Diving into Agile Testing - Principles and Tools for QA Teams
Whether we’re talking about scientists, engineers, chefs or even us, normal people - we’ve all been testers at some point in our lives. After all, we wouldn’t be able to perfect the end-product without verifying its quality at multiple stages. Similarly, testing finds its perfect fit within the software development cycle. As developers dive deep into lines of code, testers become the guardians of quality, ensuring that requirements are met and the user experience is smooth. So it goes without saying that software testing is crucial and cannot be overlooked.
Traditional vs. Agile Testing Methods
Testing, a process tightly integrated with the software development cycle, is affected by the delivery method used in a project. Two approaches seem to be the most recognizable - traditional and Agile. The traditional route gives a more rigid framework by placing the testing process as the last step, after previous phases have been completed. While it brings benefits such as clear structure, on the other hand - it makes it next to impossible to implement and address changes immediately, in result overwhelming the QA team.
Agile methodology, however, presents a different approach, where testing happens simultaneously with development and is continuous for every iteration. Agile environments encourage flexibility, fast-pace and collaboration across a variety of teams. Different parties besides QA teams, such as stakeholders, product owners and developers, are engaged in the testing process - from defining requirements to monitoring the progress. Features are tested immediately once they are dev-complete and if any bugs are discovered, they get fixed within the same cycle. In such dynamic surroundings, there’s no place for miscommunication - updates and prioritization happen in daily meetings in order to make sure that everyone is on the same page. Despite the fact that Agile testing seems to be like putting yourself through a tornado, it does have a positive effect overall - the release cycles are shortened and the quality of the end-product is higher, thanks to the early detection of defects.
Fitting Test Management Tools into Agile QA Workflows
This speed and controlled chaos push QA teams towards implementation of a test management tool. While Jira is one of the most popular Agile products and can also be used for managing tests, usually, the QA teams decide to pair it with add-ons created just for that. As testers who embark on this Agile journey need to remember what’s at the center of Agile testing - simplicity, adaptability and constant communication - the same ‘requirements’ can be applied while selecting a test management tool. Ideally, the teams will be able to find an app that offers set-up flexibility and adjusts to their way of working. If the tool and the team are a match, it can truly save the day - testers collaborate without silos, the overall process is streamlined and can be traced back.
Appsvio Test Management
Selecting the right test management solution is a crucial step and this decision certainly weighed on our shoulders during the implementation of this process in our team. After various trials and tribulations, we realized that simplicity is always the key, especially in this area. That’s what motivated us to create Appsvio Test Management (ATM) - a straightforward, but mighty tool for modern testing teams that is based on the best qualities of Jira. Join us for a webinar, where we will be showing what it means to test with ATM and that test management doesn’t have to be complicated.
When? 🗓️ June 24th, 2:00PM (PDT)
Would you like to know more about testing in Agile methodology? Check out the full article, where we dive into the Agile testing cycle, principles and practices for QA teams.
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Ola Sokolowska_Appsvio_
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