1. The Test Expert’s Role in DevOps
The software development industry never slows down. Just as organizations mastered the art of churning out software developed under agile methodologies, DevOps appeared. The practice is an important advancement in the software world and many agree that it’s simply the next evolution of agile.
Author Michael Sowers provides an excellent call-to-action for software testers involved in DevOps:
“If our goal as testers is to build and release code more rapidly, frequently, and reliably, we must also align and integrate our testing practices, testing tools, test cases, test data, and test environments into this continuous integration, continuous testing, and continuous deployment world.”
Read on to find out how you can view your testing role, responsibilities, and tasks differently through the lens of DevOps.
2. Why No One Talks About Agile Testing!
Software engineering has gone agile and if your testing process hasn’t followed suit, you won’t be able to deliver exceptional application performance to all of your users. Testing is no longer just a phase brushed off until the end of the software development lifecycle. To ensure continuous progress, you must engage in continuous testing and feedback cycles.
This post from Thomas Peham is designed as an introductory guide to agile testing. In it, he provides an overview of the practice as well as some useful guides on how to get started. Software testing has evolved to become more flexible and efficient—dive into the complete post here to learn how you can embrace this evolution within your own organization.
3. Fine-Tuning and Expanding Your Mobile Test Plan
It’s understandable that any new technology curveball will send software testers scrambling, at least for a bit. It’s safe to say that mobile, when it debuted, was a curveball that many companies weren’t prepared to handle. However, this didn’t stop them from swinging. It sparked a race to bring mobile product offerings to the market, but some engineering practices were sacrificed in the process.
In this article, tester and author Melissa Tondi writes about her experience building a mobile testing lab in which she and her team worked to identify the challenges companies would face when introducing mobile. They identified two: transitioning traditional test team members to support mobile and continuing to stay efficient while supporting more testing permutations on devices. To learn more about the ways your organization can address these issues, read her full article here.
4. Is It Worth Getting a QA Software Testing Certification?
Certification: to pursue, or not to pursue? This is a question many of you have probably considered at some point in your software testing career. Whether you’re new to the industry or a seasoned, uncertified vet, it can be valuable to consider the pros and cons of completing a QA software testing certification.
While the idea is both exciting and tiresome, committing to a program isn’t always the right option for everyone. Software Testing Help author Renuka K. worked as a software tester for eight years before deciding to get certified. To help others facing the same dilemma, she’s written this article that summarizes her research and thought process behind getting a QA software testing certification. Read the full article here for more insight into the positives/negatives of certification and a list of the types of certification available for QA professionals.