Chapter 5 – Managing the Test Activities
Test Strategy – ISTQB Definition
Last Updated: July 12, 2026 · SoftwareTestPilot QA Team
Official ISTQB Definition
A generic description of the test levels to be performed and the testing within those levels for an organization or programme.
In simple words
The organisation-wide ‘how we test’ document — reused across projects — that project test plans reference.
Exam tip
Strategy is organisation-level and long-lived; the test plan is project-level and short-lived.
Related terms
- Test PlanThe document that answers ‘what, when, how, and by whom’ for the testing effort — scope, schedule, risks, entry and exit criteria.
- Test ApproachHow this project actually applies the organisation’s test strategy — tailored to its risks and constraints.
- Test PlanningDeciding scope, objectives, risks, resources, schedule and criteria for a testing effort.
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