method#Product#Delivery#Behavior Driven Development#Collaboration

Behavior Driven Development (BDD)

Behavior Driven Development (BDD) is a development approach that promotes collaboration between developers, testers, and domain experts.

BDD encourages the definition of software behavior in natural language, contributing to better communication and understanding.

Maturity

Established

Cognitive loadMedium

Classification

ComplexityMedium
Impact areaTechnical
Decision typeDesign
Organizational maturityIntermediate

Technical context

Integrations

CI/CD PipelinesTest Management ToolsVersion Control Systems

Principles & goals

Principles

Early validation.Collaborative requirement work.Clear communication.

Value stream stage

Build

Organizational level

Team, Domain

Use cases & scenarios

Use cases

Scenarios

Compromises

Risks

Misinterpretation of requirements.
Insufficient testing.
Lack of acceptance within the team.

Best practices

Documentation of all scenarios.
Regular review of tests.
Use of clearly defined guidelines.

I/O & resources

Inputs

User Stories
Acceptance Criteria
Specification Documents

Outputs

Working Software
Complete Test Suite
Documented Requirements

Resources

Description

BDD encourages the definition of software behavior in natural language, contributing to better communication and understanding. The use of tests that are understandable to both domain experts and technical staff improves quality and reduces misunderstandings.

✔Benefits

Improved software quality.
Fewer misunderstandings.
Promotes collaboration.

✖Limitations

Dependency on domain knowledge.
Possible over-complexity.
Not suitable for all projects.

Trade-offs

Metrics

Defect Rate
Number of defects per tested feature.
Test Coverage
Percentage of requirements tested.
Deployment Frequency
Frequency of software change deployments.

Examples & implementations

Online Store

An online store that uses BDD to define its checkout pipeline.

Social Networking App

An app that uses BDD to clearly articulate requirements and integrate user feedback.

Financial Software

A software solution that applies BDD to meet security requirements.

Implementation steps

Organize an introduction workshop.

Train the team in BDD.

Develop scenarios together.

⚠️ Technical debt & bottlenecks

Technical debt

Insufficient test automation.
Untreated technical debts.
Lack of documentation.

Known bottlenecks

Insufficient test automation.Poor documentation.Lack of acceptance within the team.

Misuse examples

Excessive complexity in tests.
Ignoring defects.
Focusing on too many scenarios.

Typical traps

Poor communication within the team.
Overlooking acceptance criteria.
Confusion due to technical terminology.

Required skills

Knowledge in BDD.Agile working.Collaborative skills.

Architectural drivers

Flexibility.Adaptability.Technology integration.

Constraints

• Lack of resources.
• Technical debts.
• Time pressure.