qa-test-planner

name	qa-test-planner
description	Comprehensive QA toolkit for creating test plans, manual test cases, automated Playwright tests, regression suites, and bug reports. Uses safe, non-executable templates following skill best practices. Ideal for QA Automation engineers.

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

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

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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

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

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Security Guidelines

Credential Handling

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

Instead of	Use
[e-mail] / 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	ISTQB-aligned test plan structure	Markdown
test-case.md	Individual test case with full sections	Markdown
bug-report.md	Detailed defect report	Markdown
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 - 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

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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
3. 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
4. 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
4. Implement test steps using Playwright best practices:
   • Role-based locators (getByRole)
   • Web-first assertions (toBeVisible, toHaveText)
   • test.step() grouping for readability
5. Add security notes about environment variables
6. 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

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

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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

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Troubleshooting

Problem	Cause	Solution
Test cases lack traceability	Missing requirement IDs	Add requirement_id column; link to user stories/ACs
Bug reports get rejected	Insufficient reproduction steps	Use minimal steps; include exact data and environment
Regression suite too slow	Too many tests, no prioritization	Apply risk-based selection; tier into smoke/sanity/full
Flaky automated tests	Unstable locators or timing	Use data-testid; avoid sleeps; use Playwright auto-waits
Test estimates are wrong	Scope creep, missing risks	Add contingency; re-estimate when scope changes

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Common Rationalizations

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

Rationalization	Reality
"Test plans are documentation theater"	A good test plan prevents scope creep, missed scenarios, and misaligned expectations before testing begins.
"We can figure out test cases as we go"	Ad-hoc testing leaves gaps. Structured test cases ensure systematic coverage and traceability.
"Bug reports can be informal"	Reproducible bug reports with exact steps save hours of back-and-forth between tester and developer.
"Estimation is just guessing"	Test estimation techniques (function point analysis, Delphi method) improve accuracy and credibility.
"Regression suites maintain themselves"	Without curation, suites grow bloated and slow. Regular review and pruning are mandatory.
"Templates slow us down"	Templates ensure nothing is forgotten and standardize quality across the team.

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

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

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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