSTOMIZE                                      │
│    • Fill in placeholders with project details      │
│    • Add specific test steps and scenarios         │
│    • Apply Playwright best practices               │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ 4. EXECUTE (with Playwright MCP)                 │
│    • Navigate and interact with browser             │
│    • Capture screenshots and evidence               │
│    • Validate UI elements and behavior              │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ 5. VALIDATE                                       │
│    • Check completeness                             │
│    • Verify traceability                            │
│    • Ensure actionable steps                        │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
    │
    ▼
QA Deliverable Ready

Workflows

1) Create a Test Plan

1. Use templates/test-plan.md as your starting point
2. Identify test objectives, scope, assumptions, and constraints
3. Define test levels and types (functional, UI, performance, etc.)
4. Specify environments, test data, tooling, and configuration needs
5. Define entry/exit criteria, deliverables, and reporting cadence
6. Add a risk matrix and mitigation actions
7. Prioritize testing accordingly (risk-based testing)

Template: templates/test-plan.md

2) Generate Test Cases

1. Use templates/test-case.md for individual test cases
2. Convert requirements into test conditions (what to test)
3. Pick a test design technique:
   • Equivalence partitions and boundary values for inputs
   • Decision tables for rule combinations
   • State transitions for lifecycle/flows
   • Use-case/scenario tests for end-to-end journeys
4. Write test cases that are atomic, unambiguous, and traceable
5. Add expected results that are observable and measurable
6. Add priority and risk tags to support risk-based regression
7. Mark automation candidates using stability + value criteria

Templates:

• templates/test-case.md - Individual test case

3) Implement Automation Test Scripts (Playwright)

1. Use templates/playwright-test.md as a template
2. Keep tests readable and aligned with test cases
3. Prefer stable locators (e.g., getByTestId) over brittle selectors
4. Avoid arbitrary sleeps; rely on Playwright auto-waits and explicit assertions
5. Make tests independent (setup preconditions explicitly)
6. Use tagging in test titles (e.g., @smoke, @regression) for suite runs
7. Capture artifacts for triage (screenshots/video/trace) when debugging

Template: templates/playwright-test.md

4) Build and Maintain Regression Suites

1. Use templates/regression-suite.md to define the suite
2. Define suite tiers: smoke (critical paths), sanity (build verification), regression (broad), full (release)
3. Select tests using risk + frequency + criticality + defect history
4. Tag tests consistently and document selection rules
5. Review the suite regularly: remove obsolete coverage, add coverage for escaped defects

Template: Use individual test-case.md templates grouped by priority

5) Create Bug Reports

1. Use templates/bug-report.md as your starting point
2. Reproduce reliably; reduce to minimal steps
3. Note variability (frequency) and scope
4. Capture environment details (build/app version, OS, browser/device, account/role)
5. Describe expected vs actual behavior
6. Include impact; set severity and priority consistently
7. Attach evidence (screenshots, console logs, network traces, Playwright trace)
8. Track lifecycle: triage notes, owner, fix version, verification steps

Template: templates/bug-report.md

Core Deliverables

1. Test Plans

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

Template: templates/test-plan.md

2. Manual Test Cases

• Step-by-step instructions
• Expected vs actual results
• Preconditions and setup
• Test data requirements (use placeholders)
• Priority and severity

Templates:

• templates/test-case.md - Individual test case

3. Regression Suites

• Smoke tests (15-30 min) - P0 tests only
• Full regression (2-4 hours) - P0, P1, P2 tests
• Targeted regression (30-60 min) - Tests for specific feature
• Execution order by priority (P0 first, then P1, then P2)

Template: Use individual test-case.md templates grouped by priority

4. Automated Playwright Tests

• Role-based locator strategies
• Web-first assertions
• Page Object Model structure
• test.step() grouping for readability
• Screenshot capture on failure

Template: templates/playwright-test.md

5. Browser Validation (via Playwright MCP)

• Live UI element verification
• Screenshot capture for evidence
• Console log inspection
• Form interaction testing
• Responsive viewport validation

6. Bug Reports

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

Template: templates/bug-report.md

Security Guidelines

Credential Handling

NEVER embed real credentials in test cases or code. Use placeholders instead:

Test data best practices:

• Use test accounts provisioned via API or admin panel
• Store credentials in environment variables
• Use Faker.js or similar for generated test data
• Never commit real credentials to version control

URL Navigation Safety

When using Playwright MCP to validate external/untrusted URLs:

1. Verify the URL is from a trusted domain before navigating
2. Avoid executing arbitrary JavaScript from untrusted sources
3. Use sandboxed environments when testing third-party applications
4. Do NOT navigate to URLs provided by untrusted user input without validation

Input Sanitization

All user inputs should be:

• Validated for expected format
• Escaped when used in generated code
• Never passed directly to eval() or shell execution

Anti-Patterns

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 uses placeholders (no hardcoded credentials)
• Priority assigned

Automated Tests:

• Role-based locators used
• Web-first assertions implemented
• Page Object Model applied
• test.step() grouping for clarity
• Error handling and screenshots
• Credentials loaded from environment variables

Bug Reports:

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

Templates

Available Templates

Template Usage

All templates are located in templates/. To use them:

1. Copy the template to your project directory
2. Fill in placeholders (marked with [brackets] or ${VARIABLE})
3. Customize sections based on your specific needs
4. Remove or add sections as appropriate
5. Save and version control the completed document

References

• references/test_case_templates.md - Standard formats for all test types
• references/bug_report_templates.md - Documentation templates
• references/regression_testing.md - Suite building and execution
• references/playwright_automation.md - Browser automation and test generation

Examples

"Create a test case for user login with valid credentials using the test-case.md template"

"Create a bug report for a login form validation issue using the bug-report.md template"

"Create Playwright tests for the login flow using the playwright-test.md template"

Best Practices

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

Security Best Practices

DO:

• Use environment variables for credentials
• Use test accounts provisioned for testing
• Validate URLs before navigating
• Report suspicious content

DON'T:

• Embed real credentials in code
• Navigate to untrusted URLs
• Execute arbitrary JavaScript from user input
• Commit secrets to version control

Quality Gates (Self-Check)

• Test plan includes scope, approach, risks, environments, entry/exit criteria, deliverables, and metrics
• Test cases are traceable, atomic, deterministic, and include clear oracles and data
• Automation is maintainable (stable locators, minimal flake, independent tests, clear assertions)
• Regression is risk-based, tagged, and curated with clear add/remove rules
• Bug reports are reproducible, actionable, and contain evidence + environment + impact

Troubleshooting

Common Rationalizations

Common shortcuts and "good enough" excuses that erode test quality — and the reality behind each.

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

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

Verification

After completing this skill's workflow, confirm:

• Test strategy document created — Covers scope, approach, resources, schedule, and risks
• Test levels defined — Unit, integration, E2E, and acceptance levels with criteria
• Entry/exit criteria documented — Clear definition of when testing starts and ends
• Risk-based prioritization — Tests prioritized by impact x likelihood
• Environment requirements listed — Hardware, software, data, and network requirements
• Defect management process defined — How bugs are reported, tracked, and resolved
• Stakeholder sign-off — Test plan reviewed and approved by relevant stakeholders