Some test consultancies claim they have their own Agile testing methodology …
This is not the way to approach a project at YOUR company – is it up to a QA consultancy to dictate Agile methodology to you? We have experience in many methodologies (including none!) – and we can give you help in that direction, or work to your own Agile methodology of choice. The aim is to shorten the journey between requirements to coding is largely around development process. So to suggest testing has it’s own methodology is a nonsense. Quality Assurance is agnostic to methodology, as it should work to development methodology being used.
I see this as bandwagon-jumping, as QA significantly failed to keep up with modern software development, lagging behind with business. We are still see the game of Agile software development playing up to business Waterfall milestone mentality. It’s still a big transition phase for business, and also for Quality Assurance. To arrogantly assume we are in position to suddenly claim to have our own testing methodology, belies fact we have had our head under the covers for a decade. While testers became an “anyone available” role, QA was consigned to slower and more sceptical corporations and governmental departments.
Although testing had perception issues pre-Agile, Agile compounded incorrect perceptions even further, by mentioning as almost a glancing reference. A return to good QA would lead to return of good testing process. We need to take testing away from the amateurs, and promote it as the skilled activity it should be. While development/testing on Waterfall and Agile are different, let’s not get drawn into the same mess as business made of Agile implementations. We are in business or developing software for clients, and there is only so much wheel-reinventing you can do.
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