#7 What to Do When You Are “Hit” By a Bus Factor?

When your rockstar QA automation specialist decides to chase greener pastures (sabbatical, dream gig — no judgment here!), it feels a lot like your carefully crafted test suite just went rogue.?

This is the dreaded "bus factor" scenario, where a single unexpected departure throws your project into chaos.

There are things you can do right away to minimize the risks. And there are strategic steps to take when it happens again (yes, it will).?

Here's how to ensure your QA process doesn't become a buggy mess when you lose a key specialist.?

Know What May Hit You

Bus factor is a number of team members who, if run over by a bus, would put the project in jeopardy.?

Will your project/product/company survive if tomorrow the key specialist is hit by the bus?

Let’s see.

Do your part right?

No victim blaming here, but up to 70% of losses related to bus factor are preventable if the company itself jumps through the necessary hoops.?

We have talked with our QA Leads to gain some insights on the matter.?

Here's the good news: there are actions in your control. It is not just about your expert deciding to leave — you can do the work and mitigate the risk in advance.

• Doc like a pro. “Ditch the cryptic comments and build a central knowledge base for everything automation: framework specifics, test case logic, troubleshooting guides. This is a lifesaver for onboarding newbies and keeping everyone on the same page.” Taras Oleksyn, Head of AQA?
• Rely on collaboration. Develop automation scripts together. Encourage pair programming or code reviews for automation tasks. This not only builds team knowledge but also nurtures a culture of shared responsibility.

“Find necessary motivation for people to share knowledge and learn from each other. For someone it is ego, for someone — a chance to go on vacation without being constantly emailed.”

Igor Kovalenko, QA Lead

• Update your toolbox. Automation tools are constantly evolving. Explore options that offer codeless testing or visual scripting. These can make your team less reliant on a single automation whiz.?

For example, we’ve recently partnered with Virtuoso to enhance clients’ solutions with? AI-augmented test automation. Their tool works for Back and Front End, relies on no-code setups, and is everything for functional UI, end-to-end, cross-browser and API integration testing.

Now, our Head of Automated QA, Taras Oleksyn, completed the Virtuoso 4-Step certification program and became Associate Level 2. To minimize risks of expertise concentration we will have more specialists obtain this certification in the nearest time.

• Succession planning. Identify a team member with a strong aptitude for automation and start mentoring them. Alternatively, consider bringing in a replacement with some automation expertise. The key is to have multiple people who can understand and maintain your automation suite.

“Your bus factor should never equal one. Strive for three, but go for two when resources are limited.”

Igor Kovalenko, QA Lead

• Sharing is caring. Set clear access controls for your knowledge base. Keep sensitive info under wraps, but make sure authorized personnel can find what they need. Consider options like 1Password.?

One of the bus factor definitions contains the following: “a measurement of the risk resulting from information and capabilities not being shared among team members”

The definition itself shows how important current knowledge bases and cross data sharing is for the resilience of your project.

Expert Leaving? Mitigate the Impact

They still will leave. Free market, free will. So when they do, act swiftly.

Don't wait until the last minute. Start your replacement search early. Look for someone with similar skills and niche expertise. Ideally, you need a specialist with experience in super fast onboarding.?

Offer part-time or any other form of temporary collaboration. In many cases a leaving specialist still can oversee part of the project or keep sharing tips and tricks with their replacement as a part-timer.

“Pay for extra hours even if you are unhappy about how someone leaves. Put aside emotions and think about what is best for the project.”

Michael Tomara, QA Team Lead

Go for outsourcing. If a bus-factor situation hits your in-house team, consider hiring a dedicated QA or developer through outsourcing. It will take up to 2 weeks instead of months, and definitely cost you much less resources for search and onboarding. Later, you can decide whether to keep it going this way or still look for a permanent in-house hire.?

Put knowledge transfer strategy above all. Don't just document – train. Organize knowledge-sharing sessions with your departing colleague. Think of it as an intensive course in automation mastery for the rest of the team.

Prioritize continuous improvement. Use this opportunity to review your existing automation scripts. Look for ways to simplify logic, improve readability, and leverage the latest features of your chosen toolset.

“Democracy is good, but not always safe. Managers often give so much freedom to specialists that they hardly know what is being done, how and on which platforms. Specialist’s work becomes a black box they take away when leaving. Democratic approach should not cancel necessary monitoring and transparency best practices.”

Igor Kovalenko, QA Lead

Checklist for Project Survival

Here's a quick reality check to see if your project is at risk of a bus factor accident:

• Is there only one person who truly understands a critical aspect of the project (think: complex automation scripts, system integrations, etc.)?
• Is project knowledge primarily stored in someone's head, with minimal documentation or knowledge sharing?
• Do you rely on on-the-job training from a single expert, with no formal training programs in place?
• Is your project documentation outdated, incomplete, or just plain confusing?
• Do you have only one person certified for/in key tools/programs/regulations??
• Do you lack a clear plan for identifying and onboarding a replacement if a critical team member leaves?

Even a few “Yes” nods can throw your project under a bus.

No epilogue here.?

Just now you know.