Mastering BDD: A Comprehensive Guide for Teams Building Software

Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) is a collaborative approach to software development that emphasizes writing executable requirements using language shared by all members of a software development team. Learn how to effectively implement BDD to ensure your team builds software that meets user needs while maintaining a cohesive and efficient workflow.

Why Choose BDD?

BDD promotes a clear understanding of requirements by involving all stakeholders. It helps in aligning the team's efforts, from product owners (POs), business analysts (BAs), testers, and developers, to deliver high-quality software that meets user expectations. By focusing on behaviors and scenarios, BDD ensures that the development process is guided by the end user's perspective, making it an invaluable tool in modern software development.

Steps to Implement BDD

1. Team Collaboration

The first step in implementing BDD is to gather everyone involved in the software development process: product owners, business analysts, testers, and developers. This team discussion is crucial for understanding the core end goals that users want to achieve with the system. For example, a feature like 'restricting underage patrons from borrowing R-rated movies' should be discussed to ensure all team members have a shared understanding of the requirements.

2. Defining User Goals

Determine the core end goals that users want to accomplish. The product owner (PO) should have a good idea of these goals, as they are responsible for translating user needs into specific requirements. For instance, the story 'restricts underage patrons from borrowing R-rated movies' can be broken down into scenarios that describe possible cases.

3. Writing Scenarios Narratives

In BDD, scenarios and narratives are used to describe how the system should behave in different situations. For the above story, two possible scenarios could be:

Provide narratives for each scenario, detailing an example of the interaction with the system. This narrative should outline the context, action, and expected result. For instance:

Background: Given Joe a patron with birthday 16 years ago todayAnd “50 Shades of Grey” a movie with an R ratingGiven Joe has scanned his library cardWhen Joe scans “50 Shades of Grey”Then the system beeps loudlyAnd notifies the librarian

4. Negotiating Scenarios

Negotiate around the scenarios to determine what is within the scope for the next period of work. This could be a sprint or iteration. You can often negotiate based on scenario descriptions alone, saving time by avoiding unnecessary narrative writing. This iteration helps to ensure that the development process stays aligned with user needs and project goals.

5. Building Software

With a clear set of scenarios and narratives, begin building the software. This phase involves developing the actual application that will meet the outlined requirements.

6. Automation with Cucumber

While building the software, automate the scenarios using a tool like Cucumber. Automation not only saves time but also ensures that the software behaves as intended by the team. Even if some scenarios are not immediately automated, discussing and negotiating them still provides significant value by helping to clarify requirements and align the team's efforts.

7. Continuous Improvement

As development progresses, scenario descriptions may need to be updated to reflect changing or additional behavior. This iterative process continues until all scenarios pass, indicating that the software has been successfully delivered according to the team's agreed-upon requirements.

Conclusion

Mastering BDD requires a collaborative team effort and a focus on clear communication and detailed planning. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can ensure that your team builds software that meets user needs and delivers value effectively. Implementing BDD not only improves software quality but also fosters a culture of continuous improvement and user satisfaction.