Do we need testers on agile teams?
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The document discusses the ongoing debate in Agile teams about the roles of testers and developers, emphasizing the concept of 'whole team' responsibility for quality and testing. It argues that everyone on the team should contribute to testing, fostering collaboration and a shared understanding to ensure software quality. The Agile testing quadrants are introduced as tools to conceptualize testing strategies, highlighting the importance of diverse skills and collective ownership of quality in the development process.
Do we need testers on agile teams?
- 1. Janet Gregory, DragonFire Inc. Copyright 2016 EuroStar Test Huddle November 2016 @janetgregoryca With input from Lisa Crispin
- 2. • It’s the same argument again and again. • One side says “team members should all be able to do everything, and the programmers should do their testing and all testers should be writing code”. • The other side says “No, that can’t possibly work – programmers don’t know how to test, they don’t have the right mindset”. And on and on it goes. 2
- 3. • an activity; not a phase • interactive and starts from the beginning • more than testing code 3 Potentially shippable product Potentially shippable product
- 4. 4 “Whole Team” responsibility for testing
- 5. • Who actually does what? • Can everyone do everything? …. and do it well? 5
- 7. Cross-functional knowledge Disciplinaryskills http://www.slideshare.net/ehendrickson Analytical Relentlessly Curious Observant Skeptical Empiricist Critical Thinker Investigator
- 9. Breadth of Skills DepthofSkills See links for more by Rob Lambert and Adam P. Knight
- 10. • Testing provides feedback • Developers think about testability • Testers think about the big picture • Multiple skill sets mean better solutions 10
- 12. Copyright 2009 Janet Gregory, DragonFire 12 The Agile Testing Quadrants (adapted from Brian Marick)
- 13. • Are a thinking tool • Can be used to explain testing in a common language • Emphasize whole-team responsibility 13
- 14. • Checking: Does the system do what it's supposed to do? - let’s automate this together • Exploring: Are there any other risks or vulnerabilities that we haven't thought about yet? • Testing = checking + exploring 14 **Elisabeth Hendrickson, The Two Sides of Software Testing, Agile Connection GUI API Unit Tests
- 15. It’s not just about code !!! ◦ Test assumptions ◦ Explore ideas The goal: ◦ Shared common understanding of the story ◦ Preventing defects in the code (eliminate waste)
- 16. Feature (with examples) User Story High- Level AT Fix Defects Code, test & automate story Accept Story Explore Examples Guiding with examples
- 17. • Curiosity • Ability to observe • Ability to challenge • To give valuable feedback • Ability to adapt • To recognize contexts • Technical awareness • Ability to THINK !
- 18. Instead of ◦ We’re here to find bugs … or ensure requirements are met … or break the software … Think ◦ What can I do to help deliver the quality solutions? 18
- 19. Instead of We’re here to code and throw it over the wall and then fix bugs. Think What can I do to help create testable code and deliver the software successfully? 19
- 20. Instead of We’re here to tell you what we want, and you just do it. Think How can I work with the development team to deliver the software successfully? 20
- 21. So to answer the question ….. Do we need testers on agile teams? 21
- 23. • Testers are NOT responsible for quality ◦ The whole team is • Programmers do not code alone ◦ Everyone helps them understand what to code • Your team needs the “right” roles and people ◦ Those in transition may feel protective of role ◦ New skills may be needed
- 24. 24 • Can’t “test quality in” • Everyone collaborates • Whole team thinks about testing • Team is committed to quality
- 25. • Elisabeth Hendrickson CAST keynote http://www.slideshare.net/ehendrickson Explore It! – new book on Pragmatic Programmers • Paul Carvalho, http://www.agilejournal.com/articles/columns/column- articles/6515-low-tech-tools-for-the-thinking-tester • Karten, Naomi, "Are You Listening?", http://www.agileconnection.com/article/are-you-listening, Agile Connection, 2009
- 26. • Keogh, Liz, http://lunivore.com - look for her posts on BDD, Real Options • Knight, Adam P., "T-shaped Tester, Square Shaped Team", http://thesocialtester.co.uk/t-shaped-tester-square-shaped-team/, 2013 • Lambert, Rob, "T-shaped Testers and Their Role In a Team", http://thesocialtester.co.uk/t-shaped-testers-and-their-role-in-a- team/ , 2012 • Levison, Mark, "The Beginner's Mind - An Approach to Listening", http://www.infoq.com/news/2008/08/beginners_mind, InfoQ, 2008 26
- 27. Agile Testing: A Practical Guide for Testers and Agile Teams More Agile Testing: Learning Journeys for the Whole Team By Janet Gregory and Lisa Crispin www.agiletester.ca www.agiletester.com Contact info www.janetgregory.ca Email: janet@agiletester.ca Twitter: janetgregoryca 27