In 30 seconds
- Testing happens throughout the sprint, not after it.
- Testers shape stories, automate checks and explore.
- Quality is a whole-team responsibility.
How testing changes
| Traditional | Agile |
|---|---|
| Separate test phase | Testing every day |
| Testers find bugs | Testers help prevent them |
| Manual test scripts | Automation plus exploration |
Lisa Crispin and Janet Gregory's book Agile Testing (2009) shaped this role.
The testing quadrants
Brian Marick's agile testing quadrants divide tests by whether they support the team or critique the product, and whether they're business- or technology-facing: from unit tests to exploratory, usability, performance and security testing.
Key skills
- Asking good questions in refinement
- Test automation
- Exploratory testing
- Coaching the team on quality
Myth vs reality
Myth · Agile teams don't need testers.
Reality · Testing expertise matters; it's applied differently.
Myth · Testers only test at the end of the sprint.
Reality · They work from refinement to done.
Myth · Automation replaces exploratory testing.
Reality · Exploration finds what scripts can't.
FAQ
Is the tester part of the Developers in Scrum?
Yes; Scrum calls everyone who builds the Increment a Developer.
What's exploratory testing?
Simultaneous learning, test design and execution, guided by charters.
Should testers learn to code?
Basic coding helps with automation and collaboration.