When implemented right, shift left testing can really help organizations achieve their quality goals faster and better. And to help that along, a valuable tool is needed too.
All test automation tools are not made to shift your testing left so this is a crucial decision. In this blog, we will discuss how Testsigma supports shift-left testing. Let’s start by clarifying what is shift-left first.
What is the Shift-left approach?
Shift left testing is a practice that is implemented to find and resolve the key issues and bugs early in the software development process. The main objective behind the approach is to improve the overall quality of the software by starting the testing process as early as possible.
As more and more companies are adopting the agile methodology, it is crucial to include testing as an integral part of the development cycle.
It not only makes the developers more proficient by pushing them to get involved in the testing process but also paves the way for the testers to actively participate in the regular standup meetings, code reviews, and other numerous activities that are critical in the product development.
Let’s take a peek into why Testsigma is considered an ideal testing tool when it comes to implementing the Shift Left testing approach.
How does Testsigma support the Shift Left approach?
1. It supports testing early
An ideal testing tool for shift left testing should have the ability to start the testing process right from the design phase, before the product is actually developed. Behavior Driven Development (BDD) and Test-Driven Development (TDD) approaches are two approaches that support this.
Testsigma, with an approach similar to BDD that lets you create test cases in simple English, allows you to initiate test development while planning and coding are in progress.
It is well-suited in Agile software development, where delivery cycles are shorter and is beneficial when development and testing start together.
2. Testsigma requires minimal time and resources to get started
In this Agile world, companies are looking for ways to fasten their time of delivery without compromising on the quality of each release. At the same time, they are also faced with the pressure to reduce testing costs.
With Testsigma being a codeless test automation tool – even the non-coders can participate in the test creation and execution processes which helps you save your time and resources to a significant extent.
Also, it being completely cloud-based means, you don’t have to worry about setting it up and the infrastructure costs. And you really can get your first test case automated in minutes.
3. Testsigma comes with features that help you with effective test planning and project management
You might have experienced a software project running out of budget or time. The software testing that is done too late or without proper planning is the root cause behind it.
Thoughtful project planning and management is key to effectively implementing a shift-left approach in your software development life cycle.
The level of clarity it brings among the team members helps them in interpreting the goals to be achieved and enhances the overall quality of the product under development.
Testsigma not only comes with in-built test management but also empowers you with effective test planning and project management to help track the requirements in real-time.
4. Testsigma lets people with varying skill-sets drive the testing process
There is a misconception that developers are only concerned with code development. In order to improve the quality of the code and the product, developers should get into the ‘development + test’ mindset that facilitates the discoverability and fixing of the code as the development process moves forward.
The implementation of the Shift Left approach makes the developers more responsible and focused towards the developing and testing simultaneously, thereby improving their overall soft skills as well.
The implementation of the shift-left approach becomes easier when different people with different skillsets can be involved in the testing process at different stages.
Because Testsigma lets the test cases be created in simple English – the test cases can be created during the requirement gathering phase by product managers, during the development phase by developers, and after development is complete – by testers.
5. Testsigma helps you uplift product’s quality with component testing
Component testing or also unit testing or module testing is a software testing type in which the testing is performed on individual components separately without integration with other components.
An ideal automation tool should be able to test application components individually as and when they are ready, which includes the Rest APIs and the UI Components, and Testsigma helps you do that.
6. Testsigma helps provide quick and continuous feedback
A perfect scenario would be the one wherein the developers and the testers get feedback across the software lifecycle. It not only eliminates the critical loopholes or gaps by addressing them immediately but also gives a better perspective to everyone involved on all the significant trends coming across during the testing process.
Via its review feature, Testsigma provides you an ideal platform to collaborate and share the feedback and results immediately, thereby facilitating the shift-left approach.
Investing in Testsigma helps you enjoy a seamless integration with the Shift Left supportive tool to get continuous feedback. With developers getting timely feedback on their code and information on the critical bugs, they can clean the code sooner than later to enhance the code’s quality and achieve faster time-to-market.
Also, because Testsigma is completely cloud-based, you get the flexibility to upgrade your test environment according to what you need.
Try Testsigma for free for 30 days, before you decide
Bottom Line
As we have seen above, involving test automation in the initial stages of the software development life cycle improves both the quality and time to deliver the software significantly.
With Shift Left testing becoming the new norm in the industry, investing in an automation tool such as Testsigma helps you get test automation through continuous testing with a Shift Left approach.
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