My Approach to Shift-Left Testing: Early Spotting and Fixing Flaws
Saagitya Praveen
I catch bugs for a living ?? | Software QA Professional | ISTQB? (CTFL) Certified | Agile-Scrum | Experience in Saas Products, ERP, POS Solutions, Insurance, Financial, HR and Procurement domains.
Have you ever been involved in a software project that exhausted its budget or overran its timeline? It’s likely you have. Surprisingly, poor planning is often not the main culprit behind such delays. The true issue stems from how the project validates its code. Essentially, it comes down to software testing—specifically, testing that is initiated too late in the project’s lifecycle.
One principle that has consistently stood out as a game-changer for me is: shift-left testing. The concept is simple yet powerful—move testing earlier in the software development lifecycle. By doing this, we QAs can catch defects sooner, reduce costs, and deliver high-quality products faster. In this article I aim to explore how embracing shift-left testing has transformed our agile development process and why it should be a cornerstone of your methodology.
What is Shift-Left Testing?
When I first encountered the term "shift-left testing," it felt like just another buzzword in the ever-evolving tech lexicon. But as I delved deeper and started to implement it in my testing, I realized its profound impact. The traditional approach of testing at the end of the development cycle often meant discovering defects late, leading to costly fixes and delayed releases. By shifting left, we integrate testing activities from the very beginning, during the requirement analysis and design phases.
Imagine you’re building a house. Would you wait until the final stages to check if the foundation is solid? Of course not. Similarly, in software development, early testing ensures that the foundation of our product is robust, and any issues are addressed before they escalate.
Why Shift-Left Testing Matters in Agile Development
Agile development thrives on iterative progress and continuous feedback, making it an ideal environment for Shift-Left Testing. Agile methodologies prioritize small, incremental changes and frequent releases, allowing for continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD). By embedding testing into each iteration, Agile teams can ensure that every increment of the product meets the desired quality standards.
One vivid example from one of my earlier projects involved engineering an e-commerce platform. In the early days, we followed the traditional approach, where testing was the last step before deployment. Inevitably, we encountered critical bugs late in the cycle, causing significant delays. It was a frustrating experience for everyone involved.
I remember the topic of shift-left testing came up during one of our Tech talks, and we decided to try it out in our agile environment. During the story grooming phase and requirement discussions, testers would investigate the areas of impact in the product. If a feature involved a change to existing functionality, we tasked ourselves with testing the current functionality. This provided valuable insights, highlighting potential edge cases and ambiguous requirements that could lead to defects. Additionally, by writing test cases alongside user stories and involving developers in test case reviews, we created a shared understanding of what needed to be built.
This proactive approach paid off. In a few instances, I found existing bugs in the product that had not been discovered earlier, or identified product areas that were not included in the requirement gathering process. Overall, I began paying attention to all the touchpoints that needed testing, whether they had an impact or not. If they did have an impact, they would be included as a story; if not, they would be part of the regression testing. Addressing these issues early not only saved us from costly post-production fixes but also reinforced our commitment to delivering secure products. Defects that were previously slipping through the cracks were now caught and resolved much earlier in the process.
Shift-Left Testing Approach applied in a development life cycle:
1. Requirements Gathering:
2. Design:
3. Implementation:
4. Testing:
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5. Deployment:
The Role of Automation in Shift-Left Testing
Automation plays a crucial role in making shift-left testing feasible and efficient. In our team, we implemented continuous integration (CI) pipelines that ran automated tests every time a developer checked in code. This immediate feedback loop helped developers catch and fix defects almost instantly.
For instance, while working on a mobile application, we set up automated UI tests that ran on multiple device configurations. This early and automated testing approach allowed us to identify and fix compatibility issues that would have been a nightmare to address later.
Adopting shift-left testing wasn't without its challenges
One of the biggest hurdles was changing the mindset of the team. Developers were initially resistant, viewing testing as an impediment to their creative flow. We tackled this by fostering a culture of collaboration and shared responsibility for quality. Regular workshops and pairing sessions between developers and testers helped bridge the gap and build mutual respect for each other's roles.
Another challenge was managing the increased workload on testers early in the cycle. To alleviate this, we invested in robust test automation frameworks and trained our testers in scripting and coding. This not only enhanced their skill set but also enabled them to create and maintain automated test suites efficiently.
Benefits of Shift-Left Testing
1. Liberates Resources: By initiating testing earlier in the development lifecycle, Shift-Left Testing liberates valuable resources that would otherwise be tied up in addressing defects later on. This liberation allows teams to allocate time and effort more efficiently, maximizing productivity.
2. Lowers Costs: The proactive nature of Shift-Left Testing helps lower costs associated with fixing defects. By identifying and rectifying issues early, teams avoid the expenses incurred from extensive rework, overtime, and potential project delays. This cost reduction enables projects to stay within budgetary constraints, ensuring financial stability.
3. Lends Confidence: Early validation of code instills confidence in the development process. Knowing that each piece of code is rigorously tested from the outset lends a sense of assurance that the final product will meet quality standards. This confidence boosts team morale and fosters a culture of excellence.
4. Improved Collaboration: Shift-Left Testing encourages collaboration among developers, testers, and other stakeholders from the outset. This alignment fosters a shared responsibility for quality and helps ensure that all perspectives are considered.
5. Limits Risks: By addressing potential risks early in the development lifecycle, Shift-Left Testing helps mitigate unforeseen challenges that could derail project progress. Identifying and resolving issues before they escalate minimizes the likelihood of costly setbacks and ensures smoother project execution.
Conclusion
Embracing shift-left testing has been a transformative experience in my agile engineering journey. It has allowed me to detect and prevent defects early, reduce costs, and deliver high-quality products consistently. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to consider shifting left in your testing strategy. It’s not just a process change; it’s a cultural shift towards building better software, faster. And trust me, once you see the results, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it.
The insights presented in this article are derived from my direct involvement and experiences. I welcome further exploration into various aspects of shift-left testing, including methods, challenges, and potential solutions. Please feel free to contribute your thoughts and insights in the comments.