?? What and who is a Principal QA?
Short Answer ??
Long Answer ???
Let's dive deeper into the world of Principal QAs and explore their roles, differences, similarities, and why they exist.
1. Understanding Principal QA Role ??
When you come across individuals with titles like "Staff" or "Principal," they typically operate on a:
2. Names May Vary ??
It's worth noting that different companies may use various titles for individuals performing the same roles. In some organizations, a QA Lead might be the equivalent of a Principal QA.
But often Lead title implies that you have some direct reports and this makes you a person on the "Management" career trajectory. A Principal QA is someone who stays on the track of an individual contributor (aka IC).
3. Principal QA Archetypes ??
Even within the "Principal" title, people might not perform identical tasks. However, they usually fit into one of these 4 archetypes.
Check them out here: Staff Engineer Archetypes
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4. Not a Universal Need ??
Principal QAs (and engineers) aren't necessary in every company. They become vital when the company:
Challenges Principal QA Address ???
In such scenarios, Principal QAs tackle various challenges, including:
If you've made it this far, hats off to you! ?? But this is not the end of the article (yet)!
Bonus
For a more visual representation, check out this engineering ladders model here.
In the graph, D4 represents a typical senior engineer, D5 is for staff engineers, and D6 is for principals. One noticeable difference is the influence axis, which extends from "Multiple teams" to the "Company."
Sr. QA Engineer and Team Lead
1 年Great one ?? thanks for writing and sharing this