As the world of software development keeps growing, developers are gradually leaning toward the use of agile testing as the preferred method of testing and executing their projects. Agile involves testing in scrum.Here is an overview about Agile Scrum testing and its PDF version Guide.
How does the Scrum Testing work?
In Scrum, tasks are divided into small time frames otherwise known as time boxes. This is to allow for the delivery of specific features in the release so that after each iteration, the working software build can be delivered. The software builds are usually done incrementally (when it comes to adding features). But the final build is equipped with all the features the customer would need. The Agile methodology has some basic characteristics and they include:
- It entails the active involvement of all the stakeholders or users
- Decisions are usually made by the project team
- It focuses on delivering products frequently
- Testing is done throughout the lifecycle of the project
- They capture requirements at a high level
- Iterations are developed through small, incremental releases
- Graduation to the next iteration means that each feature has to be completed first
- It is an iterative development technology that needs the cooperation between the self-organizing team and the customer for substantive progress to be made.
Meetings Involved
- Sprint Planning: In this meeting, the subject of discussion is the sprint backlog which centers on number of user stories, project scope, and other important issues. Activities are planned and the acceptance criteria for each sprint are also defined.
- Daily Review: This is necessary to get the progress of the development and testing. It makes everything clear regarding the risks or problems associated with the development or testing stage.
- Sprint Review meeting: At the end of each sprint, customers are presented with deliverables and the product is then developed based on mutual consent.
- Sprint Retrospective meeting: This is the period of evaluation to know what went well and where improvements are needed.
Role of a tester in Scrum
The following are the roles of a tester in scrum:
- Discuss and understand the story of each user with the stakeholders before making a decision on the criteria for acceptance of same
- Ensure the satisfaction of customers through the early delivery of software with high quality, giving highest priority to continuous delivery
- Ensuring cooperation between developers, testers, and business people all through the project
- Be adaptable to any kind of change
- Test cases need to be developed in accordance with the criteria for accepting the story; this needs to be adjusted whenever the story changes
- QA has to track the testing progress each day and ensure regular feedback
- The level of story has to be estimated and time assigned for each story
- Iteratively deliver software with high quality, from a few weeks to a few months
Challenges of Agile Scrum
Agile Scrum is not without its own challenges. Chief among the challenges are:
- There is need to estimate the testing effort for each user
- Limitation in environment and resources, as well as team’s capacity
- Team direction may be misinterpreted if customers do not understand the requirements
- It requires dynamic change in volume and speed
- There are simultaneous planning and test execution
- Frequent code changes increase the risk of regression
Conclusion
Agile and Scrum testing is a necessary test that you need to subject your software to before it is approved for the market. Its purpose is to ensure that all is well and that users’ specifications are met.
