A new 'way of working' for delivering high-quality functionalities
Together with Damen Shipyards, international shipbuilder, we are constantly improving their digital experiences, including, for example, Damen.com. Our recent goal was to take software testing to the next level. To achieve this goal, our test engineer Khatera Safy created a strong new "way of working" for the testing process so that it could be better integrated into the development process.
In this case we not only show how we implemented that, but we also highlight the importance of paying attention to the testing process and how it can lead to a better end product.
The approach: creating a test strategy plan
Khatera started by creating a test strategy plan. This defines, based on an agile way of working, everything related to testing. It describes the new "way of working. For example, consider the guideline whereby a test case is always assigned to each requirement of a new functionality. Once the development team completes a requirement, they release it to the test environment. Then a test engineer can start testing at the right time and detect bugs. "The faster a bug is found early in a sprint, the faster it can be fixed. As a result, you incur far fewer delays in delivering the functionality in question," Khatera says.
Efficient collaboration and high quality of functionalities
Establishing and implementing this testing strategy ensures that testing activities are better integrated into the development process. The result is more efficient and faster cooperation between different disciplines. Requirements can therefore be delivered faster.
Another major advantage of adhering to this strategy is that the functionalities delivered are of higher quality. Khatera explains "by creating a test plan at each sprint and assigning specific test cases to each requirement, the team can be sure that each functionality has been extensively tested and errors are detected early. As a result, no errors creep into the software. It ensures fewer repairs after a delivery and ultimately this 'way of working' contributes to higher customer satisfaction!"
By creating a test plan at each sprint and assigning specific test cases to each requirement, the team can ensure that each functionality has been extensively tested and errors are detected early.
Khatera Safy, Test Engineer at Iquality
Setting up automated testing
In addition to manual execution of test strategy, automated testing is also used at Damen. It is a process in which software tests are set up and run automatically using test tools and scrips, without human intervention. The team has developed automated testing where components are tested during the development phase. They do this by writing their own unit tests and having them run automatically. This allows them to easily and quickly verify the functionality and reliability of the code.
In addition, we set up a GUI test pipeline. GUI (Graphical user interface) testing is a type of software testing that tests the functionality and performance of a software application's graphical user interfaces. For example, these tests focus on verifying that the software application's interface meets requirements and specifications, that it works well on different devices and operating systems, that it is fast and responsive enough, and that it is free of errors and bugs. Automating these checks saves the team a lot of manual work and thus a lot of time and effort.
A testing strategy is necessary for any organization
We have ensured that the team is able to deliver faster, but more importantly, higher quality functionalities. This shows that it is crucial to pay attention to the testing process to ensure that testing is better integrated into the development process. With a good testing strategy and a critical eye on the delivered work, the quality of the final product goes up!
Do you need a sparring partner? We are happy to help you develop a test strategy together that suits you. Let's get acquainted!
