Testplanreferanse

Testplanreferanse is a term used in software testing to describe a reference to a specific test plan within project documentation or test management systems. It functions as a pointer that connects the testing work to a defined plan and helps establish traceability between requirements, test cases, and the plan that governs their execution.

The primary purpose is to enable consistent use and reuse of test plans across projects and over time. A testplanreferanse supports versioning, change control, and auditability by signaling which plan applies to a particular test suite, test cycle, or release. It also facilitates reporting by providing a stable anchor for cross-referencing artifacts.

A typical testplanreferanse includes an identifier (planning code or number), a title, the version or revision, the author or owner, date of publication, and location or link to the actual plan document. It may also list related artifacts such as the associated requirements, connected test cases, environments, and entry/exit criteria.

In practice, a testplanreferanse is embedded in test documentation, test sets, or requirements specifications to indicate which plan governs the tests. When plans are updated, the reference is updated accordingly or linked to a new version, ensuring traceability and consistent execution across teams and releases.

In Norwegian contexts, it is commonly used to align with project governance, compliance, and quality assurance processes by providing a concise pointer to the authoritative test planning document.