The area of Quality Assurance (QA) is always undergoing transformations, as are other areas of development. New approaches to getting the job done are emerging, improving processes and ensuring more efficient deliveries.
This is the context in which the”Mind Maps” or Mental Maps in everyday life. This visual information organization technique has proven to be an indispensable ally for QA professionals, providing an effective way to map processes, identify problems, and plan strategies.
In this article, we will explore more about what Mind Maps are, their benefits for the QA area and how to create them in an assertive way.
What is Mind Map
O Mind Map It is a diagram that makes it possible to organization and visualization of information in a structured and logical manner. Its purpose is to represent the connections that our brain is capable of establishing to achieve a goal.
Normally, the central idea is represented in the center of the map, with lines or branches extending from it, representing secondary topics or sub-themes. These sub-themes may, in turn, have even more ramifications, representing more specific ideas or concepts.
Benefits of using Mind Map in QA
The use of Mind Maps provides several benefits for QA coverage. We have separated the three most important:
- Organization and Visualization: The visual nature of Mind Maps allows you to intuitively organize and structure requirements, test cases, scenarios, and other elements of the QA process. This organization makes it easy to understand the big picture and identify potential flaws.
- Brainstorming and Creativity: The open and flexible structure encourages brainstorming and creativity during the test planning phase. Visualizing ideas allows you to explore different possibilities and identify optimization points.
- Communication: They serve as powerful communication tools, facilitating the sharing of information between QA team members, developers, and stakeholders. The visual clarity and logical structure of the map promote a common understanding of the objectives and scope of the project.
Venturus adopts the Mind Maps strategy in the development of new solutions, thus ensuring a more effective and safe delivery. Get in touch with our specialists and understand how we can leverage the results of your business!
How to make a Mind Map
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Imagine that you're a QA professional and a customer requests a new feature for the product. With this, one or more user stories are created to provide value to the customer.
QA participates in this construction phase of the User Story and of the acceptance criteria. This is essential to set up the Mind Map, since it is with this context that he will extract information to create the map and the branches that will be in this diagram.
So, the focus is on User Story And based on it is that the Venturus QA technology community He elaborated the Five main branches for each user story: strategy, data, risks, environment and scenarios, as in the image above.
Mind Map branches
The first branch was defined as strategy. This is where it is defined what types of tests will be used, whether they will be functional, automated, or just Smoke Test, for example.
The second branch, on the other hand, is represented by Mass of data, that is, what it will be necessary to have in hand to reach the requirement of user story. For example, user profile, files used, input, and other data.
On the third branch are traced the risks, such as the lack of a prototype, lack of a QA environment, lack of definition of User Story and others.
On the fourth branch, on the other hand, is traced the environment, that is, Where whether the tests will be run: in QA environments or a Smoke Testing in a UAT environment, for example.
Finally, in the fifth branch are listed the test scenarios, divided into branches that represent what will be tested. After listing the scenarios, they are divided into two possibilities: the positive (or happy path) and the alternative ones. Then, the acceptance criteria are entered and the writing of the test cases begins, which describe how the tests will be performed.
Mind Maps are essential for QA coverage
Without well-structured Mind Maps, your team is much more likely to do a lot of laps before reaching the goal, resulting in rework and loss of resources.
Mind Maps facilitate organization, communication, creativity, and flaw detection, allowing QA professionals to work more efficiently and strategically, ensuring the delivery of high-quality products.
Do you want to know how Venturus can help your business achieve even better results? Talk to our experts and understand how we can help you.
