Executable Specifications
Executable Specifications are a key concept within BDD, which involves turning requirements, examples, and acceptance criteria into automated tests that can be executed to validate the implementation of a feature or functionality. These specifications are written in a natural language format that is easy to understand by both technical and non-technical stakeholders, enabling better collaboration and communication across the team. Executable Specifications serve multiple purposes, such as driving the development process, ensuring that the developed software matches the specified requirements, providing a living documentation of the system, enabling continuous integration and delivery, and acting as a safety net to catch regressions.
Guide to Executable Specifications in Agile Project Management
What is it?
Executable Specifications refer to distinctive practices in Agile and Behavior Driven Development that involve creating specifications for a system that can be executed to guide development and automatically verify the correctness of the system.
Why is it important?
Executable specifications optimize communication among team members, clarify requirements, validate the developed features, and minimize defects. They align the team on expectations and serve as a single source of truth, making sure everyone has the same understanding of how the system should behave.
How does it work?
An Executable Specification is a clear and precise description of a feature's behavior from the stakeholder's perspective. It can be implemented using a number of frameworks like Cucumber, JBehave, SpecFlow, etc. They use a Business-readable, Domain-specific Language (DSL) that allows non-programmers to write and understand these specifications.
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Executable Specifications
1. Understand the purpose: Remember that the purpose of executable specifications is to align the team on the expected behavior of a feature, ensuring everyone is on the same page.
2. Review the process: Make sure to review how executable specifications are created and used within Agile project management. Understanding the process can help better answer exam questions.
3. Know the tooling: Having knowledge about various frameworks that are used to implement executable specifications can be advantageous.
4. Practical application: If applicable, relate questions to real-world examples from your experience or understanding, showcasing your grasp over the practical applications of the concept.
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