In 30 seconds
- Quality is built in, not tested in.
- The whole team owns quality.
- Combine automation, exploration and clear standards.
How QA changes
| Traditional QA | Agile QA |
|---|---|
| Separate phase at the end | Throughout the sprint |
| QA team owns quality | Whole team owns quality |
| Find defects | Prevent defects |
Core practices
- Clear acceptance criteria and a strong Definition of Done
- Automated testing at several levels
- Exploratory testing by skilled testers
- Code reviews and pairing
Measuring quality
- Escaped defects
- Change failure rate
- Customer-reported issues and satisfaction
Myth vs reality
Myth · Agile teams skip QA.
Reality · QA is built into daily work.
Myth · Testers become unnecessary.
Reality · Their role becomes more strategic.
Myth · Automation is all you need.
Reality · Exploration and judgment still matter.
FAQ
What's shift-left testing?
Testing earlier in development, starting from refinement.
Who owns quality?
The whole team, with testers as quality advocates.
What's a quality engineer?
A role focused on enabling quality through tools and coaching.