How to Become a Great Agile Tester
How to Become a Great Agile Tester

Not everyone who offers agile software development services can properly leverage agile. In an agile ecosystem, not only the developers but also the testers need to practice agile i.e. work closely with the developers to identify problems in each sprint so they can rectified in the next. It’s not like they just have to wait till they get things to test from developers. 

Software development Dubai has more software companies practicing Agile now. Testers who are part of an agile ecosystem are expected to contribute in such a way that the methodology delivers a flawless product that satisfies customers. Testers ensure that quality. 

Keeping all these things in mind, let’s see how one can become a great agile tester.

The middle man

Effective communication is one among many skills a tester should have. However, in an agile environment, this can also be the tester’s greatest asset. Traditionally, testers were required to identify defects so the developers can fix them, and keep on retesting back and forth to find more anomalies. 

But now, testers are also responsible for ‘test analysis’ – an important responsibility where the tester constantly interacts with developers to help them understand the requirements thus ensuring good quality for the product. The tester basically makes sure that the product meets the acceptance criteria and each sprint delivers what it’s supposed to do. For this, the testers should understand the product themselves, which is why recent trends made it clear that testers can be the middle man between the developer and the customer/product owner.

Dual roles

Unlike traditional waterfall methodology, Agile offers continuous technical excellence. That’s why both the developers and testers need to be aware of the latest trends in their respective sectors. Agile testers work in a cross functional environment where they also help the developers rectify issues uncovered during testing. Conclusively, software testing in an agile environment provides better results.

Traditional testers are required to break the project while Agile testers break the project first, and then work with developers to save the project. The insights from their test analyses help developers understand the flaws better. With the tester’s help, they can resolve defects in the product. 

Accessible to the team

Traditional testers require excellent technical skills. Agile testers, on the other hand, require one additional skill. They should be highly interactive. A combination of great technical skills and interpersonal skills lets agile testers contribute more to the agile team. A lack of one of these two skills may deem the tester as a misfit in the team. 

Ultimately, the goal of a tester is akin to that of the developer in an agile ecosystem – contribute more so as to deliver the best.