There hasn’t been a project that didn’t have any form of time pressure. So we can easily conclude that we need to deal with this pressure. Can we always do this in the same way? Or even bolder, can we always do this? Well, maybe we can, maybe we can not… At least I’d like to share with you how I usually deal with time crunches in my job. Believe me, the testing job has a lot of time pressure. The tester is always on the critical path of software development and in Agile software development, the timelines are getting shorter.
Everything you do in software development should have added value. If not, it’s waste. To remove some of the pressure on your work: prioritize! Make sure that you have finished the most valuable tasks first. Whenever you hit your deadline, you must provide useful information. Of course you want to do all you planned, but that often isn’t possible.
If at any time you think that you will not be able to make your deadlines, discuss this with the people involved. Let them know as early as possible that the scope needs adjustment (also do this if you have spare time). Let others help you to make the decisions on what is important! Communicate your commitment and your expectations.
Last but not least, dare to ask for help. It is not weakness to ask for help, but it is a very valuable strength. Most people are willing to help you, but they only know what to do when you ask them. This will lower the pressure on you as a person and allows you to deliver quality work.
Testing Experiences 