How do you adapt your testing strategy and plan to changing requirements and feedback in agile cycles?

1 Understand the scope and goals

The first step to adapt your testing strategy and plan is to understand the scope and goals of each agile cycle, or sprint. You need to know what features and functionalities are planned, what are the acceptance criteria, and what are the risks and dependencies. You also need to align your testing objectives with the business value and user feedback that you want to achieve. By understanding the scope and goals, you can prioritize your testing efforts and focus on the most important aspects of quality.

2 Collaborate with the team and stakeholders

The second step to adapt your testing strategy and plan is to collaborate with the team and stakeholders throughout the agile cycle. You need to communicate frequently and effectively with the developers, product owners, business analysts, and users to get the latest information and feedback on the requirements, design, code, and usability. You also need to share your testing results and findings with them, and solicit their input and suggestions for improvement. By collaborating with the team and stakeholders, you can ensure that you test the right things, at the right time, and in the right way.

3 Choose the appropriate testing techniques and tools

The third step to adapt your testing strategy and plan is to choose the appropriate testing techniques and tools for each agile cycle. You need to consider the type, level, scope, and complexity of testing that you need to perform, and select the most suitable methods and tools to support your testing activities. For example, you may use exploratory testing, test-driven development, behavior-driven development, or acceptance test-driven development to test the functionality, usability, and performance of the software. You may also use automation tools, test management tools, defect tracking tools, or collaboration tools to facilitate your testing process and documentation.

4 Plan and execute your testing activities

The fourth step to adapt your testing strategy and plan is to plan and execute your testing activities in each agile cycle. You need to define your testing tasks, schedule, resources, and deliverables, and align them with the sprint goals and timeline. You also need to execute your testing activities in a timely and efficient manner, and report your testing status and progress to the team and stakeholders. You need to be flexible and responsive to the changing requirements and feedback, and adjust your testing plan and activities accordingly.

5 Evaluate and improve your testing outcomes

The fifth step to adapt your testing strategy and plan is to evaluate and improve your testing outcomes in each agile cycle. You need to measure and analyze your testing results and metrics, such as test coverage, defect density, defect resolution, user satisfaction, and business value. You also need to identify and address any issues, gaps, or risks that may affect the quality of the software or the delivery of the sprint. You need to learn from your testing experiences and feedback, and apply the lessons learned and best practices to improve your testing strategy and plan for the next agile cycle.

6 Review and refine your testing strategy and plan

The sixth and final step to adapt your testing strategy and plan is to review and refine your testing strategy and plan at the end of each agile cycle. You need to conduct a retrospective session with the team and stakeholders, and discuss what went well, what did not go well, and what can be done better in terms of testing. You also need to update your testing strategy and plan based on the feedback and insights that you gathered from the previous agile cycle, and prepare for the next one. By reviewing and refining your testing strategy and plan, you can ensure that you continuously improve your testing quality and efficiency in agile cycles.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?