Shift-Left Automation

shift-left automation

Traditional Functional Test Automation only addresses regression of existing functionality, during release, far down, or to the right of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).  Shift-Left Testing/Automation, involves testing “New” functionality, as it is being created, to the extreme left of the SDLC.  Testing “New” functionality, as it is created, and automating that testing?  Yes, not a trivial task for those who have not done it before.  However, our experts are well versed in this area, including approaches such as Behavior Driven Development (BDD), and technologies like Selenium, Cucumber, SpecFlow, TestComplete, Tosca, and many others that make this possible.  GQP stands ready to help when it comes to meeting your Shift-Left Automation goals.

The SDLC Automation Maturity Progression Model™

Shift-Left Automation involves numerous methods of testing and automation, across the SDLC.  At GQP, we refer to this as The SDLC Automation Maturity Progression Model™.  It includes, but is not limited to, the following types of testing and automation:

  • Functional and/or End-To-End API Test Automation
  • Performance Test Automation
  • Other Non-Functional Test Automation (i.e. – Application Security)
  • In-Sprint “Definition of Done” Functional Test Automation
  • In-Sprint “Definition of Done” Performance Test Automation
  • Automated or Semi-Automated Environmental Deployment Quality Gates
  • Automated Environmental Deployment Installation & Configuration Smoke Testing
  • Automated API/Microservices “Contract Testing”
  • Continuous Integration & Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) Automation (Including Tests)

shift-left automation provides early feedback

  • Find defects before they are even introduced into a Release
  • Anticipate Product Quality right out of the gate
  • Validate the success of New Feature implementation (feature/story) by the end of each iterative development cycle (i.e. – Sprint, Cycle, etc.).

behavior Driven Development (BDD) fosters collaboration across all disciplines (bA/owners/dev/qA, etc.)

  • Break up Silos, get all team members collaborating; bringing effectiveness and efficiency to the process.
  • Stop miscommunication and misinterpretation in its place, and reduce the ambiguity to be delivered each iteration via Features/Stories, etc.
  • Have the team agree on the “Definition of Success” before the completion of each development iteration.

continuous testing throughout the SDLC

  • Shit-Left Automation allows you to introduce “Continuous Testing” to your development cycles, setting you up true Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery.
  • Continuous Testing is the first step in DevOps, setting the ground-work to create reusable tests for smoke and regression, in different environments, as your release moves through the software delivery pipeline.
  • Enter the 21st Century and make your SDLC Word Class, by testing both “New” and “Old” functionality throughout the SDLC.

Need help successfully implementing Shift-Left Automation?  Give us a call at 888-477-5580, or 888-GQP-5580.  Alternatively, complete our Contact Us form here.