The continuous testing practice: A two-year action research study to streamline software quality in scrum teams

Over the past two decades, software companies have increasingly shifted from plan-driven methods to Agile development. This transition has brought a paradigm shift in software testing. In this evolving context, Continuous Testing has emerged as a key practice to embed quality early and continuously throughout the lifecycle. The primary objective of this two-year study was to investigate how the adoption of Continuous Testing influences software quality, efficiency, and overall team performance in a Scrum-based development context. Action Research methodology that consists of iterative and collaborative approach was applied for adopting Continuous Testing as a practice. Three Action Research cycles were executed iteratively to improve the overall software quality of the deliverables. During the two years of this study, research outcomes were evaluated using metrics like defects within Sprints, integration defects, regression defects and production defects. The percentage of in-sprint automation also increased substantially after the adoption of Continuous Testing. These results indicate that Continuous Testing contributed directly to sustained improvements in the teams’ delivery quality and operational efficiency. At the end of this study, the empirical findings show that the adoption of Continuous Testing within a Scrum framework was associated with consistent improvements in overall quality of the deliverables. Additionally, Continuous Testing as a practice reinforced testing as a shared and team-wide responsibility within Agile development.