Workshop 4 - Agile Testing - Are you moving to a more agile methodology? If so how do you keep control of testing? - Do you feel the Agile is the way forward but are unsure on how testing will be affected? - Would you like to pick up some techniques from Agile that can be used with any methodology but will help in flexibility? Background While agile has provided the solutions for many software development problems, it is not a silver bullet and has still to overcome issues that more traditional project development lifecycles handle. Testing is an important part of how agile succeeds, but as agile is a big departure from normal development, how does it affect testing and the test process? Learning Objectives At the end of this course you will be able to: - Describe the main agile methodologies and how variations or hybrid approaches (utilising elements of agile with more traditional approaches) are sometimes implemented in practice - Describe the testing implications of moving to an agile methodology including the role of independent testing and testing without detailed requirements - Perform effective testing in an agile environment based on users, testers and developers collaborating in an iterative approach - Avoid the pitfalls of inadequate testing approaches experienced by some agile projects - Utilise aspects of agile testing practices in more traditional projects Who Should Attend - Project Managers/leaders, Test Managers, QA Managers, Test Consultants, Testers, Developers and Users Benefits of Attending By attending this course you will: - Gain an insight in the different agile methodologies and how they differ from traditional methodologies - Detailed understanding of issues to overcome to ensure effective testing on agile projects - test strategy and planning, test design, test execution and monitoring/reporting - Clarify how independent testers can best contribute to agile projects Topics Covered (Note: exercises will be used throughout to enhance learning) Brief Review of Agile Principles, Practices and Methodologies - Brief review of the agile values, principles and practices, this is the heart of agile and what it is trying to do. So, it is important that these are understood and clear. - Clear the myth from reality - This will allow us to have a common baseline from which to work from for the rest of the session. - A brief review of some of the more formal methodologies that use agile as their framework such as XP, Scrum, Crystal, DSDM and RUP Review of a General Test Process The aim of this short module is to ensure that the class are working from a common understanding and terminology - A review of the test process for a traditional development life cycle - Typical test levels/phases and the objectives, attributes and types of testing that takes place at each of those test levels - Types of test strategies/approaches used Implementation of a Test Process for Agile This module will look at the implications for testing if an organisation moves to an agile development approach. - Agile test strategies - Different Test Levels/phases applicable to agile and how they need to be adapted - Where the different types of testing fit into an agile development lifecycle - A flexible approach to Planning that supports feature driven iterative development - Monitoring and reporting of iterations/releases - Test Driven Development (TDD), Automated Unit Testing - Acceptance testing, testing and the customer/user - Testing techniques including static techniques, structural techniques and exploratory testing applicable to agile (based on minimal documentation and common requirements related documents such as User Stories) - Defect management in agile - The role of the traditional independent system tester in agile - Cultural, organizational, technical, and logistical issues when transitioning to agile Testing Tools used in Agile Testing This module will discuss the most common tools and frameworks used at the different test levels including open source tools available and issues in their implementation. Agile approach to Traditional Testing This module will discuss the how the approach to testing in an agile development lifecycle can be implemented in a more traditional development lifecycle. Pitfalls and Lessons Learnt This is module will discuss some of the risks and common pitfalls experienced in practice with testing in an agile environment (such as non-functional testing issues) and how these can be avoided. Back