Agile and Exploratory Testing

2 Days

This workshop teaches what agile software testing is all about and how to perform testing in ways that are able to keep up with high-speed and rapidly changing software development. You will learn about collaborative development and testing methods, exploratory and session-based testing, and how to find and perform inexpensive test automation. 

You will also learn how to achieve quality software in an agile project by having good stakeholder involvement. You will learn how requirements are developed on agile projects and how agile inspections can show management how many defects are being introduced and missed in project deliverables. You will also learn how to deal with the people issues in software testing.  You will learn by working in teams to perform tests and to perform exercises which build key skills for agile and exploratory testing.

You will:

• Learn the basics of agile testing and exploratory testing
• Understand what is needed to implement agile testing and be successful
• Learn new ways of thinking about software testing
• Learn how to manage exploratory testing
• Understand the role of tools in agile and exploratory testing

Who Should Attend

• Test Managers and Team Leaders
• Software Testers
• QA Managers and Analysts
• Software Project Managers
• Software Developers
• Trainers
• Consultants

Topics

Module 1 (ATA) – The Basics of Agile Development and Testing (1 hr.)

This module explores the basic tenets of agile development and what it means for testing to be agile.

•     The basic tenets of agile development
•     The Agile Manifesto
•     The benefits of agile development
•     The drawbacks of agile development
•     The organization of agile development teams
•     What is agile testing?
•     How is agile testing performed?
•     Dealing with the downside of agile methods
  
  

Module 2 (ATB) – Understanding Agile Methods (1 hr.)

This module is an overview of the more commonly used agile methods.

•     Extreme Programming (XP)
•     SCRUM
•     Lean Development
•     Continuous integration
•     The role of requirements, user stories and use cases
•     Agile testing and the web
  
  

Module 3 (ATC) – Collaboration Techniques (2 hrs.)

This module explores what to means to work as a team of diverse professionals – developers, testers, technical writers, etc. to build quality systems. Effective collaboration is a requirement to be successful in applying agile methods and this module teaches ways to work together well, even if there has been team strife in the past.

•     What is collaboration?
•     The value of collaboration
•     How to build a collaborative culture
•     How to work as a small team
•     Getting developers and testers to work side by side
•     Solving common problems
  
  

Module 4 (STBA) - Surviving the Top Ten Challenges of Software Testing (1.5 hrs.)

This module describes the most commonly mentioned problems by software testers. You will learn the nature of each challenge and solution strategies for each challenge.

•     The Top 10 Challenges
•     Solutions to Each Challenge
  
  

Module 5 (ATC) – Exploratory Testing (2 hrs.)

This module explains exploratory testing and how to perform it. You will learn by performing an exploratory test of a sample software application.

• What exploratory testing is
• What exploratory testing isn’t
• Common objections to exploratory testing
• Benefits of exploratory testing
• How to test when you have no specs or requirements
• How to perform exploratory testing
• How to evaluate exploratory testing
• How to get better at exploratory testing
• Exercise: Performing exploratory testing
  
  

Module 6 (ATD) – Session-based Testing (1.5 hrs.)

This module explains session-based testing, which is a great way to organize, plan and manage exploratory testing.

• What is session-based testing?
• How to measure session-based tests
• Exercise: Performing a session-based test
  
  

Module 7 (ATE) – Automating Agile Tests (1.5 hrs)

This module describes the use of tools and automation in agile testing.

• Quick tool overview
• Overview of scripting languages
• How to do more with less
• Pairwise testing with Allpairs tool
• Automation with macro drivers and scripting languages
• Demo and “follow-me" session of automating a test
  
  

Module 8 (ATF) – Agile Inspections (1.5 hrs.)

Agile inspections are totally different than traditional technical inspections. This module explains how agile inspections are performed and how to realize their value. You will be able to practice an agile inspection by performing it in a team setting.

• What are agile inspections?
• How agile inspections differ from traditional inspections
• Management’s role in agile inspections
• The value of agile inspections
• How to conduct and implement agile inspections
• Exercise: Performing an agile inspection
  
  

Module 9 (ATG) – Summary (.25 hrs)

This module summaries the event and gives you the chance to discuss any final questions and comments.

• Top 10 workshop points