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).

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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"

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Quick Reference

| Task | Template | Time | | -------------- | ------------------------------ | ------------- | | Test Plan | templates/test-plan.md | 10-15 min | | Test Case | templates/test-case.md | 5-10 min each | | Automated Test | templates/playwright-test.md | 5-15 min each | | Bug Report | templates/bug-report.md | 5 min |

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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

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Prerequisites

| Requirement | Notes | | -------------- | ------------------------------------------- | | Node.js 18+ | Required for Playwright automation | | Playwright | npm init playwright@latest for automation | | Text editor | For creating/editing markdown files | | Git | Recommended for testware version control | | Playwright MCP | Optional, for browser-based validation |

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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

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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](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

1. Write test cases that are atomic, unambiguous, and traceable
2. Add expected results that are observable and measurable
3. Add priority and risk tags to support risk-based regression
4. Mark automation candidates using stability + value criteria

Templates:

• [templates/test-case.md](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](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](templates/bug-report.md)

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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](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](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](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](templates/bug-report.md)

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Security Guidelines

Credential Handling

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

| Instead of | Use | | ----------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- | | test@example.com / Test123! | ${TEST_USER_EMAIL} or process.env.TEST_USER_EMAIL | | password: "actualpassword" | password: "${TEST_PASSWORD}" (from env) | | Hardcoded secrets | Environment variables via .env files |

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

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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 | | Embedding credentials | Security risk | Use environment variables |

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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

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Templates

Available Templates

| Template | Purpose | Format | | ---------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------- | -------- | | [test-plan.md](templates/test-plan.md) | ISTQB-aligned test plan structure | Markdown | | [test-case.md](templates/test-case.md) | Individual test case with full sections | Markdown | | [bug-report.md](templates/bug-report.md) | Detailed defect report | Markdown | | [playwright-test.md](templates/playwright-test.md) | Playwright test template with best practices | Markdown |

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

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References

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

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Examples

Example: Using the Test Case Template

Request:

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

Result: The AI will:

1. Open templates/test-case.md
2. Fill in the placeholders with specific details:

• TC-ID: TC-LOGIN-001
• Title: Verify valid user login with correct credentials
• Priority: P0 (Critical)
• Type: Functional
• Objective: Verify users can successfully login with valid credentials
• Preconditions: User account exists in test environment; Browser cookies cleared
• Test Steps: Fill with specific login steps
• Test Data: Use ${TEST_USER_EMAIL} and ${TEST_USER_PASSWORD} placeholders

1. Provide the completed test case markdown file

Example: Using the Bug Report Template

Request:

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

Result: The AI will:

1. Open templates/bug-report.md
2. Generate a unique bug ID (e.g., BUG-1715345678)
3. Fill in the placeholders:

• Title: Login form accepts invalid email format
• Severity: High
• Priority: P1
• Environment: Fill with actual OS, browser, build details
• Steps to Reproduce: Add specific, reproducible steps
• Expected vs Actual: Clear description of the issue
• Impact: Describe user and business impact

1. Provide the completed bug report markdown file

Example: Using the Playwright Spec Template

Request:

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

Result: The AI will:

1. Open templates/playwright-test.md
2. Customize the test describe block for login functionality
3. Add specific test cases:

• TC-LOGIN-001 @smoke @regression - Valid login
• TC-LOGIN-002 @regression @negative - Invalid credentials
• TC-LOGIN-003 @regression @boundary - Password validation

1. Implement test steps using Playwright best practices:

• Role-based locators (getByRole)
• Web-first assertions (toBeVisible, toHaveText)
• test.step() grouping for readability

1. Add security notes about environment variables
2. Provide the completed markdown template with TypeScript code examples

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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

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Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: fugazi
• Source: fugazi/test-automation-skills-agents
• License: MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.