Cross Team Testing is a way to tackle bias. Having testers in the development teams have many benefits but also new challenges. One of these challenges are that the testers get biased. Cross Team Testing is a structured way to tackle this bias. This is my presentation on this subject from DevLin March 14 2013.

1. Cross Team Testing
a way to tackle bias
Johan Åtting
Sectra Medical Systems
DevLin 14 March 2013

2. Twitter: @JohanAtting
Linkedin: Johan Åtting
E-mail: johan.atting@sectra.com

3. 18 years in the software business
Developer, Tester, Transport,
Project Manager, Bank&Finance,
Test Manager, Telecom and
Support Manager, MedTech.
Operations Manager,
Quality Manager,
Line Manager...
EAST: Östergötlands Association for Software Testers
Currently: Chief Quality Officer at Sectra Medical Systems

4. Agenda
1. Background & Context
2. Benefits (testers in dev teams)
3. Challenges (testers in dev teams)
4. Cross Team Testing
5. Summary

5. Please note:
Cross Team Testing
Not a ”best practice”
Not a ”universal solution”
Our current practice / solution
for us in our context

6. CONTEXT

7. i Radiology IT - RIS/PACS
87%
i Orthopedic Imaging
i Rheumathology
13%

9. Development Release test
...
...
.
.
.
...

10. 12 Agile development teams
2 Testers & 4 Programmers per team

11. Benefits
with having testers in the development teams
Early involvement Less admin
Bug prevention Better quality
Easier to make a difference
No wall between test & development

12. Challenges
with having testers in the development teams
Biased (testing your own baby)
Less curious
Walls between the teams
(i.e. between the testers)

13. Eye opener

14. We need to get fresh, unbiased,
independent eyes on whats beeing
developed

15. • Freelance tester
How?
• Separate test team
• Testers from other teams
• Other sources / persons
• Or a combination...

16. • Ad hoc
When?
• On demand
• After sprint demo
• Or...
• Beginning of next sprint

17. Gather all testers (and anyone else that
like to participate) to test each others
test objects after every sprint
Cross Team Testing

18. Sprint
Sprint Sprint
Sprint Sprint
Sprint Sprint
Sprint
Sprint
Sprint Sprint
Sprint Sprint
Sprint Sprint
Sprint
Cross Team Testing
Cross Team Testing
Cross Team Testing

19. 1
Sprint Planning
2
3
(2 hours) Planning
Two week sprint
4
(1 day) Testing
5
(30 min) Retro
Cross Team Testing
6
7
8
9
10
Sprint Demo

20. Planning (2 hours)
1. High level presentation of test objects
2. Planning sessions in smaller groups

21. 2. Planning session in small groups
a. Detailed presentation of the test object
b. Brainstorm test ideas, based on aspects
requested by the Test Owner, such as:
• Coverage criteria
• Quality characteristics (security, stability, …)
• Risks (business, technical, patient)
• Test techniques, test tools, test data
• ...or any other basis or source for test ideas
c. Create test charters (approximately 3-9)

22. 2. Planning session in small groups
a. Detailed presentation of the test object
b. Brainstorm test ideas
c. Create test charters (approximately 3-9)
• Title - Briefly identifies and describes the test idea
and/or mission in one or two sentences
• Test Area - Details any particular focus area of the test
object where the Test Owner would like the testers to
spend most of their session time
• Guidelines Quality characteristics (safety, security,
performance, reliability, capability, usability…).
Oracles (requirements, standards, design consistency…)
Resources (tools, data, test technique, configuration…)

23. Testing (1 day)
• Exploratory group testing sessions (*3)
• Debrief to the Test Owner
• Bug reporting

24. Time Slot Activity
9:20 Test Session #1 70min
10:30 Debreifing Session #1 15min
10:45 FIKA
11:00 Test Session #2 75min
12:15 Debreifing Session #2 15min
12:30 LUNCH
13:30 Test Session #3 75min
14:45 Debreifing Session #3 15min
15:00 -> Bug Reporting / Optional more testing

25. Retrospective (30 min)

26. Challenges
with Cross Team Testing
Missing
Finding time discussions in
your team

27. Benefits
with Cross Team Testing
Finding bugs Trying new test
ideas/tools/...
Collaboration,
interaction &
learning Fun
Test planning workshop

28. Takeaways
• Everyone is biased
• There is a need for independent eyes
• Cross Team Testing is one solution

29. Twitter: @JohanAtting
Linkedin: Johan Åtting
E-mail: johan.atting@sectra.com