Download - Conditions of Acceptance for Mobile Projects: Simple Idea. Amazing Results | Molly Decklever

Conditions of AcceptanceSimple Idea. Amazing Results for Mobile.

Molly Doyle DeckleverSr. Vice President, BenchmarkQA

Conditions of Acceptance: Simple Idea. Amazing Results for Mobile.

“If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.”

- Albert Einstein

Let’s Define it!

Conditions of Acceptance/Acceptance Criteria:

Agreed upon criteria that, when present, confirmsany piece of work is “done” and working as the userintended.


Why Do CoAs?

• Simple language – easy to understand for all readers.

• Single source of record from which team members create their work.

• Improves user acceptance of the product.

• Removes ambiguity from requirements, reducing rework and frustration.

• Streamlines the creation of tests that can effectively confirm when a feature or functionality is working and done.

• Improves quality early in the lifecycle.


Requirements“the system shall…”

Acceptance Criteria“I [need]…to achieve [value]…”

Initiation > Analysis

Business Analyst with Business SME

(business team)

Requirements Document

“Comprehensive” documentation on how the

system should operate

WH

ENW

HO

RES

ULT

Analysis > DesignRefine during Build > Test

BA, SE, Developer, QA, DBA, PM/PO, Business

SME (whole team)

Acceptance Criteria

Complete understanding of the user Need and Value of the product

6

System FunctionsBusiness Rules

CO

NFI

RM

S

User Need MetValue Achieved

Use Cases“I will use the system to…”

Analysis > Design

Systems Analyst or BA with SE/Developer, DBA

(systems team)

Use Case Diagram

Knowledge of how the users will interact with the

system

User PathsThrough System

Effective CoA Format

Given <a condition>

When <an event occurs>

Then <expect this outcome>


The Mind-Shift to User


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The Mind-Shift to User


• < 1/3 of software projects meet the criteria of “project” success.

• > 60% of software features delivered are rarely or never actually used.


What do they want??

The Mind-Shift of “Success”

Source: Jim Highsmith – The Agile Triangle

Project Success Product Success


Scope

Cost Schedule

Value (Releasable Product)

Quality (Reliable, Adaptable Product)

Constraints (Cost, Schedule, Scope)

Case Study

• Client’s Challenges– Reduce cost and duration of test effort

– Improve test coverage through end to end focus

– Improve quality through broader shared understanding of business systems, processes and users

• Our Approach– Add “Test Design” phase and use Conditions of Acceptance


Case Study

• Key Activities– Divided requirements into “bundles” by function or by system

– QA Team converted requirements into draft CoA

– QA Team Pre-Meeting

• Each person reviewed each bundle to identify enhancements and create broader shared understanding

• Revised CoA bundles

• Created consolidated CoA


Case Study– Held “Test Design Review” Meetings

• Took the place of “test case walk through” (replaced that effort, not added)

• Scheduled 3+ days ahead

• CoA document provided with invitation

• All attendees must review CoA prior to meeting, be prepared with questions/edits/changes

• Non-attendance was escalated to manager

• Attendance limited to those involved in each “bundle”

• 5-8 total attendees

• If not prepared, meeting was rescheduled

• Meetings started at 1-2 hours, became efficient at 15-30 minutes


Case Study• Findings

– Tracked Items (i.e. defects) Found

• “Item” = add, delete, update to any requirements, specifications, design documents, or CoA

• Over 190 Items identified

– Simplified design greatly reduced effort

• $900,000 in defects avoided

– Survey of Participants

• Strong positive feedback

• “We want to use this approach every time!”


Writing Good CoAs – Tips & Tricks

• Focus on the WHAT, not the HOW

• Keep watch for unnecessary information

• Consolidate similar tests using tables (scenario outlines)

• Incorporate other standard test tools to improve coverage– Decision tables

– Boundary analysis

– Relevant coverage


Conditions of AcceptanceSimple Idea. Amazing Results for Mobile.

Please contact me with any questions:Molly Doyle Decklever, Sr Vice [email protected]

Thanks for attending!