7 reasons to choose Agile testing and the importance of automation

The moniker "Agile" has gained traction in the software domain over the past couple of decades. Agile methodology involves continuous development and testing throughout the software development lifecycle (SDLC) with frequent iterations. Communication between all the stakeholders, including customers, is at the core of this methodology.

Each iteration in Agile methodology involves communication between the teams and tweaking the product based on the feedback. The goal is to deliver a chunk or the entire functionality of the software after each iteration. Delivery of the project takes center stage in this methodology, less time is spent on the documentation.

Agile methodology follows an incremental and iterative approach for the SDLC so changes are embraced. Owing to this approach, there is no fixed time frame for the project and the teams are flexible and adaptable to changes. Leadership encourages teamwork, while accountability and seamless communication is considered paramount to the success in this methodology. There is no stage-wise execution of the project so parallel execution of the various parts of the project is preferred to save time.

Agile testing is a part of the Agile methodology and derives all of its characteristics from the latter. Constant tweaking based on the feedback from all the stakeholders results in test cases which are highly optimized and easy to maintain.

Challenges faced in traditional testing methods

Common challenges plaguing projects' testing phases are:

• Inefficient testing - In a normal scenario, testing is done, changes are made to the software based on the output, and then tested again. This is followed by waiting for the changes to be updated; further testing results in affecting the workflow.

• Lack of communication - Usually in a testing project, the QA team analyzes the results and tweaks the test cases. But there is no proper communication between the QA team, developers, business analysts, and customers, thereby, missing out on optimum coverage of bugs that could arise from the real-world scenario.

• Code refactoring - Code for the software is initially written with a purpose and, later, changes are made to them based on the testing results. These subsequent changes to the code, aimed at resolving the errors, affect its quality and require more maintenance.

Reasons for choosing Agile testing

Agile testing is preferred for the following reasons:

• Better output - The iterative approach in Agile testing mainly focuses on communication between all the teams, including customers. This inclusiveness leads to better understanding of the requirements from all perspectives. Dedicating more time for communication and less on documentation greatly improves the productivity which is reflected in the final product.

• Continuous testing - Continuous testing refers to the process of testing every time changes are made to the codebase. Simultaneous execution of testing and development is an integral part of Agile testing. Even though continuous testing can be achieved manually, a DevOps team depends on a test automation platform to execute continuous testing efficiently.

• Improved testcase writing - A smaller team comprised of developers and testers with expertise in their respective fields collaborate effectively at regular intervals to create test cases which align with the project's requirements. Test cases are optimized specifically to address bugs that might arise in the project.

• Time saving - When all the teams communicate and collaborate effectively following the Agile testing principles, bug fixes are faster and time is saved. Work is completed in sprints—dedicated short durations of time, focused on producing a working product at the end of each sprint. As a whole, sprints contribute to a shorter software development lifecycle.

• Easier application maintenance - Initially, every line of code written for the product is based on the requirements of the project. Each subsequent addition or alteration to the codebase is based on feedback from the testing phase of the iterations. This level of control over the product facilitates easier access and changes to the corresponding part of the codebase with the help of software versioning.

• Better test coverage - All teams collaborate with the singular goal of providing a better finished product after the end of all iterations. This collaboration, combined with the feedback during each iteration, ensures better test coverage during the entire testing phase of the project.

• Relevant metrics - Multiple metrics are measured in an Agile project that helps in understanding various aspects, including team performance among others. These metrics are used for checking the progress of the project and for estimating the resources required to complete the project.

Impact of automation on Agile testing

Automation is the process of executing tasks without human intervention. In Agile testing, automation can help in executing testcases using different parameters of choice. The following are the impact of automation on Agile testing:

• Scheduled execution - Test cases can be executed at a particular date and time of choice without the need for intervention from the QA team.

• Continuous testing - The automated execution of test cases facilitates continuous testing, which is an essential part of Agile testing.

• Repetitive testing - A combination of similar test cases with multiple parameters can be executed easily with automation.

• Accuracy - Automation helps execute multiple test cases in succession or parallel devoid of human errors. This leads to high accuracy in testing and contributes towards a better final product.

Zoho QEngine for Agile test automation

Zoho QEngine is a powerful and versatile test automation tool, which has a low-code based, easy-to-use UI for testing on multiple platforms—web, mobile, and APIs—in a single window. The testing platform can be run on powerful cloud agents to test for different operating systems, or on local machines to test for specific system configurations. Zoho QEngine's no-code web recorder for web testing, and smart low-code based UI with pre-defined actions for testing ensures that a lot of time is saved.

Zoho QEngine's ability to quickly make frequent changes to the test cases based on the feedback from the meetings is paramount to the execution of Agile testing. Test case management with the detailed analysis of reports on the platform ensures that bugs are identified and addressed effectively. Continuous testing with the collaboration of teams while maintaining user access control on Zoho QEngine, ensures implementation of Agile methodology in the testing projects for organizations.

Automation plays a vital role in implementing Agile testing practices during the testing phase of projects. Zoho QEngine is smart and capable of scheduling automated tests in sequence or parallel for the projects irrespective of the team size. The testing software fits perfectly into the workflow of any organization, and compliments the Agile testing processes.