
16 July 2024 Leave a comment QA
In agile projects, the Definition of Done (DoD) is a crucial tool for ensuring that user stories are fully implemented, tested, and ready for acceptance. While a DoD typically includes criteria such as passing unit tests, acceptance tests, and ensuring no regression issues, there are additional factors that can enhance its effectiveness. This guide will explore some practical recommendations to refine your DoD and help you make informed decisions about when to stop testing a specific user story.
Core Components of a Robust DoD
Here are some essential components that should be part of your DoD:
- Unit tests are implemented for new functionality and are all green.
- Acceptance/story tests are written and passing.
- Regression tests are green with known failures documented.
- Exploratory testing has been conducted to ensure the correctness of the new feature.
- Unresolved defects are available in a defect tracking system or backlog.
- Code coverage is above a specified percentage, ensuring new implementations have not caused regression.
Additional Factors to Enhance Your DoD
To further refine your DoD, consider incorporating the following factors:
- Timeframe Considerations: Assess whether you have a hard deadline or can take the time needed. Hard deadlines may require prioritizing critical tests.
- External Dependencies: Identify any dependencies on third-party performance or information. Explicitly state if DoD cannot be achieved without specific external inputs.
- Regression Impact: Ensure that the integration of a user story does not cause regression in existing functionality.
Maintaining New Features
Maintenance is a critical aspect often overlooked in the DoD. Consider the following questions to ensure the maintainability of new features:
- What configurations are necessary for the new feature?
- How can the feature be rolled out efficiently?
- What support tools are needed to resolve issues quickly in production?
Heuristics for Stopping Testing
Deciding when to stop testing can be challenging. Here are some useful heuristics:
- No More Time: Stop testing due to a business-imposed deadline.
- Understanding Goals: Ensure you have achieved the specific goals set for the test session.
- Critical Bug Discovery: Prioritize documenting and fixing mission-critical bugs over further testing.
For more detailed insights, you can refer to [Michael Bolton’s blog post](https://example.com).
Practical Considerations
When evaluating whether you have tested a user story ‘enough’, consider the following:
- Identify which test dimensions (performance, reliability, security, etc.) are relevant to your product and user story.
- Use the focus and defocus heuristic to gauge when enough exploratory testing has been done.
- Analyze user stories in terms of the risk each poses and allocate testing resources accordingly.
Conclusion
Enhancing your DoD involves considering additional factors such as timeframe, external dependencies, and maintenance. By incorporating these elements, you can ensure a more comprehensive and effective testing process. Additionally, employing heuristics for stopping testing can help you make informed decisions and optimize resource allocation.
For a streamlined and efficient testing process, consider using tools like Repeato. Repeato is a no-code test automation tool that simplifies the creation, execution, and maintenance of automated tests for iOS and Android apps. Its computer vision and AI-based approach make it particularly fast and easy to use, ensuring high-quality assurance with minimal setup.
For more information on setting up and utilizing Repeato, visit our documentation page.