Framework para testes ágeis de software: uma proposta exploratória

Abstract

As a result of the changes in the software development process, which previously followed strict steps, so-called agile models have emerged, which allow agility in the construction of software. The application of these agile models should be contextualized to the needs of each organization, making each one of them use the same model, but being able to achieve different results, and with easy adaptation. However, the testing activities still lack scientific work and reports of the use of testing techniques, which generate better results in their creation and execution. Software testing has come to be considered as a change in agile models, being an important step in the software construction process, since it is the tests that demonstrated if the software is really to be delivered with quality to the clients, the agile test techniques come to support and provide more agility and quality to the products. The objective of this study is to build a framework for performance evaluation of agile software tests. To this end, a case study was set up to meet the demands of this exploratory research, with a qualitative approach. The studied company is a software company located in the Southwest of Paraná, which operates in the segments of Supermarkets, Building Materials and Business Networks. A framework and sub-frameworks were created to meet the needs of the execution of agile test techniques during the software development process, and each step of the test was separated by structural tests (executed in the source code) and functional tests in the software interface). The methodology for creating the framework and sub-frameworks was based on authors and experts who describe test techniques and indicators that can be used in the testing activities. With the application of the framework in the current process of testing in the company, several deficiencies were diagnosed in the executed process, such as: absence of structural and functional tests; lack of mapping of points and cases / test scenarios in advance; lack of estimated hours needed for each sprint. After applying the framework and sub-frameworks using the 4 agile test techniques with a duration of one month each, what changed was the execution of structural tests, the creation and execution of cases / scenarios of tests, collection of indicators on estimation and number of defects. Acceptance and usability testing techniques achieve greater performance in the following aspects: defect identification, greater accuracy in estimates and creation of test cases/scenarios.