As a QA Testing Engineer, I have worked on different SDLC models (software development lifecycle models). One of the most recently introduced SDLC models is “Agile Methodologies”. Nowadays, being “agile” is considered more appropriate and is chosen more often over the traditional methods like “waterfall” models.

Creating an agile environment for QA testing has developed a cult following. Like most of the QA engineers here at tCognition, I subscribe to the “Agile Manifesto” (from agilemanifesto.org):

“We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others do it. Through this work we have come to value:

Individuals and interactions over processes and tools Working software over comprehensive documentation Customer collaboration over contract negotiation Responding to change over following a plan

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

QA Testing in an Agile Environment – “Sprinting”:

The agile process is followed in software development where requirements are changed frequently and there is a need to show the working software at frequent intervals. This is where sprinting comes into play.

All the requirements together in a single project are called product backlogs. The backlogs are divided into multiple iterations, or “sprints”. A single sprint will undergo plan, design, and development. Afterward, the solution to these requirements is tested and reviewed.

A set of requirements that can be implemented independently or on top of the previous sprint work are taken and recorded in documents called user stories. Development is performed on the current sprint’s user story. A typical sprint span lasts about 2-4 weeks. Each sprint is followed by testing activities and any issues/bugs are fixed. After this testing, the code is ready to be deployed.

There will be multiple sprints in any given project until all the requirements from the product backlog are covered and the project is completed end-to-end.

Tips on Creating an Agile “Environment”:

Key points to be remembered while working on a project that follows an Agile Framework:

1. Purpose: Think about what this project is all about and what is needed to implement the solution.
2. Teamwork is very important. Frequent interactions with your teammates are a must. Consider it like a bunch of mini or micro-projects where a single project has to be delivered in a 2-4 week span.
3. Active participation in all the scrum meetings and holding brainstorm sessions are essential.
4. Each user story should be discussed and mapped by the QA testing team and all the requirement gaps should be found as early as possible.
5. Give feedback: communication promotes agile methodologies.
6. Testers should always keep an end-to-end approach in mind even though it is one sprint at a time!
7. Test data preparation needs to be done well in advance. The following points should be considered:
   – What kind of test data is required?
   – Can the test data created be reused in current and future sprints?
8. A few sprints should be allocated for regression testing and system testing at the end to make sure the application is working fine end-to-end.

Read More: UAT vs. SIT Testing in QA – tCognition