Getting Started with BGSTM¶

Welcome to BGSTM! This guide will help you get started with implementing professional software testing practices in your projects.

🎯 Step 1: Assess Your Current Situation¶

Identify Your Methodology¶

First, determine which development methodology you're using or plan to use:

Agile/Scrum: Iterative development with short sprints (1-4 weeks)
→ Read: Agile Testing Guide or Scrum Testing Guide
Waterfall: Sequential phases with comprehensive upfront planning
→ Read: Waterfall Testing Guide
Hybrid: Mix of approaches
→ Read: Methodology Comparison
Not Sure: Need help choosing
→ Read: Methodology Comparison

Assess Your Testing Maturity¶

Where does your team currently stand?

Level 1 - Ad Hoc Testing - No structured testing process - Testing happens whenever time permits - No documentation - → Start with: Test Planning Phase

Level 2 - Basic Process - Some structure exists - Basic test cases documented - Limited automation - → Focus on: Test Case Development and Test Execution

Level 3 - Defined Process - Established testing processes - Good documentation - Some automation in place - → Enhance: Test Analysis and Reporting

Level 4 - Managed and Optimized - Mature testing processes - High automation coverage - Metrics-driven decisions - → Explore: Multi-Platform App Development

🎓 Step 2: Learn the Framework¶

Understand the Six Testing Phases¶

Read through each phase to understand the complete testing lifecycle:

Test Planning (2-3 hours)
Learn about test strategy and planning
Understand resource allocation
Risk management
Test Case Development (2-3 hours)
Test design techniques
Writing effective test cases
Traceability
Test Environment Preparation (1-2 hours)
Infrastructure setup
Tool configuration
Data management
Test Execution (2-3 hours)
Executing tests
Defect management
Progress tracking
Test Results Analysis (2 hours)
Metrics analysis
Defect trends
Quality assessment
Test Results Reporting (1-2 hours)
Creating reports
Stakeholder communication
Decision support

Total Learning Time: ~12-15 hours for comprehensive understanding

Quick Start Guide (30 minutes)¶

If you're short on time, read these essentials: 1. Methodology Comparison - 10 minutes 2. Test Planning Overview - 5 minutes 3. Test Case Structure - 5 minutes 4. Test Execution Overview - 5 minutes 5. Browse Templates - 5 minutes

📋 Step 3: Customize for Your Project¶

Choose Your Templates¶

Based on your methodology, select and customize appropriate templates:

For Agile/Scrum Projects: - ✅ Test Case Template (simplified) - ✅ Defect Report Template - ✅ Test Execution Report Template (lightweight version) - Optional: Test Plan Template (high-level only)

For Waterfall Projects: - ✅ Test Plan Template (complete) - ✅ Test Case Template (detailed) - ✅ Defect Report Template - ✅ Test Execution Report Template (full version)

Adapt to Your Context¶

Review each template
Remove sections that don't apply to your project
Add any project-specific fields
Simplify language and structure as needed
Share with team for feedback

🚀 Step 4: Start Small¶

Pilot Project Approach¶

Don't try to implement everything at once. Start with a pilot:

Week 1-2: Planning Phase - [ ] Select a small project or feature for pilot - [ ] Create a basic test plan using the template - [ ] Define clear objectives and success criteria - [ ] Share with team and get buy-in

Week 3-4: Test Case Development - [ ] Write test cases for pilot project - [ ] Focus on critical functionality first - [ ] Get peer review on test cases - [ ] Establish naming conventions

Week 5-6: Execution and Reporting - [ ] Execute test cases - [ ] Log defects systematically - [ ] Track metrics - [ ] Create test report

Week 7-8: Review and Expand - [ ] Conduct retrospective - [ ] Document lessons learned - [ ] Refine templates and processes - [ ] Plan rollout to more projects

🛠️ Step 5: Set Up Your Tools¶

Essential Tools (Free Options)¶

Test Case Management - Option 1: Spreadsheets (Excel, Google Sheets) - Free - Option 2: TestRail - Trial available - Option 3: Zephyr for Jira - Free tier available

Defect Tracking - Option 1: Jira - Free for small teams - Option 2: GitHub Issues - Free - Option 3: Bugzilla - Open source

Test Automation - Option 1: Selenium - Open source - Option 2: Cypress - Open source - Option 3: Playwright - Open source

Collaboration - Option 1: Slack - Free tier - Option 2: Microsoft Teams - Free with Microsoft account - Option 3: Discord - Free

Tool Setup Checklist¶

👥 Step 6: Train Your Team¶

Team Onboarding Plan¶

For New Team Members (2-3 days) 1. Day 1 Morning: Overview of BGSTM framework 2. Day 1 Afternoon: Your methodology-specific guide 3. Day 2 Morning: Test case writing workshop 4. Day 2 Afternoon: Hands-on practice 5. Day 3: Shadow experienced team member

For Existing Teams (1 day workshop) 1. Session 1 (2 hours): Framework overview 2. Session 2 (2 hours): Process walkthrough 3. Session 3 (2 hours): Hands-on with templates 4. Session 4 (2 hours): Tool setup and Q&A

Training Materials¶

Present Methodology Slides
Walk through Testing Phases
Practice with Templates
Review Examples (when available)

📊 Step 7: Track Your Progress¶

Success Metrics¶

Process Adoption - % of projects using test plans - % of test cases documented - % of defects logged systematically - Team satisfaction with process

Quality Improvements - Defect detection rate - Defects found before production - Test coverage percentage - Customer-reported defects

Efficiency Gains - Test execution time - Automation coverage - Defect resolution time - Release frequency

Regular Reviews¶

Weekly: Quick team check-in on process
Monthly: Review metrics and identify improvements
Quarterly: Assess overall framework adoption
Annually: Major process review and updates

🔄 Step 8: Continuous Improvement¶

Gather Feedback¶

Regular retrospectives
Team surveys
Stakeholder interviews
Metrics analysis

Iterate on Processes¶

Update templates based on feedback
Adjust processes for efficiency
Adopt new tools as needed
Share lessons learned

Stay Current¶

Follow testing industry trends
Attend conferences and webinars
Participate in testing communities
Update framework as needed

🆘 Common Challenges and Solutions¶

Challenge: "We don't have time for testing"¶

Solution: - Start with smoke tests on critical features - Automate repetitive tests - Integrate testing into development (shift left) - Show ROI: cost of defects found early vs. late

Challenge: "Too much documentation"¶

Solution: - Use simplified templates for Agile projects - Focus on essential information only - Automate documentation where possible - Use living documentation (tests as docs)

Challenge: "Team resistance to new process"¶

Solution: - Start with pilot project - Involve team in customization - Show quick wins - Provide adequate training and support

Challenge: "We need specialized tools but have no budget"¶

Solution: - Start with free tools (spreadsheets, GitHub) - Use free tiers of commercial tools - Consider open-source alternatives - Build ROI case for tool investment

📚 Additional Resources¶

Within This Repository¶

External Resources¶

💬 Get Help¶

Support Options¶

Documentation: Check the docs first
Issues: Open an issue in this repository
Discussions: Start a discussion for questions
Community: Join testing communities

✅ Your First Week Checklist¶

Use this checklist for your first week with BGSTM:

Day 1 - [ ] Read this getting started guide - [ ] Identify your methodology - [ ] Review relevant methodology guide - [ ] Assess current testing maturity

Day 2 - [ ] Read Test Planning phase - [ ] Read Test Case Development phase - [ ] Browse templates - [ ] Customize one template for your project

Day 3 - [ ] Create a simple test plan for pilot project - [ ] Write 5-10 test cases using template - [ ] Get feedback from team - [ ] Set up basic test management tool

Day 4 - [ ] Execute your test cases - [ ] Log any defects found - [ ] Track execution progress - [ ] Take notes on what works/doesn't work

Day 5 - [ ] Create a simple test report - [ ] Conduct mini-retrospective - [ ] Document lessons learned - [ ] Plan next steps for broader adoption

🎉 Next Steps¶

Congratulations on getting started with BGSTM!

Your journey to professional software testing has begun. Remember: - Start small - Don't try to do everything at once - Be consistent - Follow the processes you establish - Improve continuously - Learn and adapt as you go - Share knowledge - Help others on the same journey

Ready to dive deeper? Choose your next step: - 📖 Deep dive into your methodology - 🔧 Set up a multi-platform app - 📋 Explore all templates - 🎓 Study all six phases in detail

Welcome to the BGSTM community! 🚀