What is Shift Left Testing?

What is Shift Left Testing? Do you need to use that term to improve your Software Testing and Development process? I don't think so.

- why I don't use the term Shift Left
- Explanation of what Shift Left means when people use it
- Explanation of what Shift Left might mean when people hear it
- How to Shift Left incorrectly
- How to improve your test process without using the phrase Shift Left.

Supporting video at https://youtu.be/AaMp5skiwqA

Hire me for consultancy and buy my online books and training at:

- https://compendiumdev.co.uk
- http://eviltester.com
- http://seleniumsimplified.com
- http://javafortesters.com

Transcript

1. What is Shift Left Testing? Alan Richardson www.eviltester.com www.compendiumdev.co.uk @eviltester http://testerhq.com/post/blogs/eviltester/2018‑06‑11‑on‑shift‑left/ @EvilTester | www.eviltester.com 1
2. According to Wikipedia Shift left testing is an approach to software testing and system testing in which testing is performed earlier in the lifecycle (i.e., moved left on the project timeline). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shift_left_testing So why not just say "Test Stuff Early"? @EvilTester | www.eviltester.com 2
3. A Danger with "Shift Left" is that we move an entire activity earlier. Rather than spreading it over the life of the Software Development Process. @EvilTester | www.eviltester.com 3
4. e.g. Performance Testing Shifted Left @EvilTester | www.eviltester.com 4
5. What if ... there is value in conducting Performance Testing at multiple times in the life of the project/sprint/iteration? testing early means we can't test certain things? testing early means we have to test again later? @EvilTester | www.eviltester.com 5
6. What if we didn't say "Shift Left"? And instead: we continually look for opportunities to test. @EvilTester | www.eviltester.com 6
7. "Shift Left" sounds like you're talking like a Consultant rather than a real person obscures, rather than clarifies, whatever point you are trying to make makes me think of 'moving a whole thing' rather than improving the System @EvilTester | www.eviltester.com 7
8. "Shift Left" concentrates on the Testing and seems to assume that we can do that without changing the System of Development. @EvilTester | www.eviltester.com 8
9. Create Test Approaches based on the System Of Development. Depending on the System of Development we test in different ways. @EvilTester | www.eviltester.com 9
10. Dont "Shift Left" Do Change Your Development Approach to allow you to Test and Develop Better. @EvilTester | www.eviltester.com 10
11. Craft a System of Development (which includes Testing) to meet the needs of the System we are building, to respond to Risks that we identify and the issues that we find. Systems grow and evolve. We need to be good enough to identify improvements we can make and take advantage of opportunities to Test. @EvilTester | www.eviltester.com 11
12. http://testerhq.com/post/blogs/eviltester/2018‑06‑11‑on‑shift‑left/ @EvilTester | www.eviltester.com 12
13. EvilTester.com www.eviltester.com @eviltester www.youtube.com/user/EviltesterVideos @EvilTester | www.eviltester.com 13
14. Learn About Alan Richardson www.compendiumdev.co.uk uk.linkedin.com/in/eviltester @EvilTester | www.eviltester.com 14
15. Follow Linkedin ‑ @eviltester Twitter ‑ @eviltester Instagram ‑ @eviltester Facebook ‑ @eviltester Youtube ‑ EvilTesterVideos Pinterest ‑ @eviltester Github ‑ @eviltester Slideshare ‑ @eviltester @EvilTester | www.eviltester.com 15
16. BIO Alan is a test consultant who enjoys testing at a technical level using techniques from psychotherapy and computer science. In his spare time Alan is currently programming a multi‑user text adventure game and some buggy JavaScript games in the style of the Cascade Cassette 50. Alan is the author of the books "Dear Evil Tester", "Java For Testers" and "Automating and Testing a REST API". Alan's main website is compendiumdev.co.uk and he blogs at blog.eviltester.com @EvilTester | www.eviltester.com 16