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We're currently developing tests for a software product that is very liable to changes - the changes are introduced very often and therefore we have to modify our test very often.

Commonly we are given an area, a part of the product function to test.

Is Scrum suitable for our case?

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  • Yes. Why do you want Scrum, and why would you think it wouldn’t be a fit?
    – Todd A. Jacobs
    Jun 1, 2019 at 15:33
  • Our work is independent from the product's team work to a considerable degree. That is why I'm not sure whether Scrum is suitable or not.
    – embedc
    Jun 1, 2019 at 17:34

3 Answers 3

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Typically in Scrum we treat the development of software and the testing of that software as one activity, rather than separating them out.

A Scrum team consists of people that provide a capability for both development and testing. Work is taken on by the team based on their capability both to develop and test it.

As the Scrum team works, they will create new tests and modify existing ones. The frequency with which they have to modify the tests will be determined by how much work the team is taking on.

To answer your question, it is likely that Scrum will be suitable for your case. However, the way you have worded your question suggests that you might need to make some changes to the way your teams work.

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  • Thank you! There two separate teams - developers and testers. We're the testers. Does Scrum assume that both teams should plan together an amount of new features and the sprint start and end dates?
    – embedc
    Jun 1, 2019 at 17:28
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    Scrum would combine the developers and testers into one team! If you are going to keep them separate then you definitely need to plan together. The developers should never take on more work than the testers can comfortably test. Jun 1, 2019 at 17:49
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    @embedc: Scrum (and most agile methods) assume or proscribe that a single team has all the required capabilities to produce a releasable product. That would mean that testers and developers are part of the same team. Jun 1, 2019 at 18:17
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    I recommend that you read the Scrum Guide carefully. It is a short free online document that defines Scrum. It is written by the creators of Scrum and can be found at scrumguides.org Jun 2, 2019 at 3:19
  • Just to add a different angle to what Barnaby is saying already, Scrum looks at a single team delivering value. For most teams, the value stream for a given feature includes both development and testing, so I would want both of those capabilities in the team and I would want to take on units of work small enough to complete both development and testing in the sprint.
    – Daniel
    Jun 2, 2019 at 4:04
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See the other answers for the value of Scrum in your situation.

Specifically regarding an often-changing product, I would encourage a quick daily stand-up meeting early on in the day with a basic Kanban board.

This way you can update everybody about recent changes and change the goals - and their corresponding sticky notes - very quickly and efficiently.

Best would be to take "defunct" notes and put them in their own - clearly marked - lane, all the way past the end, so that people can see they have been removed and not finished or fallen-off the board.

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Yes.

Scrum is a framework for developing, delivering, and sustaining complex products, that evolve over time.

Scrum makes clear the relative efficacy of your product management and work techniques so that you can continuously improve the product, the team, and the working environment.

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