What is so different about being a tester and an Agile Tester? Are there some special skills defined for an Agile Tester? Is their testing based on different guidelines? Let this blog help you unfold few details about Agile Tester. Read on…
Agile Tester – The Definition!
Agile Tester: A professional tester who embraces change, collaborates well with both technical and business people, and understands the concept of using tests to document requirements and drive development. Agile testers tend to have good technical skills, know how to collaborate with others to automate tests, and are also experienced exploratory testers. They always have the urge to learn what customers do, so that they can better understand the customers’ software requirements.
Who is an Agile Tester?
Simple, a team member who drives Agile Testing is an Agile Tester. True, there are many Agile testers who started out in some other specialization. A developer becomes test-infected and branches out beyond unit testing. An exploratory tester, accustomed to working in an agile manner, is attracted to the idea of an agile team. Professionals in other roles, such as business or functional analysts, might share the same traits and do much of the same work.
Skills are indeed important, but it’s the attitude that counts more. Testers tend to see the big picture. Agile Testers look at the application more from a user or customer point of view, which means they’re usually customer-focused and this obviously gains brand reputation.
What is an Agile Tester’s mental make-up?
Any testing team wants to execute their best work but Agile team is one that continually focuses on doing its best work and delivering the best possible product. This involves huge amount of discipline, learning, time, experimentation, and working together as a team. Successful projects are a result of good people allowed to do good work together. The characteristics that make someone succeed as a tester on an agile team are probably the same characteristics that make a highly valued tester in any team.
Agile Testers vs. Testers: An agile tester is always on the go to seek and distribute information, to work with the customer or product owner in order to assist them express their requirements adequately so that they can get the features they need, and to provide feedback on project progress to everyone involved. Agile testers, like their agile teammates, enjoy learning new skills and taking on new challenges, and they don’t limit themselves to solving only testing issues. This isn’t just a trait of testers; we see it in all agile team members. Agile testers help the developer and customer teams address any kind of issue that might arise. Testers can provide information that helps the team look back and learn what’s working and what isn’t.
Testers might have special expertise and experience in testing, but a good Agile tester isn’t afraid to jump into a design discussion with suggestions that will help testability or create a more elegant solution. Creativity, openness to ideas, willingness to take on any task or role, focus on the customer, and a constant view of the big picture are just some components of the agile testing mind-set. Good testers have an instinct and understanding for where and how software might fail, and how to track down failures.
An agile testing mind-set is one that is results-oriented, craftsman-like, collaborative, eager to learn, and passionate about delivering business value in a timely manner. They are customer-focused and solve the problem till the end.
Agile Principles for an Agile Tester
- Constant feedback
- Deliver value to the customer
- Enable face-to-face communication
- Respond to change
- Be courageous to face any situation – customer or testing
- Go for simplicity
- Focus on people
- Aim for continuous improvement
- Self-organized
Referral- Agile Testing: A Practical Guide for Testers and Agile Teams
