Modern Software Testing Explained for Budding Test Managers

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the ever-changing world of software testing?

Don’t worry! You are not alone.

By learning these skills and dealing with these problems, test managers can play important role in today's world of software development. They make sure that quality isn't something people think about later, but an important idea that helps to make successful and easy-to-use software.

Software development moves quickly so things are always changing. Agile ways of working are critical, and DevOps is all about working together. Automation promises a golden opportunity for testing. Everything has changed, but the test manager is still in place. What, exactly, is a test manager doing in this modern landscape and how do they juggle all the complexities of modern testing?

Gatekeeper to Facilitator: The Role is Shifting

Back in 2010, when I started as a test manager at Principal Global Services, test managers were often viewed as the defenders of quality; the gatekeepers standing in the way of a product or project going live. However, times have changed. Over the years, working with various clients such as ANZ, the Royal Bank of Scotland, and several customers in New Zealand, I have seen this role evolve significantly. A modern test manager is like the conductor of an orchestra, facilitating the efforts of agile teams to ensure a smooth environment where everyone can shine in their area of expertise. Below are a few key skills that I learned along the way:

·?????? Big Picture Thinking: Looking at the overall project goals and business aims helped me align testing and translate user needs into effective testing strategies.

·?????? Great at Communicating: Facilitating clear communication between developers, product managers, and other important stakeholders is crucial. Over the years, I’ve learnt that it makes huge difference when everyone understands what’s happening around them.

·?????? Good with Automation: I have come to appreciate the power and limitations of automation. If we strategically choose when to use automation (especially repetitive and time-consuming tasks), it can help free up time for more in-depth investigative testing.

More Than Just Pass or Fail: Important Measurements

In my experience, good test management is about more than just counting "pass" or "fail" results. Modern test managers use data and information to understand software quality better. Statistics like defect escape rate (how many bugs miss slip through testing) and test coverage (percentage of functionality being tested) give a clearer idea of the risks involved. By looking at these statistics, test managers can make informed choices about how to divide time and find areas for improvement. For example, during my tenure at ANZ, we noticed a pattern of missed test cases during a sprint retrospective by examining the defect escape rate. By adding targeted tests, we managed to increase our coverage by 10%, significantly reducing post-release issues.

Building a Culture of Quality: Everyone is Involved

Testing isn’t all about finding bugs. It’s about having a culture of quality across whole development team. Here is what I learned along the way.

·?????? Everyone is Responsible for quality: Ensuring that everyone, from developer to product managers, feels responsible for quality has been a game changer. It’s not just the testing team’s job anymore.

·?????? Being Open: Creating an environment where everyone feels comfortable talking about problems and talking about things that might go wrong definitely makes a good impact on overall quality.

·?????? Celebrate Doing Well: Praise the team's successes to encourage them to continue performing good work.

Balancing Act: Automation vs Human Skills

Even though automation can be useful, it's important to get the right balance. During my time at WEX, we always set aside some time for exploratory testing. During these sessions, we often found subtle issues that our automated tests missed. This really showed how valuable human insight can be.

Taming the Testing Challenges: Problems and Solutions

Modern test managers face a lot of problems, from keeping up with the fast-moving world of technology to dealing with lots of testing tools and ways of working. But there are ways to get over these challenges:

·?????? Keep Learning All the Time: Testing is always changing. Learning, trying new tools (like Selenium, Appium, JMeter), and developing new skills always helped me take on new projects.

·?????? Be OK with Change: Equally, it helped when I was able to change my plans and ways of working to fit the needs of each project.

·?????? Talk a Lot: It's important to talk clearly all the time. This helped me with complicated projects and helped teams to work well together.

By combining these practices, I am confident that the test managers can deliver on said/unsaid expectations from wider stakeholders. If you have any questions or need more detailed examples, feel free to reach out!

The role of the test manager is evolving rapidly, and it's an exciting time to be in the field. By mastering these essential skills and embracing a culture of quality, you'll be well-prepared to navigate the complexities of modern software testing.

But here's the big question: As technology continues to advance at lightning speed, how will you stay ahead of the curve? Automation, AI, and machine learning are knocking at the door, ready to revolutionize testing. Will you be the conductor of this technological orchestra, or will you be caught off guard? The future of testing is in your hands.