Atomic Talk Title: How testers can uphold their position in a scaled Agile Setup

As the organizations are moving to Agile and Scaled agile set up we get to hear about
many frameworks like Scum @Scale, Scaled agile framework (SAFe), Agile unified process (AUP) etc.

Although the framework is described in more details but there is no mention of how testing or quality practices fits in.This raises new challenges and chaos at ground level for QA, Test Architect, Test manager with people with similar role.
There is zone of uncertainty…What is my role, How can I make the journey.

In SAFe there is testing and Quality required at each level:
1. Portfolio level
2. Large Solutions
3. Program level
4. Team level

There are lot of question unanswered like-
1. What about tests beyond functional acceptance test, such as performance, security, usability etc?
2. What about post deployment monitoring.
3. Integration and Integration testing is the key challenge for scaled organisation.
4. Who coordinates testing and other testing activities at the large scale?

While SAFe does not define a quality ambassador, there can be role defined from my opinions who –
1. Ensures the process is running smoothly across all the projects and program.
2. Drives continues improvements.
3. Focuses on reduction of technical debt, ensures cost of quality metrics, rework rates.
4. Ensures governance and compliances.
5. Plan and measure business outcomes.
6. Communicate the business goals , value of testing to rest of organization

I thinks it’s time we retrospect in true sense and uphold our position in a scaled Agile Setup.

Organization should think how to integrate testing in to safe or any Agile framework and add places where testing can be involved to add values.

Talk Takeaways

  ● What is Scaled Agile Framework
  ● Type of Testing required at different level.
  ● How good test strategy helps
  ● Tailor your SAFe framework to include important testing activities.
  ● Defining roles of testers at different levels of SAFe framework.