Introduce or enhance Test Approach

Owned by Katsiaryna_Subach
Last updated: Jan 17, 2022 by Aleksandr Bogush
2 min read

  1. Set SLA for fixing top priority defects and introduce the rule of switching priority to blocker resolution instead of current tasks execution, buffer for issues handling should be allocated into sprint workload ahead

  2. Set severity and priority to issues -> and then, revisit test strategy (potentially the system is overloaded with low priority bugs not critical to functionality and business)

  3. Create test strategy and test plan if it's relevant to the project based on its timelines, complexity, project and business goals

  4. Revisit test strategy to make sure it's focused on the right things, i.e. low severity areas not of business priority are not in major attention during verification or low priority issues can be dismissed upon client's approval

  5. Revisit bug reporting process, create template for bug report specifying requirements for it, i.e. logs and screenshots, API traffic should be provided.

  6. Revisit test strategy to make it in alignment with project and business goal, i.e. test coverage should include  end user's flow using scenarios or soap opera as technique

  7. Introduce test case template with obligatory fields and specify requirements to each and any test case . Also, introduce procedure of TCs review and approval (by QA lead, or other testers)

  8. Introduce automated testing and create scripts for regression suite

  9. Introduce Quality Gates, i.e. in what conditions we are allowed to proceed with deployment to further environments for regression testing, and release preparation

  10. If no time / resources for QA verification include only smoke tests for new feature verification during sprint execution, and add all other tests to quality debt backlog, once in several iterations in at least one release cycle organize EngX sprint were dev team will focus on development processes enhancements and bug fixing if there are any issues in backlog, and QA team - on extended testing of developed new featurees from quality debt backlog

EngX recommendations

  • Introduce NFR testing in accordance with defined requirements​

  • Set up test automation process on the project. Define and prioritize Scope for automation testing. Evaluate Test Automation tool for the project. Automate Smoke tests firstly. Collaborate with developers regarding test automation coverage to minimize duplication. For each feature define tests that should be covered on different levels - unit, API and UI. Increase test automation coverage to execute regression testing automatically in sprints. Update Test Plan and Test Strategy adding Test Automation process there.

  • Create a  traceability matrix for tracking requirements

  • Include smoke test as quality gate for every build in CI/CD pipeline

  • Consider using a common tool in order to store information on how testing is to be done, plan testing activities and report the status of quality assurance activities

  • Constantly review and adjust test strategy to achieve better product quality

  • Perform RCA in order to catch defects as early as possible - Describe the reasons why defects were leaked, e.g. no enough time to complete testing, regression, environment, data specific, missed in requirements. Create a test case for missed defect, automate it and include into regression pack to validate. Test Lead should create action items to avoid this situation in the future. 

Useful materials

Internal: Effective test strategy - Effective Test StrategyÂ