Agile testing theory and practice-4

[This article is the fourth article of agile Testing Theory and Practice (Article 1, Article 2, Article 3, Article 4, Article 5, Article 6, Article 7 )]

 

 

As mentioned aboveQuasi-agile TestingThe model is almost the same as what we call agile testing. But to understand the true agile testing, we still need to go back to agile development. We have already said this at the beginning, agile testing is actually part of agile development. Therefore, the value of agile development also applies to agile testing. What values does agile have? There are five in total, which areSimplicity, communication, feedback, courage, and humility.

 

Looking at these five words, I think most people may be confused. Can Agile be summarized in five words? Just like the secret of martial arts in a movie, a trick is just like a picture. We don't even know what it is, and people will be able to refine their work as soon as they see it.

 

In fact, these values do not teach you how to implement agility, but how to treat development with a certain attitude:Always think about the simplest way to solve the problems that need to be solved. always communicate with developers/customers and have the courage to make decisions for positive feedback, respect each member of the team.For the first time you understand agility, I believe these values are almost useless and may even confuse you. What is agility, but once you have understood agility, you will find that, ah, it is indeed like this, and it is very good! (In philosophy, the development of things always requires a stage of negation, and the understanding of knowledge is the same. At first, I thought the concept was very simple and I thought I had understood it (yes ); further, I found more and more problems, and felt that I could not understand (deny). Finally, I had to think about and practice it and finally understood it thoroughly, you will feel that the simple concepts at the beginning are very incisive and should be so simple! (No = yes))

 

However, we are lucky to be a pioneer because many of our predecessors have helped us understand these values and have developed many ways to implement them. However, we cannot stick to this concept, after all, people come up with a solution that is based on the actual situation of others and may not be suitable for our situation. The best solution isExtract its essence, discard its dregs, and improve it based on actual conditions.

 

Next I will start to talk aboutWhat is a true agile test model?How can we combine it with our company?Take its essence and discard its dregs, and improve it based on actual conditions.

 

Of course, this so-called true agile testing model is also the mainstream model in the industry. Our company's actual use is still different, which will be mentioned below.

 

As mentioned aboveQuasi-agile TestingIn fact, the true agile test is only improved and enriched, soCommunication with customers,Actively respond to changes in demand, AndSynchronization of development and testingThese exist. Of course, agile testing has improved and increased many places, mainly including:

 

1.The process needs to be iterated:A certain amount of functions need to be completed in each iteration cycle, and incomplete functions cannot be checked in code. These functions need to be strictly tested, and major serious bugs need to be fixed during development, in this way, you can get a working and relatively stable build at the end. This iteration cycle is complete and the next iteration cycle starts. In this way, similar to our road construction, we need to build several layers of foundation for road construction. After each layer of foundation is strictly built, we need to lay the above layer, so that even if the top layer is broken, you only need to repair the top layer, but it will not affect the quality of the lower layer. If the bottom layer is not strict, each layer will be damaged. If you want to repair the bottom layer, it takes so many layers of foundation to be repaired. SoIteration requires a high level of testing.Because only by finding and fixing the major bug of this iteration can the following iteration cycle be unaffected, so that the problems that may arise in the future can be repaired without hitting the bottom layer, "Hitting the bottom layer" means manpower, material resources, time, and the most importantProduct Quality!

 

The following is a simple iteration, which should be understandable.

 

 

2.The test should not only communicate with customers, but also communicate with people in the company frequently.Because everyone in a company has only one common goal, that is, to develop the company well, so that others such as their own development and treatment can be achieved. The actual work is as follows:

 

A. The test requires you to fully understand the knowledge points of the requirement. If you do not understand or have doubts, you must communicate with the design in a timely manner. This will allow you to better understand the requirements and even help the designers discover errors;

 

B. testers often need to communicate with developers to see which other modules will be affected by fixing bugs and the main causes of problems, how can we make it possible to return bugs as quickly as possible, so as to help you grasp the test direction and help developers quickly fix bugs and avoid similar bugs in the future.

 

C. tests also need to communicate with testers to find out how to issue quality bugs, how to cover a lot of test points, and how to solve problems that cannot be solved by themselves, help others and help themselves. (Every Hitachi will be a good solution)

 

D. the test also requires communication with yourself, constantly reflecting on your own advantages and disadvantages, reflecting on the advantages and disadvantages of the team, reflecting on the advantages and disadvantages of the company, and boldly proposing and implementing improvement suggestions, prepare for better work in the future. (Reflection will be a way)

 

Communication: only communication can understand the ideas of both parties. In this way, we can eliminate the obstacles and difficulties in the forward, so that everyone can move forward with the same belief in the same direction.

 

 

3.Establish an effective monitoring mechanism:The so-called detection mechanism has two main points: one is monitoring the test, and the other is monitoring the product. The main purpose of the test monitoring is to check whether the coverage of the test is comprehensive, and compare the detected bugs with the coverage of the test. These help increase the coverage of the test and increase the bug discovery rate; there are two main points for product monitoring: whether the progress of function and bug fixing is controllable and predictable; and how bugs are discovered, that is, what is the quality of the product, and what is the trend of quality development.

 

I mainly want to add three points. Of course, if I think of others, I will modify this article. I have read many articles about agile testing on the Internet, many of which are standard Chinese translations of foreign English interpretations, and of course there are some of my own ideas, so the distance is different, but since agile is just an idea, it won't stick to any implementation method, so everyone has a different idea. In fact, as long as you think that your method is agile, you can think that it is agile and you don't have to worry about what people think. People's methods are not necessarily suitable for you, if you have a way to deliver the right product at the right time, that's OK.

 

So next I will introduce the implementation of agile testing in our company according to our company's process. Some of them may be difficult for mainstream agile testing, however, I think they are more in line with our company's reality. If you have different opinions or better methods, I will accept them carefully.

 

(To be continued)