Testing is a critical part of the software development process, yet it is often regarded as the least valuable aspect and provides constant frustration to the organisation as a whole. 

Testing is often seen as too time consuming, too manual and too expensive, further each software production issue leads to a finger pointing at the efficiency of the testing process.

Test management can be a tough role to be in.  The business is desperate to get its software live as fast as possible and at as low a cost as possible, yet at the same time they want the quality to be high and no defects in production.

Here is a real anecdote, that happen in the very recent past.  A friend and highly experienced test manager has recently had his contract terminated after finding a defect which meant that a phase of testing could not be completed.  Basically, a test manager has been fired for finding a defect! 

Apparently, the test plan was not efficient enough to ensure the release would hit the programme milestone.  The development manager, the programme manager and the developer etc all still have their jobs but the guy that found the defect lost his, the test organisation somehow took the blame for doing its job!

So, what does a good testing process look like and how can we stop test being a four letter word.

We have to remember that we are there for the good of the business.  The test manager is not the sole guardian of production but is part of a team and therefore the job is to provide that team with the information required to make informed decisions on the risks associated with the release of any software.

In order to understand that risk, the test manager must seek a consensus from all relevant stakeholders on the risks associated with the software delivery on any project.  Once that consensus has been found the test manager must then allocate their resources so that those risks can most effectively and efficiently be assessed.  Here, we need to agree the exit criteria that must be achieved in order for any software to move to the next phase.

We have great tools that can estimate functional size, potential number of defects per phase of testing and that can identify complexity and therefore areas of risk.  All can be used to help the exit criteria to be achieved. 

And now to execution, clearly the test manager needs to ensure the efficient progress of the test execution phase with prioritised testing taking place, supported via significant levels of automation.  However, progress reporting and detailed defect management is critical as is strong stakeholder management - we have to remember that every time we find a defect we are actually reporting bad news and in effect pointing out someone else’s error.

Testing is a difficult role, if defects leak into production then testing is blamed, if a large number of defects are found stakeholders become frustrated and if high severity defects are found late in test cycles the efficiency of testing is again questioned.  If test progress is slow, questions are again asked of test.

In order to minimise the frustration and/or criticism, test managers as a minimum must run an efficient test project but must also, articulate the testing value proposition and take all of the relevant stakeholders on the testing journey, this means consensus building and accurate, timely, consistent and concise reporting. 

Talk to CQE about how we you can place test at the centre of the software delivery process and not just think of it as a four letter word.