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Agile Standards and Best Practices for SDET

Introduction to Agile Testing:

Testing in an Agile Environment ensures Quality is embedded right into the Iterative, Incremental and Collaborative approach of Agile Software Development.  Unlike the Waterfall Model, Agile Testing endless collaboration between development and testing. It is not a sequential but the continuous process.



















1.Program Increment Planning:


PI Planning is like a big meeting where all the different teams in a company get together to figure out what they're going to work on for the next couple of months. During this meeting:


1. They talk about the big picture goals and where the company is headed.

2. They decide what specific tasks or projects they'll focus on.

3. Teams estimate how much work each task will take and promise to finish them by the deadline.

4. They also discuss any potential problems that might come up and how to deal with them.

5. Finally, they make a detailed plan with timelines and goals for everyone to follow.


Throughout the next few months, they keep checking in to see how things are going and make changes if needed. Basically, it's all about making sure everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goals.


2.Backlog Refinement:


Backlog refinement is like tidying up your to-do list in the world of agile project management. Here's how it works:


1. Sorting Out Priorities: The team, along with the product owner, goes through the list of tasks or features they need to work on. They decide what's most important and what can wait.


2. Breaking Down Big Tasks: Sometimes, tasks are too big to tackle all at once. So, they break them into smaller, more manageable pieces to make them easier to work on.


3. Figuring Out Time and Effort: They estimate how much time and effort each task will take. This helps them plan their work for the upcoming sprint.


4. Getting into Details: They make sure each task is crystal clear. They talk about what exactly needs to be done, any special requirements, and how they'll know when it's finished.


5. Keeping Things Up to Date: They make sure the list stays current. They add new tasks as they come up and remove ones that aren't needed anymore.


By the end of it, the team has a neat and organized list of tasks that are ready to be tackled in the next sprint. It's all about making sure everyone knows what they're doing and what needs to be done next.

3.Sprint Planning:


Sprint planning is like mapping out your road trip before hitting the road in the agile world. Here's what goes down:


1. Setting the Destination:The team, along with the Product Owner, decides on the main goal they want to achieve by the end of the sprint. It's like deciding which city you want to reach by the end of your trip.


2. Packing the Essentials:They pick out the most important tasks or features from the to-do list (the backlog) that will help them reach their goal. These tasks become the focus for the upcoming sprint.


3. Breaking Down the Journey: For each task, they break it down into smaller steps, just like planning rest stops along the way. This makes it easier to manage and track progress.


4. Estimating the Travel Time: They estimate how much time and effort each task will take, similar to estimating how long it'll take to drive between each stop on your trip.


5. Making Sure It's Doable: Based on their time estimates and capacity, they decide if they can realistically complete everything they've planned for the sprint. It's like making sure you can cover the distance without exhausting yourself.


6. Finalizing the Plan: Once everything's sorted, they've got their sprint plan ready to roll. It's a clear roadmap of what they'll be working on for the next leg of their journey.


And just like that, they're all set to dive into the sprint, knowing exactly where they're headed and how they're going to get there.

4.Test Specific Sprint Activities:


"Test Specific Sprint Activities" are the tasks and actions focused on testing software features during a sprint in agile development. Here's a rundown:


1. Planning:Testers and developers team up to strategize how testing will be carried out for the features planned in the sprint.


2. Designing Tests:Testers create detailed test cases based on what needs to be tested, outlining scenarios to ensure the software works as intended.


3. Executing Tests: Testers run the planned tests on the developed features, manually or automatically, to spot any bugs or issues.


4. Reporting Bugs:Testers document and communicate any problems found during testing to the development team so they can be fixed.


5. Regression Testing: Ensuring that new changes haven't broken existing functionality by retesting previously working features.


6. Exploratory Testing: Testers explore the software dynamically, looking for defects or usability issues not covered by planned tests.


7. Automation:Automating repetitive or critical tests to improve testing efficiency and coverage.


8. Peer Reviews:Collaborating with peers to review and refine test cases, ensuring they are thorough and aligned with requirements.


These activities are done throughout the sprint to maintain software quality and readiness for release. Effective teamwork is crucial for successful testing outcomes.

5.Sprint Demo:


A Sprint Demo is like a show-and-tell session at the end of a sprint in agile development. Here's how it works:


1. Showing Off the Work: The development team presents the features they've completed during the sprint, demonstrating how they work in real-time.


2. Getting Feedback:Stakeholders, like product owners and customers, give their thoughts on the showcased features, helping ensure they meet expectations.


3. Checking Goals:The team reviews the goals they set at the start of the sprint to see if they've achieved them, giving everyone a sense of progress.


4. Planning Next Steps:Based on feedback and outcomes, the team and stakeholders discuss what to focus on next and any adjustments needed.


5. Celebrating Wins:It's also a chance to pat each other on the back for a job well done and acknowledge everyone's hard work.


In short, it's a collaborative event that keeps everyone on the same page, ensures progress is on track, and celebrates accomplishments.

6.Test Deliverables:

Test deliverables are like the paperwork of quality assurance in software development. Here's a breakdown:


1. Test Plan: It's like the master plan for testing, outlining what needs to be tested, how, and when.


2. Test Cases:These are detailed instructions for testing specific parts of the software, ensuring that it works as expected.


3. Test Scripts: For automated testing, these are like the scripts that tell the testing tools what to do.


4. Test Data:Think of this as the material testers use to put the software through its paces, including various inputs and scenarios.


5. Test Reports:These are summaries of how testing went, including what worked, what didn't, and any issues found.


6. Defect Reports:They're records of any problems found during testing, describing what went wrong and how severe it is.


7. Traceability Matrix: This is like a map showing how each part of the software connects to the tests, ensuring everything gets tested.


8. Test Environment Setup: It's the instructions for creating the right conditions for testing, like setting up a lab for experiments.


9. Test Logs: These are records of everything that happened during testing, like a diary of the software's behavior.


10. Test Closure Report: It's a summary of the testing process, highlighting what was learned and any recommendations for next time.


Together, these deliverables make sure that the software is thoroughly tested and meets the quality standards expected. They're the paperwork that proves everything's been done right.

7.Sprint Review:

The Sprint Review is like a project progress meeting at the end of each sprint in the agile world. Here's how it goes:


1. Showing What's Done:The development team presents what they've accomplished during the sprint, showcasing the features they've built or improved.


2. Hearing Feedback:Stakeholders, like product owners and customers, give their thoughts on the presented work, sharing insights and suggesting changes.


3. Checking the List: Everyone reviews the project to-do list (the backlog), updating it based on feedback and any new ideas that have come up.


4. Talking Progress:The team and stakeholders discuss how things are going overall, including any challenges faced and what's been achieved so far.


5. Planning Ahead:Based on the feedback and discussion, they plan the next steps, deciding what to work on next and any adjustments needed to the project plans.


In short, it's a collaborative meeting to review progress, gather feedback, and set the course for the next phase of work.



8.Agile Adoption:


Agile adoption is like remodeling a house to make it more adaptable and responsive. Here's how it works:


1. Changing Mindsets: It's about getting everyone on board with a new way of thinking that values collaboration, flexibility, and continuous improvement.


2. Learning New Skills:Teams and individuals need to learn agile methodologies and practices through workshops, training, and coaching.


3. Updating Processes: Existing processes and workflows are revamped to fit the agile principles, involving redefining roles, restructuring teams, and changing how work is planned and executed.


4. Investing in Tools:New tools and technologies are brought in to support agile practices, like collaboration software and automated testing tools.


5. Taking Small Steps: Agile adoption happens in stages, starting with small pilot projects or teams before scaling up across the organization. This allows for learning and adjustments along the way.


6. Always Improving:Agile adoption is a journey of continuous improvement, where teams regularly reflect on their practices and make adjustments based on feedback and experience.


In essence, it's about creating a more nimble and customer-focused organization that can respond quickly to change and deliver value more efficiently.








Agile Testing Process:



Testing Activities, Deliverables and Best Practices:


Phase

Agile Process

SDET Activities & Best Practices

Deliverables



Requirements Phase

Product / Sprint Back Log Refinement

  • SDET team should understand scope of features and stories by actively participating in the Product and Backlog Refinement sessions.

  •  Asking relevant questions and gathering all the required information to estimate and plan for testing involved for a particular feature / story.




Story Refinement and Grooming

  • SDET team to acquire in depth understanding of the stories discussed during the Story Refinement and Grooming session.

  • SDET team should understand the acceptance criteria and seek clarifications from the Product Owner and rest of the team members. 





Test

Planning

Sprint Planning

  • SDET team should re-estimate the story points for testing based on the effort and complexity.

  • Test Strategy / Test Plan should be created for all major feature development as part of the MVP. 

  • SDET Team shall obtain necessary sign-off of the Test Strategy / Test Plan walkthrough with the Product Owner

Test Strategy / Test Plan for the features develop as part of the MVP. 



Test Design 

Test Cases Creation

  • SDET team should prepare the test scenarios / cases, test data (created / identified), peer review should be complete before uploading the test cases to the test management tool.

  • SDET team should provide test case walkthrough to the PO and other team members, the goal of this walkthrough is to identify any edge cases / negative / relevant cases that the SDET team missed covering as part of the test design.

  • SDET team should seek formal approval in the Jira for the test cases development for a particular feature / bug.

Test Cases created should be uploaded to the test management tool.

Formal approval / sign off for test cases from Product Owner.



Test Execution

Test Execution

  • SDET team should execute the test cases in the test management toolfor Functional testing and Automation testing. 

  • SDET team should document the test execution in test management tool and upload all the test evidence to Jira.

Test evidence should be documented and uploaded to Jira.



Defect Management

Defect Management

  • SDET team should log all the defects identified in the Jira and have a defect triage meeting, the severity and priority needs to set for all the defects created in Jira.

Defects should be logged into Jira



Test Review / Sign Off

SDET Sign Off

  • SDET team should review the test evidence and the test execution report with the Product Owner

  • SDET should seek formal approval from the Product Owner for the testing performed for a particular user story / defect, after the PO verification the story / task / bug should be moved 'Done' when all the acceptance criteria are met.

Approval in Jira Story / Bug / Task and moved to Done Status. 



 

I hope this article proves helpful to you.Feel free to explore my other blog posted on Selenium Exceptions and the blog link is provided here for your reference.("https://www.numpyninja.com/post/fixing-most-common-exceptions-in-selenium-webdriver").

Appreciate your time and interest in reading!

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