The Lean Test Canvas

Here’s a simple exercise: Ask the team what “better testing” would like, then contrast that with how management and customers reply to the same question.

The question points out a difference – a disconnect. That disconnect means that the team is climbing a ladder that is leaning against the wrong wall.

In the business world there are tools to discuss, define, and visualize a business model, such as the Business Model Canvas. Over the past year or so, I’ve been working on adapting that Canvas to define the test process, something I call the Test Model Canvas. We’ll be describing the model in full in the January Issue of Better Software Magazine, but for now I wanted to give a sneak preview – and a place to download the templates.

Here’s an image:

If you’d like a hi-resolution download, you can find the canvas in Excel or PNG format.

The canvas is released under the creative commons attributed share-alike 3.0 unported license.

Want more? I’m afraid you’ll have to wait for the January Issue of Better Software Magazine.