1. Pitfalls in
Agile Testing
and How to
Avoid Them
by Paul Carvalho
Agile 2012, Dallas, Texas
August 2012
@can_test http://STAQS.com/ Agile 2012
Monday, August 13, 2012

2. Pitfalls in Agile Testing and How to Avoid Them
Pitfall #1: Agile Testing
• There is no Agile Testing
• There is testing you do on an agile team
• You can be agile when testing
• It is Agile Software Development and there
are many testing activities you may
choose to do
• You are not Agile Testers,
You are Agile Developers.
@can_test Agile 2012
Monday, August 13, 2012

3. Pitfalls in Agile Testing and How to Avoid Them
Pitfall #2: Not Agile Organisation
Team
Individual
• Mini-waterfall Symptom:
Are testers
• Separation of roles, no collaboration included in
planning
sessions?
• Focus on Process and Tools
• Stories not “done” at end of sprints
Story
• Done Sprint
Release
@can_test Agile 2012
Monday, August 13, 2012

4. Pitfalls in Agile Testing and How to Avoid Them
Pitfall #3: Not Testing
• Checking vs. Testing - Effort vs. value?
• Symptom: detailed test cases with expected
results “Only”
Testing Manual
SUT
Effort Testing
What is Oracles
Quality? Models, Techniques
Constraints Testing
(Time, $) Tools
Env’t Context, Where is the
Information customer needs in
this Venn diagram?
Some Traps:
(where does the
• Forgetting the big picture 3rd circle go?)
• Inattentional blindness
• Communication barriers, silos
(e.g. not allowed to talk to P.O. or customer)
@can_test Agile 2012
Monday, August 13, 2012

5. Pitfalls in Agile Testing and How to Avoid Them
Pitfall #4: Automation
• Software not designed for Testability
• Developers don’t automate unit tests
• Automated tests not maintained - failed tests ignored?
• Automation Frameworks - may be a trap: evolve them!
• Computers are blind:
Input Output
SUT
@can_test Agile 2012
Monday, August 13, 2012

6. Pitfalls in Agile Testing and How to Avoid Them
Pitfall #5: Types of Testing
• Traditional idea:
• Unit, Integration, System, Acceptance
Naïve, Waterfall-view
Perform the Tests that Provide VALUE
(Agile Testing Quadrants from Brian Marick)
(Test pyramid from Janet Gregory)
@can_test Agile 2012
Monday, August 13, 2012

7. Pitfalls in Agile Testing and How to Avoid Them
Getting Past The Traps
Let’s dive deeper into these pitfalls and
come up with ideas to get around or
through them
@can_test Agile 2012
Monday, August 13, 2012

8. Pitfalls in Agile Testing and How to Avoid Them
Bonus Pitfall: Exercise (1/3)
• You will need:
• 1 piece of paper
• Pens, pencils, markers, crayons, lipstick, charcoal, whatever..
• Task: Create a Map - to your favourite store/shop
As a fan of this store
I want to create a map
So that I can show someone how to get
there (to buy me something I like) 
• When done:
• Put your Name and Date on the back (i.e., code check-in)
• Place it upside-down in the centre of the table
@can_test (Exercise © Paul Carvalho - please attribute) Agile 2012
Monday, August 13, 2012

9. Pitfalls in Agile Testing and How to Avoid Them
Bonus Pitfall: Exercise (2/3)
Testing Phase
• Test Strategy: Personas
• Work as a group, and record on a flip chart
• Create 6 different personas for people who like to travel
• For each persona, identify:
» Mode of transport - be specific! (e.g. Bicycle, Tandem)
» Person’s name
» Person’s job, or main hobby
• Evaluate Maps according to Personas
• Select a map (NOT yours!)
• Mark the map with a  or  for each persona tested
• Return the map to the owner when testing is complete
@can_test (Exercise © Paul Carvalho - please attribute) Agile 2012
Monday, August 13, 2012

10. Pitfalls in Agile Testing and How to Avoid Them
Bonus Pitfall: Exercise (3/3)
Q: What is the final Pitfall here?
Q: What are some ways to avoid
negative feelings and results?
@can_test (Exercise © Paul Carvalho - please attribute) Agile 2012
Monday, August 13, 2012

11. Pitfalls in Agile Testing and How to Avoid Them
Questions?
If you have any additional questions,
please ask:
Email: Paul -at- STAQS.com
http://staqs.com
Twitter: @can_test
@can_test Agile 2012
Monday, August 13, 2012