Test documentation is often perceived either as unnecessary bureaucracy or ignored completely in agile teams. Both extremes create risks: over-documentation leads to waste, while missing documentation reduces transparency and knowledge sharing. In this talk, we explore practical strategies for lean and useful documentation, compare lessons learned from popular test management tools (TestRail, Xray, Zephyr), and discuss the role of documentation in agile environments. Finally, we highlight its hidden value for communication, onboarding, and risk management.

Target Audience: Testers, QA automation engineers, developers, test managers, project managers, product owners, decision makers.
Prerequisites: No specific prerequisites are required. Participants with basic experience in software testing, agile processes, or test management will benefit most.
Level: Basic

Extended Abstract:

Test documentation has always been a controversial topic: some teams drown in thousands of outdated test cases, while others abandon documentation completely in the name of agility. In practice, both extremes are harmful. Documentation is not about bureaucracy--it is about communication, risk management, and enabling sustainable quality.

This session brings together four perspectives:

Lean Test Documentation - keeping test documentation useful without slowing the team down.

Tools in Practice - lessons learned from TestRail, Xray, and Zephyr, and how to choose the right tool for your team.

Agile Test Documentation - adapting documentation practices to fast-paced environments, replacing heavy specifications with lightweight formats.

Hidden Power of Documentation - how documentation supports onboarding, knowledge transfer, and prevents risks.

The talk is based on real-world experience of working with different teams, tools, and processes. Participants will leave with a clear framework for tailoring documentation to their own context: not too heavy, not too light, but just right to add real value.