Test Management without Test Managers Assurance, Re-Training, Mentoring 22-Nov-18 Test Management without Test Managers Paul Gerrard paul@gerrardconsulting.com Twitter: @paul_gerrard Web: gerrardconsulting.com Intelligent Definition and Assurance

Intelligent Definition and Assurance Summary Agile has no clear role for test managers Some test managers reverted to testers Some specialise (automation, performance, security) Some moved upstream to be BAs or product owners Some left testing completely Assurance is emerging and is a natural progression for delivery-focused professionals How do teams manage testing without anyone owning testing? Does test management morph into virtual test management? Intelligent Definition and Assurance

Redistributed testing* There are test management activities in all projects, regardless of size Responsibility for testing in projects is being re-distributed To smaller, Agile teams To developers To automation No test manager, but test management activities still need to be done * Not every project is going this way – just the ones “in the news”. Intelligent Definition and Assurance

Intelligent Definition and Assurance What is your role? Traditional test manager, managing a test team Oversight of outsourced/offshore testing Assurance role covering part/whole lifecycle Automation/CD/DevOps specialist Customer Experience (CX) specialist Test lead Tester Other? Intelligent Definition and Assurance

Variations in test/test management in use How does your company “do testing”? Intelligent Definition and Assurance

Redistributed test management Somehow, the team must jointly do ‘self-test management Virtual Test Manager? In this session: I’ll propose a set of logistics-neutral test management disciplines for software projects If you have an oversight or assurance role over teams without test managers, these are the disciplines to watch over. Intelligent Definition and Assurance

Test management for teams Core test management disciplines Logistics differ for every organisation/project To be transferable, they need to be universal Logistics and context neutral I’ve said before… Test Axioms Principles are axiomatic – rules we believe to be true in all circumstances New Model Testing: Testers (anyone who tests) need to focus on the thinking processes. Intelligent Definition and Assurance

Taking the Logistics out of Test Management Reusing work I did on Test Axioms and the New Model

Test Axioms http://testaxioms.com/ http://testers-pocketbook.com/ https://leanpub.com/testerspocketbook Intelligent Definition and Assurance

Sixteen Test Axioms Stakeholder Basis Oracle Fallibility Scope Value Coverage Never-Finished Delivery Good-Enough Environment Repeat-Test Event Design Prioritisation Sequencing

The three axiom groups Repeat-Test Value Sequence Scope Environment Stakeholder Value Scope Fallibility Good-Enough Delivery Repeat-Test Sequence Environment Event Never-Finished Design Basis Coverage Prioritisation Oracle

Forget Logistics (for the time being) How I introduce the New Model for Testing Forget Logistics (for the time being) Document or not? Automated or manual? Agile v waterfall? This business or that business? This technology v that technology? No test manager or team!

Intelligent Definition and Assurance Wait a minute! Logistics is what I do Test policy, strategies and plans Estimation, planning, scheduling Stage entry and exits Test Reports Incident management, triage, bug advocacy Overseeing automation, supplier testing … Look at the ToC for the certified schemes Logistics, logistics, logistics Won’t make you a better tester or manager. Intelligent Definition and Assurance

Intelligent Definition and Assurance New Model Testing Agile TD Webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ra1192OpqY Paper: http://dev.sp.qa/download/newModel Intelligent Definition and Assurance

New Model Test Management Intelligent Definition and Assurance

Logistics vary, the thought process doesn’t The New Model proposes a model of the thought patterns for all people who test Whatever your process, logistics, team size If you understand this, you can align testing to any approach – waterfall, agile, continuous, DevOps … Testing is redistributed but the thinking is the same New tools and more automation but the thinking is the same. Intelligent Definition and Assurance

Virtual Test Management Test management without a test manager

Test management without test managers There may be no team to manage, but there are still test management tasks How to distribute testing across the team? Communicating stakeholder goals to the team? Which product risks to be addressed by testing? What test models are appropriate? How much testing is enough? Scope of test automation? Who does test automation? Communicating results inside and outside the team? Intelligent Definition and Assurance

Future Test Management An article series on test management (logistics/context-free) (plus e-book and online class)

Context-free test management Strategy Delivery Stakeholders, Goals and Testing Planning Process, logistics and thinking Execution Modelling Testing as a Team Risk Service Testing How Much Testing is Enough? Technology Documentation Infrastructure Tools Test Execution Tools Plus: Managing your test management career An article series, e-book (and online course?) What topics are missing? Intelligent Definition and Assurance

Intelligent Definition and Assurance Strategy Stakeholders, Goals and Testing Testing Needs Stakeholders Know Your Stakeholders Translating Goals and Risks to Tests Defining a Test Strategy Process, not Ceremony Separate Thinking from Logistics Test Strategy Framework Shift-Left. Intelligent Definition and Assurance

Intelligent Definition and Assurance Strategy 2 Modelling Models at the Heart of testing Coverage and Models Using Models to Manage Managing Stakeholders, Managing Scope Estimation and Progress Monitoring Risk Classic Approach to Risk Product Risk and Testing Practicalities Understanding Testing’s Risk Management Role. Intelligent Definition and Assurance

Intelligent Definition and Assurance Strategy 3 How Much Testing is Enough? The Value of Testing The Value and Significance of Tests Using the Right Language Estimates and Negotiation Documentation The Perils of Templates and Cut/Paste Types of Test Documentation A Documentation Framework Some Advice. Intelligent Definition and Assurance

Intelligent Definition and Assurance Delivery Planning Planning is a Journey, Not a Task Deliverables, How, Test Logistics Resources (human, physical) Your Support Network Estimates, Dependencies, Risks, Assumptions Communication, Commitment and Progress Execution Are you ready? The Classic Squeeze on Testing Reporting Success and Failure Coverage Erosion Incident Management Managing the End-Game. Intelligent Definition and Assurance

Intelligent Definition and Assurance Delivery 2 Testing as a Team Shift-Left Testing is an activity, not a role Agile Test Interventions Relationship with developers Challenges of Distributed and Outsourced Teams Motivating testers; managing outsourced teams Service Testing What is Service Testing? Managing Performance Testing Reliability/Failover Testing Service Management Testing. Intelligent Definition and Assurance

Intelligent Definition and Assurance Technology Infrastructure Infrastructure Defines Test Environments Developer Environments System-Level Test Environments Data in Environments Infrastructure Testing Large-scale integration Tools Tools Architecture Test Management Test Design Proprietary or Open Source? Buy, build or open source? Intelligent Definition and Assurance

Intelligent Definition and Assurance Technology 2 Test Execution Tools Test (Execution) Automation GUI Test Automation API and Service Test Automation Regression Testing Test Automation Frameworks. Intelligent Definition and Assurance

Intelligent Definition and Assurance Managing Your Career Evolving Test Management Skills Business, Leadership, Communication Skills Leaving Test Management Behind. Intelligent Definition and Assurance

Intelligent Definition and Assurance Summary Some organisations/projects will continue to use waterfall and not go ‘virtual’ with TM But the skills areas I identify are universal These skills allow you to create strategies and plans, execute and interpret tests, regardless of process or technologies Since testing is likely to be re-distributed, these skills are valuable to everyone who tests. Intelligent Definition and Assurance

Intelligent Definition and Assurance Close Step back from chaos, process, technology, politics and pressures – and think what you do Testing is re-distributing – to developers, to automation, to shifted testers, to suppliers The team might take on VTM The Assurance role focuses on the same areas whether there’s a test manager or not. Intelligent Definition and Assurance

Test Management without Test Managers Assurance, Re-Training, Mentoring 22-Nov-18 Test Management without Test Managers Paul Gerrard paul@gerrardconsulting.com Twitter: @paul_gerrard Web: gerrardconsulting.com Intelligent Definition and Assurance