REASONS TO ADOPT AGILE METHODOLOGY

As technology advances, more companies in the USA realize that there's a better way to work. You have to turn to Agile testing, and main frame jobs like Scrum to adapt and evolve quickly. Maybe that's why recent reports show that agile roles like Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Agile Coach etc are in high demand.

According to a job board, Scrum Master certifications, especially the gold standard Certified ScrumMaster®, were the 9th most-requested certification in 2020. CSM was the only agile certification to make to the Top 20. CSM® even beat out the PMP, the only other certification in the product and project management space to make the Top 20. It made it to number 13.

Scrum Alliance Chief Product Owner, Howard Sublett was not surprised to see Scrum Master certification at the top of list. He remembered that CSM set the gold standard for Scrum certification back in 2001. When he  searched CSM on a job board, it returned over 10,000 current job listings.

Certified ScrumMasters acknowledge. In a recent survey, majority of CSMs said they'd recommend the certification to a friend. More than 70% said they took the course to career progress. Certified ScrumMaster is the certification to earn if you want to help coach teams be more adept at responding to change and adapting to complex and ever changing needs.

What is an Agile Testing?

Agile testing is software testing. It includes the best practices of Agile development. It consists of an incremental approach to testing. Features are tested as they are developed.

 

Agile Testing methodology is continuous. It is not sequential. As we have seen,it is a testing practice with the rules and principles of agile software development. It differs from the Waterfall method, Agile Testing can begin at the start of the project.You can do continuous integration between development and testing, later.

 

The Agile methodology involves testing early in the software development lifecycle. It demands top customer involvement and testing code as it becomes available. The code should be stable enough to get itself to system testing. You can do extensive regression testing to make sure that the bugs are fixed and tested.

 

Agile test strategy supports DevOps.Continuous testing is prime to product quality.

 

In Agile methodology, testing should happen early. It happens as features are added.

 

Tests are prioritized like user stories. Testers aim to do as many tests as they can in an iteration. Automated testing tools are available to testers to ward off the backlog.

 

For Agile testers and developers, communication and collaboration are of prime importance.

 

As a developer, you have to use Agile testing methods like TDD (test-driven development) to write the test first. Then you write a code that the test will verify. Developers and testers should collaborate before user stories are set. Agile testers should start testing as developers write code.

In Agile methodology, the definition of done is a shared, standardized understanding among the team that a particular user story has been completed. The acceptance criteria in a user story are what will help drive the definition of done. If the user story passes the acceptance criteria, it is considered done.

 

The testers and developers know what has been tested. They know the defects still need to be resolved.

 

When you create a user story, you need to define the acceptance criteria. Then test and validate them, irrespective of which methodology, Scrum, XP, or Kanban, you use.

 

Test Strategy

 

A well-documented test plan is not available in Agile development. Agile testers need to be flexible. They should be ready to respond to changes in requirements.

 

There needs to be a test strategy rather than a plan.

 

You may outline the strategy in a document, create a test matrix, or use a Kanban board.  

Your strategy should include:

• Purpose

• Objectives

• Scope

• Methods

 Test strategy is easy when you use the right  tools such as Helix ALM.

Here’s how you create an Agile test strategy in Helix AL:

 

Testing Methods 

 

1. Test-Driven

 

Test-driven development (TDD) begins when you discuss what you want to test and create a user story. You start by writing a unit test. Then you write the user story. You write the code until the unit test passes.

 

TDD is typically used on unit and component tests. It makes sure the features are working as they ought to be.

 

2. Acceptance Test-Driven

 

Acceptance test-driven development (ATDD) begins with customer input on functionality. It begins by discussing the use of the product. You write a user acceptance test (UAT). Then you write the code until it passes the test.

 

It is used for acceptance tests. It verifies that the product does its job as users would expect.

 

3. Behavior Driven

 

In behavior-driven development (BDD), the purpose of development is tied to a business outcome. You’ll have a user story, which needs to answer why the feature is developed. Tests are included in user stories as scenarios or specifications.

 

It is also used for acceptance tests. It verifies that the product functions are necessary for the desired business outcome.

 

4. Exploratory

 

Exploratory testing allows testers to follow their intuition. It’s manual. You record what you’re doing and save it as a test. You figure out what exactly it is that you’re testing as you proceed.

 

It is used to find hidden risks within a product, like bugs missed in functional tests in TDD.

 

5. Session Based

 

It is similar to exploratory. There’s  little more structure. Instead of figuring out what you taste as you proceed, you start with a mission in mind. It is used to find hidden bugs.

 

Test Plan

 

The Agile test plan includes the types of testing done in that iteration. They are test data requirements, infrastructure, test environment, and test results. Unlike the waterfall model, a test plan is written.It is updated for every release in the Agile model. Typical test plans in Agile include:

         Testing Scope

• New functionalities being tested

• Level or Types of testing based on features

• Load and Performance Testing

• Infrastructure Consideration

• Mitigation or Risks Plan

• Resourcing

• Deliverables and Milestones

 Benefits 

 

There are five benefits of Agile Test Methodology

 

1. Agile testing improves product quality. It enables development teams to release software in shorter cycles. Effective test case management will help you.

2. Find and fix errors faster. Lowers the risk of finding a bug at the end.

3. Makes customers happy by delivering regular releases.

4. Managing the scope of each release helps prioritize features for each iteration. You can deliver the most important ones first.

5. The future of development is Agile.

 

 

© Ramachandran 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STRATEGIES TO RETAIN EMPLOYEES

 

 It is difficult for you to get an efficient employee. At the same time, you are reluctant to admit the employee retention issues you face quite often. It becomes essential then for you to find the relevant employee retention techniques.

According to a report, employee turnover can cost from 16% to 213% of the lost pay. The cost-per-hire is estimated at $4,129, and the time to fill in a vacant role is 42 days.

You need to keep the best talents on board. There are strategies available to do it. You can do it even without hiking the employee's salary.

A recent survey by WorldatWork found that the majority of the organizations have faced retaining good professionals. The survey was conducted on 526 professionals. Half of them were not positive about employee retention by their respective companies.

You have to find why the good talents leave. The major reasons are:

1. They get more pay

2. They look for promotion

 

3, Not satisfied with pay compared to other companies

 

4. It was unfair compared to contributions they imparted to the company

 

5. Unsatisfied with the work responsibility

 

6. Heavy Workload

 

7. Work/life balance affected

 

8. Not satisfied with the supervisor

 

9. They don't get training and opportunities for development

 

10. Their abilities underutilized

 

Tactics to Retain Talent 

 

How can you solve these issues effectively? You need not worry. There are ways to tackle employee retention issues.

 

The top tactics to retain them are:

1. Pay them high than the market rate

2. Give incentives and bonus 

3. Keep the top professionals informed that they're indispensable

4. Create work from home facilities

5. Have a B team in place

6. Inform the top professionals of the future opportunities

7. Have job designs for key professionals in place

8. Provide stock options 

 

 There are many reasons for you to accept a job. There is the challenge of exploring new technological frontiers. The opportunity is a factor in engagement and satisfaction. Professionals should be made aware that their skills are unique and used.

Retention begins at the time of onboarding itself. Onboarding can include:

• Introduction to the teams, like HR and the senior leaders
• Meetings with individual colleagues to have a camaraderie
• Training in technical tools and systems related to the job
• Giving opportunity to ask questions to get clarity
• Participating in meetings to see how unrelated departments work 

 

 There should be clarity on what projects are in priority. You have to align the worker's effort on it first. Rejigger the focus as the work progresses. Weekly meetings will help to concentrate on priorities.

Be alert when work is delayed. Then schedule a calendar that details which job is due and guide the employees on quality.

Create milestones for your workers that pertain to your firm's overall strategy. The goals should be clear, measurable and reachable. You and your workers have to follow their progress.

It's important to celebrate milestones, to improve retention rates. A Harvard Review survey study of over 1 million people found that resignations usually abound close to work anniversaries. The reasons could be the end of the contract or psychological factors. A strategy should be in place to acknowledge a work anniversary as a way to improve retention.

You can acknowledge the anniversary by:

• An email announcement
• Congratulating in a town hall meeting
• Having a party 

Retention Factors

When a good professional leaves a business, it is a setback and precipitates issues for his team. There will be unfinished tasks left behind, and you have to assign them to others or do it yourself. It is a large burden. This workload may cause disruptions in sensitive projects.

There can be other downfalls, like:

• Productivity loss 
• Revenue loss
• Loss of team morale 

Losing a talent puts your objectives in peril. It puts your clients in a strange spot because your lost employee was the direct contact.

Employee exit can be a messy affair. It is best to avoid such developments from the start. To retain them, you have to understand them. Some reasons are not in your control. They include:

• position changes
• Relocation
• Resigning to start a new venture

Some may leave you for reasons you could have avoided, such as:

• Shoddy management
• Limited career prospects
• Limited work challenge
• Lack of satisfaction

There are certain factors you have to take care of post onboarding.

The employees should have a feeling of autonomy. They should know what they're doing. They should have a feeling that the job is beyond their expectations.

 Take care not to over promise and under deliver. If you don't keep the promise, the employee will feel cheated. It dents your goodwill and will make your retention tactics useless.

It can irrevocably damage your employees trust in you.It would help if you were not complacent in treating your existing employees.

Don't take your staff for granted. It is one of the traits of fast-growing companies to neglect their existing high-performing workforce favouring newer ones.

There should be fair appraisals, reasonable salary hikes, promotions, and recognition. You have to ensure that they are within the culture.

Retention Techniques

You have to keep employees happy. It is important to ensure that workers stay. It also should be ensured that they are productive. You can use the following techniques to ensure happiness:

• Train employees, ensure they are equipped. Spend resources.
• Implement health insurance, provide gym memberships, wellness holidays
• Provide regular feedback 
• Give rewards and incentives for excellence
• Set clear goals for employees to advance inside

Spend enough time and attention on your relationships. By retaining good talent, you'll have a rich bank of institutional knowledge. You can fill vacancies with loyal employees instead of unknown outsiders. When you look for outside talent, having high retention numbers can be an added advantage. The company appears attractive to good applicants.

Some industries have historically suffered from high employee supply and are accustomed to losing talent. The hotel and service industry is an example. It has a 73% turnover rate in the US. Even there, you can buck the trend. 

There are several roadblocks in achieving job optimization for key talents and the functions they do. They are given unrelated tasks quite often. It burdens them.

Use of Technology: There are ways to minimize or mitigate these tasks through the diligent use of technology. There are at least Google Chrome Extensions for Security & Productivity, like, google hangouts, Universal File Opener (UFO), LastPass, The Great Suspender, HTTPS Everywhere, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Grammarly, and Momentum.

Google Hangouts is an excellent tool to chat, call, and video conference with colleagues. The Hangouts extension gives all you're used to in a convenient package. With Chrome, you get notifications and use Hangouts even if Chrome is closed. It's by Google and is secure.

UFO is a useful tool. It enables you to work on non-Google files like Microsoft Word and Adobe Photoshop and then update those on Google Drive. If you're working with a client who doesn't use Google Drive., you would have to download it, make changes, then re-upload his file. If you have lots of documents, it can be confusing. In UFO, you can download the Word document and make changes like before. The difference is that your updates sync directly with the document on Google Drive. 

 

LastPass is a password management tool. It helps you secure online accounts. A master password is required to access LastPass. It then generates secure passwords for your accounts. The new passwords are auto-filled into the websites. You need not worry about memorizing them. LastPass does a great job keeping your profiles safe. You have to remember only one password.

 

You may have several tabs open on your browser at a time. The Great Suspender solves this issue by suspending it. It can slow down lower your laptop's battery life. 

 

 Grammarly checks your grammar, spelling, and punctuation. It makes sure that your messages are correct.

 

Momentum replaces Google Chrome's new tab layout with a productivity suite. It features a beautiful background photo with a customized message; momentum sets your daily goals, tracks your lists, and monitors the weather. 

 

AODocs' content management platform gives employees intuitive tools with a UI/UX. The result is employee engagement and increased efficiency.

 

AODocs can help you strengthen recruitment processes in a platform, especially for HR Content Management.

 

Google Workspace radically improves collaboration; AOBox allows teams and collaborators to access, share, and interact with files through Google Drive, even without a Google account.

 

Conclusion

 

Collaboration is the key to retention. With new integration tools like Google Workspace, individuals can benefit from a productive and personalized work lifestyle. Companies profit from collaborative, robust teams.

Human connections are essential to an organization's well-being. All people do not require the same ratio of socialization. They have different cuisines, hobbies, and living spaces. Despite the differences, we all need a sense of belonging. It is a fundamental human psyche and is not confined between 9 am - 5 pm. Employees have to be engaged to live in the workplace, to make it a living space.

Companies can achieve this collaboration through platforms like Workplace by Facebook. You'll be amazed by how it improves engagement communication and rejuvenates your ecosystem.

 

 © Ramachandran