Using TMAP as a developer to detect bugs
Imagine this: as a developer, you are working with your team on a new feature. The code is tight, the deadline is approaching, and you feel very comfortable with it. But then, just as you're about to put everything live, a bug pops up that throws everything into chaos. Suddenly, everyone has to work in panic to limit the damage. Familiar? Unfortunately, it happens more often than we'd like, and it often leads to unnecessary stress and long days. But what if you could have detected those bugs much earlier, even before they cause chaos? This is where TMAP comes in.
Why bugs often show up late
Unfortunately, it is an annoying reality for many development teams: bugs that are only discovered in the final phase of the sprint. This often happens because testing is often seen as an ‘extra’ afterwards, something that only happens after the functionality has been built. We all know how that ends up: the bug comes to light too late, wasting valuable time fixing issues you would rather not have seen at the last minute.
With TMAP, a structured testing methodology, you can prevent these bugs from surprising your team at the last minute. Instead of testing only at the end, TMAP ensures that testing is an integral part of the whole development process.
And no, you don't have to be a tester to benefit from this-every developer can learn how these test design techniques work.
Prevent bugs with TMAP test design techniques
One of the most powerful concepts in TMAP is risk-based testing. Instead of randomly running tests or waiting until the end of the sprint, you can prioritise the parts of your software that are most critical from the start.
For example, consider a payment module in an e-commerce application. This is a component where errors are not only annoying, but also directly affect the customer experience as well as the revenue of the company you work for
By using risk-based testing, as a team you focus on the most important functionalities and ensure that potential bugs are found and solved early in the process. That way, you won't face any surprises the moment you want to go live. Because it seems that bugs that are only discovered at the last minute always appear at the worst time. Right?
Integrate continuous testing into your CI/CD Pipeline
We live in a time when continuous integration (CI) and continuous delivery (CD) are the norm. Code is continuously being merged, built and deployed. But how often is testing done during this process? Often not enough. Perhaps a suite of tests is only run once a day, which means that bugs are sometimes not discovered until the next morning. Probably just when you thought everything was going well.
TMAP helps you integrate testing into every step of your CI/CD pipeline. Every time new code is pushed, you run automated tests with it and potential bugs are immediately detected. This prevents you from unknowingly bringing faulty code to production and provides peace of mind within your team. Automated testing with TMAP means that bugs are not only uncovered during a manual review, but as soon as the code is written and merged.
Improving feedback loops with the VOICE model
You measure and improve quality not only by testing, but also by creating clear feedback loops within the team. The VOICE model, a core component of TMAP, helps set measurable quality goals. This model allows you to monitor progress throughout the development cycle and make quick adjustments when needed.
Consider, for example, a team working on a new application update. Without clear goals for quality and test coverage, it remains vague whether everything has been tested properly. By using the VOICE model, you set concrete quality indicators.
For example: ‘Have we tested the critical APIs?’ This way, you not only know that you are testing, but also how good your tests are and whether they really contribute to the quality of the final product.
Detect bugs early in sprint retrospectives
The Sprint Retrospective is the moment when, together with the team (including the product owner and scrum master), you look back at what went well and what can be improved. But in many cases, the focus is only on the development itself, and testing activities are hardly discussed. This is a missed opportunity. Bugs discovered late in the sprint can actually offer valuable insights into how to improve the testing process.
Use the Sprint Retrospective to analyse with your team how TMAP testing methodologies were applied and which bugs could have been detected earlier. By doing this analysis, you can identify where the testing process can be improved in the next sprint, and ensure that bugs are detected even earlier next time. This way, you not only build better software, but also a stronger team.
Preventing bugs as a developer with TMAP
Nobody likes bugs, especially when they surprise you only at the last minute. Fortunately, with TMAP test design techniques and an integrated approach, you can prevent bugs from sabotaging your project. By applying risk-based testing from the outset and integrating testing into every step of your development process, you will establish a solid foundation for quality.
Take the E-learning TMAP®: Quality for cross- functional teams
So, do you want to get rid of those last-minute bug-hunts and solidify your code from the start? Then take an E-learning TMAP®: Quality for cross- functional teams course at Testlearning and learn how, as a developer, you can pull the strings when it comes to quality. Because in the end, it's all about a smooth, error-free development process-and you can ensure that.