How to Boost Test Efficiency in Agile Development | David Tzemach
Evaluating the system and each of its components to see if they satisfy the needs of the end-user is just as crucial as developing the system itself. The challenge also stems from the fact that maintaining the testing pace is challenging in the quick-paced environments of agile and cloud architectures.
Agile teams are required to approach their testing efforts differently than traditional testing teams. While maintaining the high-quality standards demanded by the market and customers, testing in Agile development must be done in very short cycles. To accelerate and improve the effectiveness of the software testing life cycle, testing techniques must be developed and implemented.
Here are a few strategies to improve your testing's effectiveness and speed.
Testing in parallel
As opposed to performing each test in turn sequentially, running two or more test cases simultaneously can help you finish the job much more quickly. The secret, in this case, is to keep the right perspective and pay close attention to the details. By using parallel testing, the team can run more tests in a comparatively shorter amount of time and accomplish more testing goals. The drawback is that tests that are running concurrently may collide, especially if they are utilizing the same product resources.
Automated Testing That Is Simple And Clear
It's time to change your testing strategy if the majority of your testing time is spent waiting for a setup or an upgrade. Instead of taking the conventional route, using specialized software tools created just for the job can help you save a ton of time. Additionally, the amount of time needed depends on the scope of the test cases. The objectives must be distinct, concise, and clear.
Undoubtedly, automated testing speeds up testing significantly, but automating the incorrect things can have unintended consequences. Stop attempting to save time by automating everything. Unit tests, which are the smallest type of test, are the best kind of tests to automate. Although manual testing is very effective for user interfaces, it is better suited for situations that call for in-depth human analysis and intuition. On the other hand, automated testing is faster and more data-driven when it comes to repeatable tests. Consequently, it is advised to accelerate your testing cycles.
Implementing Tools
The capacity to effectively use all of the resources at its disposal can be one of a tester's most important skills. Investing in the right open-source frameworks or automation tools can greatly ease your life as a quality assurance professional. To improve output, quality, and customer satisfaction, a variety of tools are available. By selecting the right set of tools based on the requirements of your application, you can save a ton of time.
It's Vital to Communicate
Teamwork has its prospects and impacts. It is the responsibility of a test engineer to make the most of his team, which is his most valuable resource. The workload should be evenly distributed among the team members. The task will be completed quickly and with less effort, if everyone agrees with the documentation, test strategy, planning, and implementation method.
Save time by reducing Test data creation
The majority of automated tests produce test data as they are being run automatically. Overall, skipping this process and directly creating the data in the database would save time. Database calls have typically been found to be quite efficient in terms of time and cost. By minimizing user interface interaction, the test can be made quicker and more accurate. This strategy might not be as useful if the project involves intricate database interactions.
Recognizing test theory
You will unquestionably get better results if you have a solid theoretical foundation in the field of testing. It is the first measure taken to guarantee the quality of the product. Unit, integration, performance, and user interface tests can all be distinguished from one another. The Test Pyramid, for instance, suggests that testers increase the number of tests at the bottom of the pyramid. UI tests typically take longer to complete than tests executed at a lower level.
The Secret Is Being Organized
Despite being one of the most important tips ever for accelerating the testing process, it is frequently overlooked. While running software through various test cases, organizing your test cases may not be a priority it may be the last thing on your mind—but it saves a lot of time. It greatly facilitates the process for you. As a result, one of the essential skills for a software test engineer to possess is effective test management techniques. For use and reference in the future, all data and automation reports must be maintained accurately. The cycle can be repeated more quickly if it's necessary to run the test cases again.
Making Use Of A Modular Approach
You can build a comprehensive test suite of manual and automated tests that is relatively simpler to maintain by using a modular approach to test management. These suites can occasionally make it simpler for the engineer to analyze failure when defects are found. Additionally, the modular tests can be reused, saving the quality assurance team a lot of time spent on test rewriting. The strategy produces tests that are arranged according to function and provide a solid framework for developing automated tests.
Besides that, the tester should concentrate more on the execution of tests and the discovery of application flaws rather than creating new tests from scratch each time. Finding an existing module and editing it to comply with the testing requirements can save a lot of time.
Seeking the appropriate metrics
It's crucial to evaluate your team's performance using the appropriate metrics. The team will ultimately waste time if it continues to concentrate on the wrong set of goals. To move forward in the right way, testing objectives must be clearly defined. If the team keeps concentrating on a set of unattainable goals, it can be very difficult to map your test strategy to high-level business objectives. The defined parameters must be accurate, succinct, and necessary. Goal over-or under-estimation can result in significant time loss.
These are some of the best recommendations for accelerating testing cycles. It is not difficult to achieve faster testing. Finding a satisfying balance between quality and speed is interesting. To see the magic, simply make a few minor adjustments to your current automation strategy.