Agile Software Testing 101: Stress Testing

So your a software tester and you have received a new build with a new feature to test. How do you stress test it? Not difficult, you just need to know the pattern of "Stress Testing" to find those weak points. Here is a simple agile "how to".

Agile principles can be applied to testing. When done they leverage the tester's skills with the developer's skills.

Steps:

1. Being agile (as we all are) you let the developer responsible know that you are about to test the new feature.
2. As agile means collocated, you make sure you are near the developer and he/she can see your screen. Think of this as limited-pair testing perhaps, an agile balance of full pairing and letting the developer get on with his job.
   
3. To enhance your pairing make sure you have a mirror so you can see the developer. Collaboration is critical to stress testing.
   
4. Now go to the UI page that uses the feature and sweep your mouse pointer over the page watching the developers. When you see signs of stress ... click.

Stress testing saves time and leverages agile principles of, well, whatever your company says is agile today.