A while ago I answered the following question on SearchSoftwareQuality.com’s Ask The Software Quality Expert: Questions & Answers.

I'm looking for multiple QA methodologies/methods from start to finish in software development. I need to make a recommendation on which methodology would work best for our environment. The approach to QA where testing is done at the end of the SDLC is flawed because critical decisions have been made and without input from the testers. Do know of a good resource for this information? Thank you.

Here is a clip from my answer:

My current team uses session-based test management to manage our exploratory testing. We have to integrate that into Scrum using two-week sprints. We also have to manage large suites of regression tests, which to a great extent require us to work outside of the session-based test management chartering, testing, and debrief process. We also have to track and trace some of our work back to client-facing project plans, which requires some additional overhead and we've started to pull some V-Model elements in to help with managing that.

You can find the full posting here.

The following was originally posted on SearchSoftwareQuality.com’s Ask The Software Quality Expert: Questions & Answers.

What is the difference between retesting and regression testing?

Here is a clip from my answer:

When I think about regression testing, I think about any testing that involves the reuse of tests (manual or automated) or test ideas (regression charters for example -- a regression test does not necessarily need to be the exact same test) to manage the risks of change. This could include testing for bug fixes, testing to make sure a bug fix didn't break something else, or testing to make the introduction of new or changed features didn't break something else.

If you think about regression testing in that broad sense, then retesting is most likely a subset of that definition. It's a test that you're repeating for some reason or another; so I would call it a regression test. The only place I can't think of where I would use the two terms interchangeably is when talking about a specific defect. I probably wouldn't say "I'm regression testing defect X." I'd say "I'm retesting defect X." But it's semantics more then anything. That retesting is still regression testing.

You can find the full posting here.