Know The Primary Differences Between Scrum vs XP
It is no secret that the software industry is one of those sectors that shelters technical complexities like no other. There are so many possibilities to be explored in this industry. However, the opportunities to refine the product offerings through software testing also come with a certain set of challenges. Every developer who has been navigating this industry for a long time has come across daunting dilemmas when it comes to selecting the right solutions for specific software testing requirements.
One such challenge is the age-old battle between Scrum vs. XP. The aspirants who are new to the industry have often struggled with the differences between Scrum vs XP. Both these tools are two of the well-known Agile software development methodologies. To make the most of them, it is important to know what sets them apart and determine which one can serve as the right solution in which situation.
This blog is sure to be the perfect guide to helping you better understand what these two tools entail and how are they different in their features, functionalities, and testing phases.
What Is Scrum In Software Testing?
Scrum is one of the most lightweight methodologies in Agile software development. The main objective of this framework is to help expert developers build innovative and flexible solutions for complex situations with a sequential approach. To breakdown an extensive project into smaller, more manageable pieces, the methodology follows a process comprising two key elements that are called sprints:
- Creating and maintaining incredibly organized to-do lists known as product backlogs.
- Focusing on items dedicated to different steps in the project development in short intervals.
The origin story of Scrum is just as fascinating as the comprehensive approach it takes. Jeff Sutherland and Ken Schwaber created Scrum after reading a paper by Hirotaka Takeuchi and Ikujiro Nonaka. In the paper, the Japanese researchers discussed a new approach to product development inspired by the game of rugby.
The first scrum team started in 1994. In the year 1995, Ken Sutherland and Jeff Schwaber published a paper introducing the scrum framework officially. Within a few years, the framework was successfully adopted by leading companies.
What Is The Scrum Team?
Scrum needs a Scrum Master to ensure the Scrum framework is properly followed. A Product Owner (PO) orders the work for challenging problems into a Product Backlog and ensures that the priority tasks are checked off the list first. Then, the Scrum Team creates a plan for each Sprint and performs the work to deliver the value prioritized by the PO.
The best part is that Scrum does not just consist of software developers. The roles are quite varied depending on the expertise required, for example – testers, designers, UX specialists, ops engineers, as well as the quality assurance team. The Scrum Team inspects the results and adjusts for the next Sprint. The final step is when the process is repeated.
Scrum Testing Life Cycle
The Sprint:
The testing life cycle of Scrum starts with the ‘Sprint’. It is home to all of the Scrum events and is the short cycle in which all the tasks occur. This process can take up to a month in terms of development. Each chuck is called a Sprint – the entire project is well-divided into many manageable sprints. No changes are welcomed once the plans are set in place to achieve the Sprint goals. Sprint is further divided into the following parts:
1. Sprint Planning:
This is where all team members come together to create a solid plan for each Sprint. They brainstorm on the best strategies to deliver more value to customers, how much expertise to dedicate for each task, and what deadlines to set. Sprint Planning is what sets the entire Sprint process in motion by bringing clarity on the amount of work that has to be done. It involves asking all the important questions that could throw light on how to achieve specific goals.
2. Daily Scrum:
This process is where the team members assemble daily for a fifteen-minute meeting. This usually takes place first thing in the day before they start working on the tasks for the day. The most important discussions happen here. Developers update each other on the progress made towards the Sprint goals, and how the work processes can be optimized. This meeting facilitates effective communication and better decision-making.
3. Sprint Review & Retrospective:
Spring Review is where the team members review the work done at the end of each Sprint to analyze the results. It involves the presentation of all of the work accomplished so far. Sprint Retrospective marks the end of the Sprint. It enables developers to study the path towards the achieved results and how to apply the learnings in future projects. The final step is when the next Sprint begins the next day. This cycle repeats until the end of the project.
What Is Extreme Testing In Software Testing?
Extreme Programming (XP) is one of the most efficient Agile methodologies. There is a reason why it is called ‘extreme’ programming – it takes the age-old software development practices to ‘extreme’ levels through diverse practices. The methodology is suitable for projects that give one liberty, in the sense that the computing environment does not restrict developers from executing tests daily. It is the ideal choice for small to midsize teams that are working on dynamic software development requirements. The entire development process usually takes up to 6-8 weeks.
Testing in Extreme Programming means giving priority to customer involvement and testing. Here, it is the customer who is handed plenty of opportunities to change the XP development team’s approach, as and when required. XP is quite layered in nature. The innermost layer is programming, the middle layer is a set of practices, and the outer layer consists of the processes adopted by the team to interact with customers. There are three extreme programming phases for every project – the release planning phase, iteration phase, and release phase.
Extreme programming also has several values that guide development, the key ones being Communication, Simplicity, Feedback, Respect, and Courage. Developers are expected to provide honest estimates, no matter how tricky or challenging a situation is. The principles are designed to help all team members to respect and fulfill their responsibilities:
Scrum vs XP – Key Differences
| Scrum | XP |
| Jeff Sutherland and Ken Schwaber created Scrum in 1994 after reading a paper by Japanese researchers Hirotaka Takeuchi and Ikujiro Nonaka. | The first extreme programming project was started on March 6th, 1996, by Kent Beck during his work on the Chrysler Comprehensive Compensation System. |
| Scrum is a framework that provides flexible solutions to complex problems. Developers can use it with products other than software. | The primary objective of Extreme programming is to provide customers with high-quality software in short periods. |
| In general, Scrum teams work in iterations that span over 2 weeks 1 month. These iterations are commonly called Sprints. | Usually, XP teams work in iterations that are span over no more than 1 or 2 weeks. |
| Scrum teams do not allow changes into their sprints. Once the sprint planning meeting is completed and a commitment is made to delivering a set of product backlog items, that set of items remains unchanged through the end of the sprint. | XP teams are quite liberal when it comes to making changes to their iterations. If the team has not started working on the significant features of any product, a new feature can be easily accommodated into the XP team’s iteration. |
| Scrum product owner prioritizes the product backlog. However, it is the team that determines the sequence in which they will develop the backlog items. | In Extreme programming, the features to be developed are prioritized by the customer (Scrum’s Product Owner), and the team has to follow the order. |
| Scrum does not give any recommendations in the matters of which software engineering practices should be used by the developers. | Extreme programming guides developers with the programming techniques that can be used to ensure the delivery of the desired output. |
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