Having a separate “in test” column on a sprint board can be considered an anti-pattern because it can create a bottleneck in the testing phase and prevent the team from achieving a continuous delivery model. Here are some reasons why:
- Testing is not a separate phase: Testing is an integral part of the software development process and should be done in parallel with coding. By creating a separate “in test” column, it can create a perception that testing is a separate phase that comes after coding, which can delay the testing process and impact the overall timeline.
- It encourages a handoff mentality: Having a separate “in test” column can create a handoff mentality between the developers and testers, where developers are responsible for coding and testers are responsible for testing. This can lead to a lack of collaboration and communication between the two groups, which can result in a higher number of defects and slower time to market.
- It can create a bottleneck: By having a separate “in test” column, it can create a bottleneck in the testing phase. If the testing column is full, developers may not be able to move on to the next task until testing is complete. This can slow down the development process and impact the overall sprint velocity.
Instead of having a separate “in test” column, the testing process should be integrated into the development process, with testers working in parallel with developers. This can help to reduce the number of defects, speed up the testing process, and enable the team to achieve a continuous delivery model.