The Importance of the QA Role in an Agile Squad Team
Esperanza Echeverría provides her perspective on the QA role in agile software development teams. With 20 years of experience in the field, she has dedicated 50% of her professional career to testing and the other 50% to development.
She is a positive person who loves learning and acquiring new skills and knowledge.
She entered the quality field somewhat unexpectedly due to motherhood. Initially, she had to adapt to this change and delve into the knowledge of this discipline. This experience demonstrates the need to “test” to find one’s place in the world of development.
Bruno and Enrique discuss with Esperanza that initially the QA position did not receive the importance it deserved, but it can be seen that it is gaining more weight and significance in projects.
How do you view the role of QA in an agile environment, and what differences do you observe compared to more traditional organizational models?
In my opinion, I see the role of QA as fundamental in an agile environment and notice significant differences compared to more traditional organizational models.
One of the first differences lies in the timing of the tester’s involvement in the project, as in more traditional models, the QA profile gets involved in the later stages of the project.
However, this changes with Agile.
Agile is not simply about finishing earlier or faster; it is about delivering in a different way. Additionally, simply labeling your teams as “Agile Squads” does not mean you are working in an agile manner. Working within this framework requires a change and mastery of this working methodology.
In Agile projects, the QA should be present from the beginning, even in the drafting of User Stories (US) to be developed. Their work helps refine the US further, significantly clarifying the requirements for developers. Furthermore, developers can have a prior understanding of the tests that their future code must pass in order to be delivered with quality. In summary, this reduces doubts, waste, errors, and frustrations.
How can the need for a QA profile in the initial stages of a project be convincingly justified from an economic point of view?
To develop effective test plans, it is crucial to have people with the necessary functional knowledge. Skipping the initial phase of understanding the business context being addressed may result in important aspects being overlooked and not tested properly. The end result will be lower-quality software and, consequently, a more costly project overall.
Can a tester work on multiple projects simultaneously?
The ability for a tester to work on multiple projects simultaneously depends on the company and the product being developed. It is common for a QA professional to effectively handle 2 or 3 projects at the same time, but managing a larger workload can hinder performance.
Having a dedicated tester working 100% of their time on a single project can offer significant benefits. This allows the tester to fully focus on the project, covering various aspects such as bug identification and reporting, test automation, and more.
How can the QA area be reconciled with different Agile squads that have an assigned QA profile?
The QA area does not disappear; instead, there is often collaboration between the QA area and different Agile squads. It is like having a QA community within the company, especially to address doubts about how to perform their tasks.
In this regard, the QA area can adopt a collaborative approach where the QA profile assigned to each squad works closely with the central QA area. This ensures alignment in terms of standards, best practices, and testing methodologies throughout the organization.
What types of work does a QA profile perform in an Agile squad?
A QA profile performs several important tasks in an Agile squad. Firstly, they clarify User Stories (US), which is crucial for developers. The QA profile can define and design test cases using the available functional information, and collaborate with
the rest of the team to review and validate the desired test plan.
Another characteristic is the collaboration and mutual support among all team members. Esperanza mentions that she can provide support in code submissions management and even develop unit tests. However, she clarifies that it is more common for a developer to assist the QA profile in test automation.
Previously, the QA role was seen as the ‘police’ chasing after developers, but it is evident that in the Agile philosophy, the approach is much more collaborative. So, what is the future of testing?
The future of testing is envisioned as a figure integrated within the team, where the QA professional does not act as a police officer but as a member who helps detect potential issues and resolve doubts. The QA becomes a collaborator who brings their perspective and experience to improve software quality.
Manual testers will not disappear; it is a misconception to think so. Manual testers play an important role in the analytical part, defining tests that need to be automated and maintaining them. Therefore, the role of testers, especially manual testers, will have a long professional projection.
Automated tests are a great help as they free up resources from repetitive and low-value tasks. However, manual testers allow for exploratory testing, for example, which can uncover more random aspects that would not be found through automation.
How important is the ISTQB certification for a QA professional? What has it brought to your career to have pursued it?
Although it may be seen as a mere “piece of paper” in some cases, for Esperanza, the ISTQB certification holds great importance. Preparing for this certification provides information about all areas of testing, the qualities a tester should possess, and other relevant aspects.
The ISTQB certification has provided Esperanza with solid knowledge and a deeper understanding of best practices in the testing field. It has allowed her to acquire a strong foundation and a broad perspective on all the possibilities offered by testing.
Furthermore, in Esperanza’s particular case, there is an ISTQB Agile version that includes specific changes related to the working methodology in an Agile squad. This has provided valuable information tailored to her work environment, enabling her to effectively apply testing practices in an Agile context.
In this closing phase, we ask Esperanza to provide us with some sources of knowledge:
- Follow Javier Garzás on social media and explore interesting books to delve into Agility.
- Take courses on Udemy, watch YouTube videos, and review QA certification materials, such as ISTQB.
- It’s important to stay up-to-date with any emerging trends, so attending talks, joining specialized LinkedIn groups, and similar activities are recommended. Embrace curiosity and review job offers to identify areas where you can deepen your knowledge.
- English proficiency is crucial due to the international nature of our field. Be a sponge and absorb all the knowledge you can.
In summary, following experts on social media, exploring educational materials, participating in events, and staying updated are key strategies to expand and strengthen your knowledge in the QA field.
What advice would you give to people starting their professional careers?
Don’t be afraid of change and remember that “experience is worthless in someone else’s eye“. Time gives you the opportunity to make mistakes and learn in your professional career.
Additionally, it’s important to have a positive attitude both in approaching your work and interacting with your colleagues.
We’ll see you in the upcoming editions of Tech from the Trenches, and as always, you can follow us on our social media channels: