Pragmatic Testing in Agile Projects

Dr Stuart ReidTesting Solutions Group

sreid@testing-solutions.com

Test Management Summit, London28th January, 2009

The Agile Manifesto

That is, while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more.”

comprehensive documentation

processes and toolsover

contract negotiation

following a planover

over

over

“In AGILE we value…

Working software

Responding to change

Customer collaboration

Individuals & interactions

Agile Principles

• Incremental development– delivering a series of (useful, usable) deliveries;

• Iterative development– allowing requirements to evolve and be added to;– responding quickly to new business priorities;

• People-oriented development– people’s qualities rather than heavy process; – allowing the agile team to manage themselves;– daily interaction between developers and the business;

• Technical excellence and built-in quality– personal responsibility, craftsmanship and simplicity;

• Lean approach– Measure progress by delivered product;– Minimise waste.

Reason for adopting agile Actual benefits realised

1 Accelerate time to market 1 Manage change

2 Manage change 2 Visibility

3 Increase productivity 3 Improve morale

4 Enhance quality 4 Align IT and business

5 Align IT and business 5 Enhanced quality

6 Improve visibility 6= Time to market

7 Reduce risk 6= Increase productivity

8 Simplify process 8 Simplify process

9 Other reason – not disclosed 9 Engineering discipline

10 Increase engineering discipline 10 Enhance maintainability

11 Reduce cost 11 Reduce risk

12 Enhance maintainability 12 Reduce cost

13 Improve morale 13 Manage distributed teams

“The State of Agile Development Survey”, 2008 (2319 respondents)

An Agile Approach

Business Requirements

Business Requirements

Business Requirements

Business Requirements

Business Requirements

Business Requirements

Business Requirements

Business Requirements

EVOLVING BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS

Sprint nSprint 1 Sprint 2 Sprint 3

INCREMENTAL PRODUCT DELIVERY

PRODUCT BACKLOG

sprint retrospectiv

e

Development & Test Option 1

Sprint Backlog

Product Backlog

Product Backlog

Sprint Backlog

OPERATIONAL SOFTWAREOPERATIONAL SOFTWARE

Development & Test Option 2

v1

Test 1 TTest 2V1.

1

v2

V2.

1

Developing v2Developing v2(includes tdd + (includes tdd +

continuouscontinuous

regressionregression test)test)

RegressionRegressionTestTest

AcceptanceAcceptanceTestTest

StoryStoryRe-testRe-test

V1.1V1.1

StoryStoryTestTestV1V1

TestTestPrepPrepv1v1

Sprint 1 SpriSprint 2

Debugging Debugging v1» v1.1v1» v1.1

Dev Sprint 4

Dev Sprint 5

Development & Test Option 3

Dev Sprint 1

Dev Sprint 2

Dev Sprint 3

Test Sprint

v1.1

OPERATIONALOPERATIONALSOFTWARESOFTWARE

RegressionRegressionTestTest

AcceptanceAcceptanceTestTest

StoryStoryRe-testRe-test

V1.1V1.1

StoryStoryTestTestV1V1

TestTestPrepPrepv1v1

DebugDebugV1 V1 v1.1 v1.1

Agile Optimisation

• Factors and constraints will be unique to your organisation– ...plus variables for your project (as each project

is unique)– ...lead to options for your agile projects

• How do you identify the unique balance of options that is optimal for your project?

Non-Optional for Agile?

• Iterative development– gives you: responsive to change, time to market,

etc.

• Incremental development– gives you: time to market, visibility, etc.

• Management Support– gives you: morale, freedom from interruptions, etc.

• Culture of Trust– gives you: productivity, quality, etc.

• Daily Scrums– gives you: visibility, common understanding, etc.

Agile Options (1 of ?)

What’s Needed Project Option What You Get

Customer involvement in sprintGood sprint managementAll roles available in sprint

Development & Test Option 1(All testing in the sprint)

Fast time to marketResponsive to change

Later customer involvement for UATSeparate development and test rolesContinuous test and development neededBranching (version management)

Development & Test Option 2(Parallel test sprints)

Slower time to marketLess responsiveness

??? Development & Test Option 3(Occasional test sprints)

???

Let’s Look at Further Agile Options...

What’s Needed Project Option What you get