Managing the Test Project

Software testing is a project with almost all the same attributes as a software development project. Software testing involves project planning, project staffing, scheduling and budgeting, communicating, assigning and monitoring work and ensuring that changes to the project plan are incorporated into the test plan. Specifically this knowledge category will address:

Test Administration and Organizational Structure

1. Test planning, scheduling and budgeting.
2. Alignment – Assurance the test processes are aligned with organizational goals, user business objectives, release cycles and different development methodologies.
3. Test Performance – monitoring test performance for adherence to the plan, schedule and budget, reallocating resources as required, and averting undesirable trends.
4. Staffing – acquiring, training, and retaining a competent test staff.
5. Management of Staff – keeping staff appropriately informed, and effectively utilizing the test staff.
6. Organizational differences between traditional management utilizing a hierarchical structure versus quality management using a flattened organization structure.

Personal and Organizational Effectiveness

1. Communication Skills

1. Written Communication – providing written confirmation and explanation of a variance from expectations. Being able to describe on paper a sequence of events to reproduce the defect. The ability to analyze information, so that all pertinent information is recorded and communicated to the proper person.
2. Oral Communication – understand how to communicate problems and/or defects in a non-offensive manner that will not incite ill feelings or defensiveness on the part of the developers. The ability to articulate a sequence of events in an organized and understandable manner. Includes effective participation in team activities.
3. Listening Skills – actively listening to what is said; asking for clarification when needed, and providing feedback statements to acknowledge understanding; documenting conclusions.
4. Interviewing Skills – developing and asking questions for the purpose of collecting data for analysis or evaluation; includes documenting conclusions.
5. Analyzing Skills – determining how to use the information received.

2. Personal Effectiveness Skills

1. Negotiation – working together with one or more parties to develop options that will satisfy all parties.
2. Conflict Resolution – bringing a situation into focus and satisfactorily concluding a disagreement or difference of opinion between parties.
3. Influence and Motivation – using techniques and methods in order to invoke a desired effect on another person. Influencing others to act in a certain goal-oriented activity.
4. Judgment – applying beliefs, standards, guidelines, policies, procedures, and values to a decision.
5. Facilitation – helping a group to achieve its goals by providing objective guidance.

3. Project Relationships – software testers need to develop an effective working relationship with project management, software customers and users, as well as other stakeholders having invested interest in the success of the software project.
4. Recognition – recognition is showing appreciation to individuals and teams for work accomplished. This also means publicly giving credit where due and promoting other’s credibility.
5. Motivation – encouraging individuals to do the right thing and do it effectively and efficiently.
6. Mentoring – working with testers to assure they master the needed skills.
7. Management and Quality Principles – understanding the principles needed to build a world class testing organization.

Leadership

1. Meeting Chairing – organizing and conducting meetings to provide maximum productivity over the shortest time period.
2. Facilitation – helping the progress of an event or activity. Formal facilitation includes well-defined roles, an objective facilitator, a structured meeting, and decision-making by consensus, and defined goals to be achieved.
3. Team Building – aiding a group in defining a common goal and working together to improve team effectiveness.

Bibliographic References

Copyright © 2006, Software Certifications. All rights reserved.