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What is Agile Software Testing?

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Overview

Agile is one of the most famous project management frameworks in software development. Agile software testing is a methodology that helps developers test their code continuously and rapidly. This methodology also allows testers to get immediate feedback from customers.

In agile testing, there are various roles and responsibilities of different team members. In this article, we'll explain everything you need to know about Agile software testing.

Agile Software Testing

What is Agile Software Testing?

Agile testing is a software testing practice that follows the Agile software development methodology. In Agile development, projects tend to evolve during each sprint among collaborators and shareholders. Agile testing focuses on ensuring quality throughout the Agile software development process.

Continuous integration and continuous delivery are two important aspects of agile testing. In continuous integration, developers integrate their code changes into a shared mainline several times a day. In continuous delivery, every change that passes all tests is automatically released into production.

What are the main principles of agile testing?

The main principles of agile testing are:

  • Early and continuous testing: Testers should start testing the software early in the development process. They should also test the software continuously throughout the development cycle.
  • Whole team approach: In agile development, all team members are responsible for ensuring the quality of the product. This includes developers, testers, business analysts, and product owners.
  • Frequent deliveries: Agile teams deliver working software frequently, typically every two weeks.
  • Close collaboration: There is close collaboration between all team members in an agile project. This helps to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that there are no surprises.
  • Customer involvement: Customers involve themselves throughout the agile development process. They provide feedback at each iteration, which helps the team to make constant improvements.
  • Working software: Agile teams focus on quality software management during each iteration. This is more important than documentation or other deliverables.
  • Flexible approach: Agile development is a flexible approach. Teams can change the requirements at any time during the development process.

What are the main testing activities in agile?

The main testing activities in agile are:

  • Requirement analysis: Testers work with business analysts and product owners to understand the requirements of the new feature.
  • Test design: Testers design the test cases for the new feature.
  • Test execution: Testers execute the test cases and report any bugs.
  • Defect management: Testers work with developers to fix the defects.
  • Release management: Testers help to plan and execute the release of the new feature.

What are the most important skills for agile testers?

The most important skills for agile testers include:

  • Strong communication skills: Testers must be able to communicate effectively with all team members. They also need to be able to understand the customer's needs and requirements.
  • Strong technical skills: Testers need to have strong technical skills. They should be able to understand the code and the technology stack.
  • Strong problem-solving skills: Testers need to be able to identify and solve problems quickly. They should also be able to think creatively and come up with new solutions as needed.
  • Strong team player: Testers need to be able to work well in a team environment. They should be flexible and adaptable, and able to work well under pressure.

How is agile testing done?

How does a standard Agile testing campaign take place? What are the steps involved?

Development teams can conduct Agile testing in several ways. The most common way is for Agile teams to integrate their code changes into a shared mainline several times a day. This allows for increased collaboration to point out project flaws and improve them quickly. 

Another way to perform agile testing is through test-driven development (TDD). In TDD, developers write unit tests before they write the code for a new feature. These unit tests define the requirements for the new feature.

Once the developers write the code, they'll perform unit tests to make sure that everything works as expected.

Why is agile testing important?

Agile testing is important because it helps ensure that software meets customer needs. Agile teams work closely with customers to get feedback at each iteration. This helps to ensure that the software is constantly improving.

Agile testing also helps find defects early in the development process. By conducting frequent releases, agile teams can quickly get feedback from users and make changes as needed.

What kinds of challenges are present during agile testing?

Agile testing can be challenging for several reasons. First, agile teams move quickly, and they are constantly making changes. This means that testers need to be adaptable, and they need to be able to change their approach on the fly.

Second, Agile teams typically have a lot of stakeholders involved. Testers need to be able to communicate effectively with all team members, as well as with the customer. Also, Agile development environments often have tight deadlines. Testers need to be able to work well under pressure and they need to be able to deliver quality results quickly.

Waterfall vs. agile testing

Agile testing is a different process from Waterfall testing. In Waterfall testing, the project requirements finalize at the beginning of the project, and they do not change. To put it simply, these “requirements” are the specifications of the project and are set in stone before it begins. This means that testers can design their test cases upfront, and they can execute them when the developers finish the code.

In Agile projects, however, the requirements are constantly changing. This means that testers need to be much more adaptable. They need to be able to design their test cases on the fly and they need to be able to execute them quickly.

What is the agile testing life cycle?

The agile testing life cycle is the process that agile teams use to plan, execute, and track their testing activities.

The agile testing life cycle consists of four main phases:

  • Planning: The team decides which features are testable and which tests are necessary.
  • Execution: The team executes the tests.
  • Tracking: The team tracks the results of the tests and defect reports.
  • Closure: The team reviews the test results and closes out any remaining defects.

What are some best practices for agile testing?

Some best practices for agile testing include:

  • Automate as much as possible. This helps speed up the testing process and enables developers to find more defects.
  • Use an automated tool to track defects. This helps development teams source and mitigate bugs quickly and efficiently.
  • Use continuous integration and continuous delivery. This will help to ensure that changes happen frequently and that they are always tested before finalization.
  • Communicate early and often. Agile teams need to communicate constantly to be successful. Testers need to be able to effectively communicate with all team members, as well as with the customer.

Agile testing is a vital part of the software development process. By following some of these best practices, you can ensure that your team is able to effectively test your software and deliver quality results.

Automate Agile testing with OpenText

Agile testing is a fluid and comprehensive process. Overall, agile testing is critical in creating a satisfactory end product that meets all project requirements. Deploying agile testing enables you to:

  • Find defects quickly in a project and resolve them.
  • Receive crucial feedback to guide continual iterations.
  • Release dynamic products that will achieve remarkable results.

With OpenText’s Agile planning tool, OpenText™ Software Delivery Management, you can easily automate your agile testing. Users can quickly create and execute test cases. You can also efficiently track and mitigate defects and manage your team's progress more easily.

OpenText™ Core Software Delivery platform can deploy state-of-the-art Agile and DevOps best practices to track app release backlog & pipeline progress.

  • Agile & DevOps work management
  • Team backlog management
  • Releases & sprints
  • Pipeline management
  • Agile dashboard

Get started with OpenText Core Software Delivery Platform today!

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