Software developers are looking to increase the quality of releases, in order to ensure that problems in the code are fixed before they become problems for their customers. After some debate, it’s likely that one of the approaches they will take is to introduce unit-testing within their environment. This allows developers to test their code “on the fly” and on a regular basis so that problems are isolated within the code and can be inexpensively and easily remedied without impacting on the release cycle. This then leads to the question, “What the best way to introduce unit-testing within our business for the greatest initial impact?”
Management and Communication
The process begins with the management team. As with any project, you need a clear focus on your expectations and the benefits you expect to see. This means identifying areas for training, communicating your objectives clearly and staying in regular touch with the project to see how it’s performing. You need to take action when issues arise and resolve them in a timely manner. Without effective management you simply can’t expect any new project to succeed.
Unit-Test in a Complementary Fashion to Development
If your developers are empowered to create the unit-tests as they create code and in such a way that their unit-test development mirrors the way they develop code, you’ll reduce the chances of unit-testing being perceived as an unfair burden. It also ensures that your developers are very clear on the reasons for unit-testing and can design unit-tests that identify issues as they arise.
Keep it Simple
The ideal unit-test is one which only examines one function of the code. It’s easier to write a simple unit-test than it is to write a complex one – developers need to understand the functions of mocks, stubs and fakes so that they can isolate functions and create defined inputs for those functions. This allows you to test the output of any piece of code and see if it matches expectations.
It’s also a good idea to implement simplicity in your development methodology. If you can eliminate multi-threaded code and keep the code as simple to execute as possible, you’ll find it much easier to create unit-tests that deliver on their objectives. The more robust your unit-tests are, the more your developers will see the benefits of the approach. Subsequently, your customers will be able to expect a higher quality finished product.