How do you assess your Test Manager - EuroSTAR Conference€¦ · The Dialogue was published in...

How do you assess your Test Manager

Fabian Scarano and Peter Morgan

www.eurostarconferences.com

Roadmap

• Inspired by Galileo Galilei – “Dialogue concerning the Two Chief World Systems”

• Introductions

• A Tester’s view of a Test Manager

• A (Test) Manager’s view of a Test Manager

• Do these views clash?

www.eurostarconferences.com 2


Introductions


Fabian ScaranoTest Manager

First EuroSTAR in 2000

Peter MorganTester

First EuroSTAR in 2002


Galileo Galilei


In the Copernican system the Earth and other planets orbit the Sun, while in the Ptolemaic system everything in the Universe circles around the Earth.

The Dialogue was published in Florenceunder a formal license from the Inquisition. In 1633, Galileo was convicted of "grave suspicion of heresy" based on the book, which was then placed on the Index of Forbidden Books, from which it was not removed until 1835

Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copernican_system

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptolemaic_system

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inquisition

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heresy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Index_Librorum_Prohibitorum

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dialogue_Concerning_the_Two_Chief_World_Systems


Definitions


• Tester: someone who DOES testing

• Test Manager: someone who MANAGES testing & parts of the project?

• Test Lead: mixture of the two• Leads

• Directs

• Mentors

• Encourages

• But still tests …….

• Test Consultant*: someone who ADVISES on testing

* Does not necessarily need to work as a consultant!


Two views of the Testing World


SW Testingresults

Tester’s view

Others


Tester’s view (of Test manager) 1/2


• May have an out of date understanding of testing ………

• Needs to handle the politics & fight for the testers

• Understands how testing works; say what you are going to do, do it, and say what you have done

• Communicates the project status and updates, in both directions

• When testing cannot fit the amount of work within the (project established) timeframe, the TM is responsible to resolve.

• Able to work in the “company Software Development Life Cycle Model” – whatever that is

• Spots functional /non-functional test skills in the team against needs


Tester’s view of Test Manager (NOT) 2/2



Manager’s view (of Test Manager) 1/2


• “You don’t understand the pressures that I am under”

• TM must deliver by the deadline, “we promised the customer – no matter what”

• TM you need to understand that the scope can’t be reduced

• TM you cannot ‘waste’ so much time running regression testing

• Of course you cannot have more resources, the budget is overrun

• We are already delivering late and you had preparation time from the beginning of the project (the scope has changed 10 times since)

• Well, implementation must be one of the areas you are taking care of

• The key is in the name – manages testing

• Defines, directs, controls, reports

• Sets the high level direction – and wants ‘the team’ & the project to follow it


Manager’s view (of Test Manager) 2/2


• Recruits for attitude, and trains for ability

• Gives direction to key strategic areas, like: test automation, supplier’s testing guidelines, user acceptance criteria, etc.

• Interface to the rest of the IT world – input: conferences, articles, networking -

• Challenges assumptions (how much actual time is available for testing)

• Never decides things like the implementation date – but gives information for others to decide. Is ‘the headlights of the project’


Do these views clash?


What do you think?

• Are these two views compatible?

• Which of the two views is the correct view?

• Is there a correct view?

• Can a TM comply with / align to both views?

• Is this 2 views or is it 2 jobs merged in one resource?

• THAT is where an objective assessment of a test manager comes in

• NOT the testers view, or a test managers view

Must Manage Expectations!!


There is some common ground .......


Handles at the same time Expected to

Getting the test work achieved Follows-up the process

Building the team Identify the resources required

Knowing and making the team perform Cares about and challenges the team

Developing the individual Understands the testers and their needs

Ensures communication with other teams, i.e. developers, users, etc.

Awareness, have control of the politics, other teams’ agenda

Comfortable with the concepts of risk Knows the extent and how to assess it

Masters the trade-off between “date / scope / resources ”

“Protect” the test team


Assessing your Manager


• Leadership

• Test process

• Assessing your manager

• What can you do?


Tips to assess your Manager’s leadership


• The leader in possession of a set of known behaviors and patterns wears a particular leadership C.O.A.T. :

• Communication

• Opportunity

• Advisory and • Talent

• Opt for a results-oriented assessment of managers

• Look for the leadership styles that work best in your company

• Vision driven or goal driven?:• Goals are good and are necessary in order to succeed • Manager’s plan, organize and coordinate. • But they also need to be strategic thinkers.


Assess your Test Manager and Test Process


Project Management

• How pleased are you with the way the Test Manager controls the testing

activities? Is the TM reactive or proactive? There is a time for both …….

• Is there any process issues with testing in your organisation

Process issues

• Is the requirement process well managed in the project?

• What about the test process, is it well managed in the project?

• Are all parties familiar with the test strategy used in the project?

• Has the project procedures to link requirements, test and solution?

Do all these ensure effective test management?


How to effectively assess your Manager


• Be objective and do not let your personal biases cloud your assessment

• Look at your boss from his perspective and take larger company goals into consideration – long term goals

• On time?

• On budget?

• Happy team?

• Base your assessment on your own observations, not rumors you have heard from co-workers

• Provide constructive criticism. Instead of providing negative comments, suggests specific things your boss could do to improve performance.

• Learn to give feedback, specially when things are not going very well!


What is your part?


• What is the (YOUR) specific behavior that contributes to the TM success?

• How can we measure if we, and not the TM, are doing well?

• Consider when closing a project you’re thinking “this time we really performed well with regards to test” What are the 3-5 most important things that you did – that can explain the success*.

(Will be different from company to company and probably from project to project).

*Ingrid E. Stillingen. Nets


Questions / Contact details


[email protected]@faqueba

[email protected]@MorganpPeter

Fabian ScaranoItaly

Peter MorganUK

Date post:	31-May-2020
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