Shift left testing has emerged as a solution to one of the most pressing problems software developers and testers face today. After investing significant time and effort in software development, discovering a bug at the end of the process can be devastating. These last-minute discoveries can cost businesses time, money, and reputational damage. That’s where shift left testing comes in.
Shift left testing involves testing software earlier in the development cycle, enabling teams to identify and fix issues before they become complex. In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of shift left testing, including how it can save you time, money, and stress. We’ll also provide tips and best practices to help you implement this innovative testing approach into your software development process.
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What Does Shift Left Testing Mean?
Shift left testing is an innovative software testing approach that involves testing earlier in the software development cycle. This approach aims to detect issues early when they are less expensive and time-consuming to fix. It can be implemented in various software development processes, including Agile and DevOps, where speed, agility, and quality are essential. For example, shift left testing in agile development can help teams deliver high-quality software faster by detecting and fixing issues early in the process. In DevOps, it can be integrated into the CI/CD pipeline to ensure that only high-quality code is deployed to production.
Furthermore, design frameworks like Design Thinking, Lean UX, Agile UX, and Human-Centered design can benefit from shift left testing strategy. By testing early and continuously, teams can ensure designs are visually appealing and functional. With its ability to adapt to multiple software development processes and design frameworks, this innovative testing approach wields formidable power in helping teams to detect bugs early, reduce risk, and deliver quality software faster.
Why is it Called Shift Left?
Shift left is specific to the software development industry and is commonly used in Quality Assurance (QA), IT, and DevOps services. It is usually conducted by Software Development Engineers in Test (SDETs) or Software Quality Assurance (SQA) engineers. However, it can also be embedded into hardware devices such as medical equipment or automated teller machines (ATMs) in manufacturing industries to enhance productivity and decrease expenses.
The traditional waterfall model of software development follows a linear sequence:
Requirements => Design => Coding => Testing.
This often leads to discovering defects or bugs during the testing phase, causing delays or even scrapping of the software project. To address this issue, the concept of “Shift Left” emerged in the software industry, emphasizing the need to involve testing at every stage of development or shifting the testing phase from right to left.
Shift Left Testing Approach = Testing Requirements =>Testing Every Design => Testing Every Build => Testing Every Deployment => Testing On Production.
By collaborating early on with stakeholders, testing teams can design test cases that enable the software to “fail fast,” leading to quicker identification and resolution of defects.
4 Approaches to Shift Left Testing
To choose the right shift left testing approach, businesses must consider project size, complexity, available resources, and development process. Automated testing tools and collaboration between development and testing teams are also important for all approaches, which aim to detect bugs early in the development process to reduce costs. While different shift left testing approaches share some similarities, there are also differences between them.
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Traditional Shift Left Testing
Traditional shift left testing is a detailed approach using automated testing tools to plan and execute testing strategies early in the software development cycle. It is ideal for large, complex projects using waterfall processes and is effective when the development team lacks experience in Agile or DevOps. Testers create detailed test cases based on project requirements and execute them using automated testing tools. The implementation timeline depends on project size, complexity, and available resources. Some common pros of traditional shift left testing include improved product quality, reduced costs, and increased efficiency. However, this approach can also be time-consuming and resource-intensive, which may make it less suitable for small or agile teams.
Incremental Shift Left Testing
Incremental shift left testing involves testing in smaller increments to catch defects early and reduce risks. It requires close collaboration between development and testing teams and suits projects with multiple interdependent modules or functions. The incremental shift left approach reduces testing time and identifies defects before they spread to other areas of the system. However, it requires high collaboration and coordination of teams and may be less effective for small projects or those with tight deadlines. The implementation timeline depends on the project size and complexity and the availability of resources.
Agile Shift Left Testing
The agile shift left approach or shift left in DevOps integrates testing into the development process, emphasizing continuous testing and rapid iterations. It requires collaboration between development, testing, and operations teams, making it best for agile or DevOps processes. It is effective for small to medium-sized projects with a high level of collaboration and an essential requirement for automated testing. The implementation timeline for this approach is shorter than the traditional shift left testing method.
This approach helps to identify defects early and promotes continuous improvement and feedback, leading to better software quality. However, it requires high collaboration and coordination between the development, testing, and operations teams. It may also be less effective for large, complex projects that require significant planning and documentation.
Model-Based Shift Left Testing
Model-based shift left testing is an approach to testing that leverages models to simulate the functioning of the software. Testers create a graphical model and test it using automated tools to detect and fix bugs early in the development cycle. This approach works best for teams that value collaboration and for complex software systems with high-risk factors. While it requires more upfront planning, it ultimately leads to better software quality and lower costs. However, it can be challenging to create accurate models and requires significant collaboration between testers and developers. Model-based shift left methodology may be less effective for smaller software systems or teams that do not prioritize collaboration and communication.
Benefits of Shift Left Testing
The shift left strategy has gained popularity recently due to its ability to provide various benefits that positively impact software development. Some of these benefits include creating a higher quality product, earlier bug detection, and lower long-term costs. Though some organizations are apprehensive to implement shift left testing, there are numerous reasons to consider implementing this strategy.
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Higher Quality Product
Shift left testing helps teams create higher-quality products by catching potential issues early in the development cycle. This proactive approach to testing can save time and money by reducing the number of issues that could require significant resources to fix. According to IBM, defects found during testing were 15 times more costly to fix than if found during the design phase and twice as costly as if found during implementation.
Moreover, integrating testing into the development process promotes collaboration between developers and testers, creating an atmosphere where everyone is responsible for ensuring the product meets the highest standards. By implementing shift left testing, teams can deliver high-quality products more efficiently and cost-effectively, leading to happier customers and a more successful business.
Increased Efficiency
Adopting the shift left testing approach can foster a collaborative environment between developers and testers, leading to a better understanding of the product’s requirements and specifications. This can help to break down knowledge barriers and encourage a more cohesive approach to product development. By detecting and resolving potential issues early in the development cycle, teams can avoid interruptions and ensure the timely delivery of high-quality products.
Early Bug Detection
The benefits of early bug detection are many- it not only reduces development costs but also improves the quality of the final product. Catching issues early on also allows the team to make necessary adjustments and improvements to the product before it becomes complex to fix. This, in turn, can boost customer satisfaction and loyalty by ensuring a smooth and hassle-free user experience.
Reduce Time to Market
Shift left testing can help reduce the time it takes to bring a product to market. By involving developers in the testing process, teams can detect bugs sooner, allowing them to make the necessary changes and improvements before the product reaches the later stages of development. This can significantly reduce the time it takes to develop and launch the product, ensuring it reaches the market quickly and efficiently. Reduced time to market allows the company to gain a competitive advantage by being the first to market and enhances customer satisfaction by delivering a superior product quickly.
Lower Long-Term Costs
Implementing shift-left testing can lead to significant cost savings for businesses, and reduce the costs associated with maintenance and support over the long term. By catching and resolving issues early on, teams can avoid costly fixes later in the product development cycle, reducing the overall cost of the product. The cost savings generated from shift left testing can be allocated to other business areas, such as marketing or research and development, which can further enhance the company’s competitive advantage.
Increased Product Security
Shift left testing is a powerful tool that can help to enhance product security by identifying vulnerabilities and weaknesses in the software code before malicious actors can exploit them. This can prevent data breaches, protect intellectual property, and safeguard customer information. By testing the software code early in the development process, teams can ensure that the product is secure, robust, and resistant to cyber threats. Shift left security protects the company’s assets and reputation and enhances customer confidence and loyalty by ensuring their data and information are safe.
Greater Employee Satisfaction
Shift left testing is key to employee satisfaction as it empowers them to work on higher-quality projects less prone to failure. Employees can work more effectively by utilizing their skills and expertise where it really matters. The shift left testing approach also leads to greater cross-team communication, promoting collaboration between developers and testers, which helps to break down knowledge barriers within the organization. When employees are not bogged down by constantly putting out fires, they can focus on more significant projects that excite them and contribute to their professional development.
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Risks of Not Adopting Shift Left Testing Approach
Shift left testing can bring significant benefits to businesses, such as improved product quality, increased efficiency, reduced costs, and faster time to market. However, neglecting to adopt this approach can result in several risks and challenges.
- Higher short and long-term costs: If defects go unnoticed until later in the software development cycle, they become costly to fix, leading to higher expenses and even loss of sales. Moreover, businesses may incur overhead costs associated with resolving issues that could have been prevented earlier using the shift left testing approach.
- Longer Time to Market: The traditional testing approaches – shift right testing, used to detect issues and defects can result in developers spending more time on problem-solving. This delay can lead to missed opportunities, decreased revenue, and intensified competition from companies that move more quickly. For instance, if a software product is launched with flaws that could have been detected earlier, it may result in customer dissatisfaction, leading to reduced sales and a tarnished reputation for the company. Competitors could take advantage of the situation by releasing similar products faster, grabbing market share, and leaving the lagging company vulnerable.
- Customer Distrust: When products hit the market with glitches and flaws, it can irritate customers and cause them to question the brand’s reliability. The fallout of such a scenario can affect the company, leading to diminished sales and a severe blow to the company’s reputation. A dissatisfied customer base could mean the company loses its footing and struggles to stay afloat with its competitors. By adopting a shift left testing approach, businesses can ensure their products are thoroughly tested, boosting customer confidence and leading to a positive brand image.
- Unexpected errors and bugs: Unexpected errors and bugs can be more frequent in traditional testing approaches. When testing is conducted later in the development cycle, defects may go unnoticed until they cause significant problems or errors. This can lead to longer lead times, increased costs, and frustration for both development teams and customers.
How to Implement Shift Left Testing
A well-structured approach is important to implement shift left testing. This includes bringing developers and testers in early during the development process. It also includes utilizing automation to speed up processes and reduce errors, all while creating clear coding standards for teams to adhere to.
With clear quality standards, cross-team communication, and stakeholder collaboration, producing high-quality software through the shift left method is possible. Ultimately, embracing these practices will enhance software quality and achieve quicker outcomes.However, the timing and sequence of these practices may fluctuate depending on the organization’s size and complexity of the software.
Let’s take a closer look at the process of implementing shift left testing in software development.
Bring Developers and Testers in Early
A successful shift left testing approach hinges on involving developers and testers early in software development. This enhances collaboration, where everyone is focused on delivering the best possible product. To implement this approach, companies identify and bring together the key stakeholders, including developers, testers, and project managers, to discuss the project, anticipate potential issues, and develop strategies for addressing these issues. This might include introducing new testing tools or creating automated testing scripts. By involving developers and testers early on, businesses can boost the quality of their software, minimize the risk of bugs, and save valuable time and resources.
Prioritize Automation
Automation is important in shift left testing, as it reduces the time required for testing and allows teams to identify and fix bugs quickly. The level of automation in shift left testing is typically higher than in other testing approaches, as it involves testing continuously throughout the development process. Automation can support testing at every stage of the process, from unit to functional, regression, and performance testing. The development and testing team automates these processes to ensure testing is integrated into the development cycle.
Strategies to implement automation in left testing include:
- Adopting tools that support continuous testing.
- Investing in test automation frameworks.
- Leveraging test-driven development practices to ensure that tests are created as soon as possible in the development process.
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Develop and Adopt Coding Standards
Having clear and concise coding standards is fundamental to ensuring that code is uniform, easy to read, and maintainable. These standards not only facilitate the development process but also reduce the risk of errors and bugs, promoting better teamwork among members.
To effectively implement coding standards, involving all team members is essential. Furthermore, establishing clear guidelines and best practices and regularly reviewing and modifying the measures are also necessary. Tools such as code analyzers, style checkers, security scanners, profilers, and debuggers can help ensure compliance with these standards. Teams can produce high-quality software quickly and effectively through a steadfast commitment to clear coding standards.
Integrate Testing Early
Integrating testing early in the development process is important in producing high-quality software. By promptly identifying and resolving problems, teams can save time and resources while ensuring a premium user experience. This approach is distinct to shift left testing, highlighting the importance of testing at earlier stages of development to prevent issues from multiplying downstream.
To execute this testing approach, teams can leverage Continuous Integration and Delivery (CI/CD) pipelines to automate testing and feedback loops. Test-Driven Development (TDD) is another effective method that involves writing automated test cases before coding to verify that the code satisfies requirements and avoids defects. By adopting these strategies, teams can create more dependable, maintainable, and cost-effective software.
Develop Clear Quality Standards
Quality standards in shift left testing should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART). These standards must be consistent across all departments involved in the development process to achieve uniform quality levels. They should provide clear guidelines for software behavior and functionality, as well as testing criteria like performance, security, and compatibility.
To implement this tactic successfully, it is essential to communicate quality standards clearly to all stakeholders involved in the software development process, including developers, testers, and project managers. Regular feedback and reviews should be conducted to ensure that everyone adheres to these standards, and continuous improvement should be encouraged. Automating tests is also helpful in streamlining the process and ensuring consistent compliance with quality standards.
Encourage Cross-Team Communication
Cross-team communication is essential to successful shift left testing. When teams work together, they can identify issues quickly and efficiently. Encouraging cross-team communication involves creating an open and collaborative environment. Strategies include:
- Establishing regular team meetings.
- Encouraging brainstorming and knowledge sharing.
- Providing opportunities for feedback.
- Fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
Effective cross-team communication can lead to better-quality software, faster delivery, and improved customer satisfaction.
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What to Expect After Adopting the Shift Left Testing Approach
A famous proverb says, “The proof of the pudding is in the eating.” Similarly, after adopting the shift left testing approach, businesses can expect significant changes in their software development process.
These changes can occur quickly or over time, depending on the organization’s size, complexity, production environment, and existing software development practices. Organizations should use Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) such as defect detection rate, test coverage, cycle time, and customer satisfaction to know if strategies are working or need adjustment.
Across every organization, these are a few common changes you can expect after implementing the shift left testing strategy.
Less Waiting in Testing Activities
Adopting the shift left testing approach can reduce waiting times. This enables teams to catch defects early in the development cycle, ensuring that issues are addressed before they go out of control. This, in turn, reduces delays in the testing process. Moreover, it also enables teams to respond quickly to changes in requirements and ensure that software is delivered to the market faster. Success can be measured by monitoring the number of defects caught early, the decrease in testing time, and the increase in overall quality.
Greater Knowledge Equity Across Teams
Knowledge equity refers to ensuring that everyone in a team or organization has access to the same information, knowledge, and resources, regardless of their background or experience. It ensures that all team members have the opportunity to contribute their ideas and knowledge to a project, which can lead to better decision-making and innovation.
Shift left testing is a powerful tool in promoting knowledge equity, as it brings testing activities closer to the start of the development cycle, involving everyone in the process. This increases their exposure to the code and deepens their understanding of the software, breaking down knowledge barriers and promoting collaboration among teams. This results in more informed discussions, fewer knowledge barriers, and increased team knowledge equity, leading to better collaboration, improved quality, and faster delivery times.
More Customer Involvement
The input and feedback of customers are crucial in shaping the final product design and development, ultimately leading to increased satisfaction by meeting their needs and expectations. More involvement from customers also reduces the risk of creating an unsuitable product for the intended market. Shift left testing allows for faster feedback loops and more frequent releases, enabling customers to provide feedback earlier in the development cycle and resulting in a customer-centric product.
Increase in Test Coverage
Attaining a greater test coverage means that the application or system has undergone more rigorous testing to ensure that all its functionalities have been thoroughly examined. With shift left testing, this goal becomes more achievable as it encourages more frequent and earlier testing, resulting in a more significant portion of the application being covered by tests. As a result, the system becomes more efficient, reliable, and stable, with fewer errors and reduced downtime. Although higher test coverage may incur additional costs, it’s a worthwhile investment in the long run as it helps to prevent stressful test maintenance and reduce overall maintenance costs.
Greater Unit Test Completion
Unit test completion and increased test coverage are actually quite different. While test coverage is concerned with testing the overall composition of the software, unit test completion focuses on testing individual components of the software in isolation. This is important because unit tests can catch issues early in the development cycle, saving time and money by preventing costly amendments. Shift left testing encourages greater unit test completion by starting testing earlier in the development cycle, leading to long-term benefits like increased efficiency, improved quality, and reduced costs.
Discover How Shift Left Testing Transforms Business with Think Tank QA
If you’re looking for a way to improve your software development process, adopting a shift left testing strategy could be the answer you’ve been searching for. By moving testing activities earlier in the development cycle, you can identify and address issues before they become major problems, saving your business valuable time, money, and potential reputational damage.
At Think Tank QA, we understand the benefits of software testing and how it is important to businesses of all sizes. Our experienced professionals are dedicated to helping you navigate the shift left testing landscape and transform your software development process. With our comprehensive testing services, you can rest assured that you’re identifying and fixing issues at every stage of the development cycle. Whether you need help with manual or automated testing, we have the expertise and tools to get the job done right. We believe in working closely with our clients to understand their unique needs and requirements so that we can tailor our solutions to their specific needs.
Don’t let issues slip through the cracks and derail your software development project. Contact us today to learn how we can help you implement shift left testing and take your business to the next level. Visit our services page to explore our various testing solutions and start your journey toward more streamlined and successful software development.