Answering: “What are the accountabilities of a Tester on a Scrum Team?”

Scrum has no specific tester role, and everyone on the Scrum Team is responsible for quality. Testing is work the Developers do, not a separate job of catching others’ mistakes.

Exam Question

What are the accountabilities of a Tester on a Scrum Team?
(choose the best two answers)
A. There is no specific tester role.
B. Creating code coverage reports for the test manager.
C. Finding bugs to assure quality.
D. Everyone in the Scrum Team is responsible for the quality of the product.
E. Checking the work of the Developers.

Correct Answer

A and D.

Why This Is the Correct Answer

The Scrum Guide defines three accountabilities: Product Owner, Scrum Master and Developers. Someone with deep testing skills is a Developer, because Developers are the people “committed to creating any aspect of a usable Increment each Sprint.” One of their accountabilities is “instilling quality by adhering to a Definition of Done.” The Scrum Guide also states that during the Sprint quality does not decrease. Quality is built in by the whole team, not inspected in at the end by a separate person.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

B. Creating code coverage reports for the test manager. Scrum has no test manager. Coverage data may help the team, but it is not an accountability defined by Scrum.

C. Finding bugs to assure quality. Quality comes from building it in and meeting the Definition of Done, not from one person finding defects afterward.

E. Checking the work of the Developers. A tester is a Developer. A separate checker role creates hand-offs and implies hierarchy.

Exam Tip

Any question about job titles such as tester, architect or analyst inside a Scrum Team points to the same answer: they are all Developers.

Key Takeaways

• Scrum recognizes only Product Owner, Scrum Master and Developers.
• People with testing skills are Developers.
• The whole Scrum Team owns quality.