Last updated on Mar 25, 2024

How can you ensure your testing is compatible with the agile principle of "responding to change"?

Testing is an essential part of software project management, especially in agile environments where changes are frequent and unpredictable. However, testing can also be challenging and time-consuming, especially if you have to rewrite or rerun your test cases every time a requirement or a feature changes. How can you ensure your testing is compatible with the agile principle of "responding to change"? Here are some tips to help you test effectively and efficiently in agile projects.

1 Automate your tests

One of the best ways to cope with change is to automate your tests as much as possible. Automated tests can save you a lot of time and effort, as well as improve your test coverage and quality. Automated tests can also provide fast feedback and detect bugs early in the development cycle. However, automation is not a silver bullet, and you still need to design and maintain your test scripts carefully. You should also prioritize which tests to automate, based on factors such as frequency, complexity, and risk.

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Jorge Tavira

Senior Project Manager @ Caixa Geral Angola Bank | Agile Project Management with a focus on customer value | Scrum Master
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To ensure testing aligns with the agile principle of "responding to change," I prioritize flexibility in testing approaches, incorporate continuous feedback loops, and maintain a focus on delivering incremental value. By adapting test plans and strategies based on evolving requirements and priorities, testing remains responsive to changes throughout the development process, facilitating timely adjustments and improvements.

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Risdi Ramadhan

Sr. QA Engineer | Lead QA Engineer at Blue Bird Group
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From my point of view, automation is one of the things needed to provide fast feedback every time there is a change to a feature or code by engineers. Maybe you need to pay attention every time there is a change: 1. Make sure the final design regarding changes has been provided by the product owner and is up to date 2. From the QA Automation side, carry out an analysis regarding the needs related to these changes from the Code Automation side 3. QA lead automation must review and carry out regular script maintenance and monitoring if there are problems with the flow, script or conflicts.

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Mark Hagen

Project Manager
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From a design perspective, the code under test makes most of the calls as to what is required. The other half of the decision process is based on the tech stack used by the company. I started a test harness in C# because I'd just spent 4 years using C# and Selenium. The company's leadership shut that down, so I learned Java and designed a harness with a simple programming paradigm in about a month. Look before you leap, then jump in with both feet.

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2 Adopt a test-driven approach

Another way to align your testing with agile values is to adopt a test-driven approach, such as test-driven development (TDD) or behavior-driven development (BDD). In these approaches, you write your test cases before you write your code, based on the user stories and acceptance criteria. This way, you can ensure that your code meets the requirements and expectations of the stakeholders, and that your tests are relevant and up-to-date. You can also use tools such as Cucumber or SpecFlow to write your test cases in a natural language that can be understood by both developers and business users.

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Dauda Abisola

Project Manager || Personal Assistant ||Virtual Assistant
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In agile testing, flexibility is paramount to swiftly adapt to evolving requirements. Embrace continuous integration and automation, fostering collaboration across teams. Prioritize modular and regression testing, integrating stakeholders in acceptance criteria definition. Upholding test-driven development practices ensures a robust framework for iterative adjustments, empowering teams to respond adeptly to change.

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Risdi Ramadhan

Sr. QA Engineer | Lead QA Engineer at Blue Bird Group
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I really agree if in the development life cycle in application development applying the TDD and BBD concepts, because in my opinion there are quite a lot of benefits to be gained, including: 1. Time efficient in analyzing case by case 2. Quite efficient and also collaborates with automation using the same method 3. Simple and fast to meet needs

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3 Collaborate with your team

Testing is not a solo activity, but a collaborative one. You should work closely with your team members, such as developers, product owners, and other testers, to share your knowledge, feedback, and ideas. You should also communicate regularly and clearly with your team, using tools such as Jira , Slack , or Trello to track and manage your tasks, issues, and progress. By collaborating with your team, you can build trust, avoid misunderstandings, and deliver high-quality software faster.

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Risdi Ramadhan

Sr. QA Engineer | Lead QA Engineer at Blue Bird Group
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In my view, I agree that by collaborating with your team, you can build trust, avoid misunderstandings, and deliver high-quality software faster. This is one of the processes to satisfy coverage testing.

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4 Adapt to the context

Finally, you should remember that there is no one-size-fits-all solution for testing in agile projects. You should always adapt your testing strategy, techniques, and tools to the context of your project, such as the scope, complexity, timeline, and budget. You should also be flexible and open-minded, and willing to learn from your mistakes and feedback. You should also embrace change as an opportunity to improve your software and your skills, rather than a threat to your testing.

Testing in agile projects can be challenging, but also rewarding. By following these tips, you can ensure your testing is compatible with the agile principle of "responding to change", and deliver software that meets the needs and expectations of your customers and stakeholders.

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5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How can you ensure your testing is compatible with the agile principle of "responding to change"?

1

2

3

4

5

1 Automate your tests

2 Adopt a test-driven approach

3 Collaborate with your team

4 Adapt to the context

5 Here’s what else to consider

Software Project Management

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How can you ensure your testing is compatible with the agile principle of "responding to change"?

1

2

3

4

5

1 Automate your tests

2 Adopt a test-driven approach

3 Collaborate with your team

4 Adapt to the context

5 Here’s what else to consider

Software Project Management

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