How to Create “Good Testers”

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Susan WindsorGerrard Consulting Limitedsusan@gerrardconsulting.comWeb: gerrardconsulting.com

Topics

• What is a “Good Tester”?

• Why would YOU want to be one?

• How can you find, or become one?

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Good Tester? (Good Question!)

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Generic Attributes?• Able to identify what quality actually means in their context for

their stakeholders. Think “fit for purpose”!

• Able to define what information is important to their stakeholders and then deliver it, on time, and in the relevant format.

• Able to identify examples of industry good practice that are relevant and incorporate in pragmatic way.

• Able to recognise the value in different flavours of testers. Not everyone will be in the same discipline as you.

• Able to be productive; seek to continuously improve; understand their value.

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Functional Tester Attributes

• Relevant business experience!

• Networked with business analysts, and users.

• Challenge functional requirements.

• Understand how the system will be used.

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Agile Tester Attributes

• Excellent communication .

• Role in multi-skilled team .

• Challenge all stories.

• Use the relevant technology.

• Able to understand (and change?) code.

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Operational Acceptance Attributes• Lots of technical experience!

• Networked with operations and technical support.

• Challenge (and help define) operational acceptance criteria.

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Performance Tester Attributes?• Understand architecture and

able to identify potential bottle necks.

• Networked with architects, operations and communications.

• Challenge (and help define) performance requirements

• Interpret the results in plain language.

• Able to use the relevant testing tools. Slide 8

Test Manager Attributes

• Communicate with ALL stakeholders.

• Manage ALL skill groups.

• Manage troubled projects;

• Specialists in one or more test disciplines.

• Understand all test disciplines

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Certification

• What do you think?

• As an individual it can help your career and provide a sense of achievement.

• As a resource provider; or resource purchaser (who aren’t testers) it’s used incorrectly as a meaningful measure.

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Beyond Good Tester?

• Active throughout the project life-cycle.

• Communicate with every other discipline.

• You’re the eyes and ears of the sponsors.

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Super Tester!

Good Testers Make a Difference • Be your own Guru!

– Network; blog; attend events; absorb everything and retain only what is relevant to you.

– Don’t be seduced by industry Guru’s! There is no “best practice”.

– Realise that your experience is just as relevant and valuable as others.

– Become a mentor to other budding testers; seek out a mentor for yourself.

• Identify your relevant stakeholders and ask them:– What do they think makes a good tester?– What information do they need to make decisions?– What are their expectations of you and how will you know when

you’ve met them?

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Create a Good Tester

From within your own organisation!

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• Functional• Agile• Operational• Performance• Test Manager

• Business users• Developers• System Support• Systems Analysts• Business

Managers

Time to Transition?

• Purely by moving them into a new role and learning on the job alongside experienced testers – about one year to be as effective as an experienced contract tester

• By providing 4 weeks intensive assessment and training up front – about 3 months to reach same level

• Either way, after one year, they will be more productive and effective than any contract tester can be as they already have key productivity factors in place:– Relevant business or technical experience– A network of contacts within your organisation– Experience of “how to make things happen around here!”

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External Candidates?

• Direct Recruitment– Even if you don’t plan to do

this, the thought process and assessment assets will support other external resource provision decisions.

• Contract Agencies– Build a relationship with a small

number (one!) you can trust.

• Service Suppliers– Your selection process should

drive their service level and your commercial model

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Define Your Selection Process

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SuperTester

Test Manager (50 plus)

Test Manager (20 plus)

Team Leader

Specialist

Non-functional Roles

Junior Testers

Final Interview

Personality Test

Structured interview

Interpersonal Skills Test

Practical Test

Telephone Interview

CVAptitude Test

Application

Screen out candidates

Recruitment Decision

Y NY Y YY YN

YY Y Y Y YN N

YYYYY Y Y N

Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N

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Y

Y Y

Y Y

Y Y

Y Y

Y

Y

Y

Y Y

N

N

N

N

N

Y

Y

Define Your Own Team Roadmap• Sources exist (incomplete) e.g.

BCS SFIA

• Define base skills per discipline

• Create a matrix of roles

• Manage career development towards goals

• Establish recognition of achievement

• Establish mentoring/coaching programme Slide 17

And Finally……..Why wouldn’t you want to be a Good Tester?• You have a very wide choice of test

disciplines you can specialise in, depending on your career aspirations and experience.

• You get to provide the Intelligence that facilitates effective decision making.

• Ultimately, you’re a Trusted Advisor and maybe even an Industry Guru or SuperTester!

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