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I've been reading about sprints (agile methodology) lately and had a question on testing during the workflow. I know you have PBI's (product backlog item) and they are broken down into tasks. I also know that you should focus on one PBI at a time instead of choosing different tasks from different PBI's.

I may be assuming this incorrectly but should the testing of the PBI happen after all of the tasks for that PBI are ready or are the tasks supposed to be tested independently from each other? Also, if you do test the tasks individually, do you then test the PBI later after all of the tasks are in done?

There may not be a correct answer, I'm just curious how others out there may do it.

Calie
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I have been developing with Agile and sprints for many years now and the testing has always occurred on stories (PBI) when then are completed, not on tasks within a PBI. Reason is mainly because a PBI should have what is called acceptance criteria which are observable and measurable and allows the Product owner or tester to verify a story is completed.

Those criteria are what breaks or makes a story to be completed / closed in our agile organisation of sprints. For me, it makes sense that the testing occurs once all the tasks are completed so you can ensure that testing covers and completes the acceptance criteria perfectly.

That being said, the agile method is flexible,and, maybe, in your context, it will make more sense to tests every tasks when they are completed.

I Hope this will shed a bit of light on your question. I am sure others will have different approach.

legrandviking
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Ongoing testing is very helpful to the development team in that feedback happens very early. However, this is at the cost of additional regression for the testing resource as well potential "Oh, I'm not finished that part" conversations where issues are found due to incomplete work.

If you have the extra bandwidth, I prefer having the team get early feedback, but if you are pressed in the schedule as it is, it may be more efficient to apply yourself to PBIs that are fully ready for test first and then proceed to partially completed ones after.

Additionally, you may have documentation requirements for creating test cases for PBIs which can be done without all tasks having been completed. While waiting on a PBI to be finished, this is another element of the sprint that you can work on as it will raise questions to both your product owner and the development team and may highlight potential problems or lack of details that were not seen yet by the other members of the team.

Jay S
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