I am in agreement with Niels on this. I did want to add a few more points to assist in expediting the QA process.

1. Understand your product, become the expert
2. Take charge of the quality of the product
3. Review the changes prior to code being written. Ensure that expectations are met
4. Cover potential holes prior to code being written
5. Work closely with development to understand what changed and why

To me personally QA has a bigger impact when they focus on the process than verifying the product. Most of the issues that occur are do to the process and less about the actual product in Agile. Gaps in requirements happen, they get overlooked and usually don't get discovered until the very end. If you start to close these gaps, saving everyone time and effort, you will become the hero of the project.

To start this process:

• Perform Root Cause Analysis on defects. The goal is to prevent them from being written.
• Ensure the Development Process is followed
• Review Source Code
• Learn your Developers, their stengths and weaknesses
• Communicate, communicate and communicate
• Allow people to sleep at night
  • Explain that your ultimate goal is to avoid late night calls with issues

I am in agreement with Niels on this. I did want to add a few more points to assist in expediting the QA process.

1. Understand your product, become the expert
2. Take charge of the quality of the product
3. Review the changes prior to code being written. Ensure that expectations are met
4. Cover potential holes prior to code being written
5. Work closely with development to understand what changed and why

To me personally QA has a bigger impact when they focus on the process than verifying the product. Most of the issues that occur are do to the process and less about the actual product in Agile. Gaps in requirements happen, they get overlooked and usually don't get discovered until the very end. If you start to close these gaps, saving everyone time and effort, you will become the hero of the project.

To start this process:

• Perform Root Cause Analysis on defects. The goal is to prevent them from being written.
• Ensure the Development Process is followed
• Review Source Code
• Learn your Developers, their stengths and weaknesses
• Communicate, communicate and communicate
• Allow people to sleep at night
  • Explain that your ultimate goal is to avoid late night calls with issues