Nature vs. Nurture: Building Great Test Teams
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Transcript of Nature vs. Nurture: Building Great Test Teams
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W1 Test Management 5/4/16 11:30
Nature vs. Nurture: Building Great Test Teams
Presented by:
Shaun Bradshaw
Zenergy Technologies, Inc.
Brought to you by:
350 Corporate Way, Suite 400, Orange Park, FL 32073 888-‐-‐-‐268-‐-‐-‐8770 ·∙·∙ 904-‐-‐-‐278-‐-‐-‐0524 -‐ [email protected] -‐ http://www.stareast.techwell.com/
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Shaun Bradshaw Zenergy Technologies, Inc. Shaun Bradshaw is a co-‐founder and principal of North Carolina-‐based Zenergy Technologies, a software quality and test automation solutions firm with multiple industry experts under one roof. With more than nineteen years in the IT industry, Shaun is a recognized expert in QA and test process improvement, test management, and metrics. He has architected the test strategies and managed large teams of testers for numerous projects including a two-‐year, $70 million ERP implementation that went into production with no major issues. A regular on the QA and testing industry speaking circuit, Shaun has delivered keynotes at US and international testing conferences.
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Nature vs Nurture: Building Great Test Teams
Shaun Bradshaw [email protected]
A Testing Partner You Can Trust
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Why do we need to build test teams?
Over the past 30+ years the business view of testing has changed considerably…
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Testing in the 80’s
• Mainframe applications • Limited technology choices • Architect = Designer = Developer = Tester • User community = highly technical • Limited, if any, interaction with the
business
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Testing in the 80’s
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Testing in the 90’s
• Client/Server applications • Broader range of technology choices • IT specialization -> testing = entry into IT
and, ultimately, development • Siloed development environment
(waterfall) • User community = business users • IT “serves” the business
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Testing in the 90’s
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Testing in the 00’s
• Web-based applications • Even more technology choices • Testing as a career! • Agile takes root • User community = everyone • IT and business merge
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Testing in the 00’s
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Testing in the 10’s
• Apps are everywhere • Unlimited technology choices • Testing is a necessity • Fewer walls between dev and test (literally
and figuratively) • User community = everyone, everywhere • IT and business are virtually
indistinguishable
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Testing in the 10’s
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Impact of Changes on Test Teams
• Expanded testing needs, leading to more testers
• Increased interactions between testers and developers
• Increased domain and technical knowledge required as automation becomes larger part of the testing role
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Building Test Teams – Common Model
• Identify technical skill requirements and amount of experience needed
• Work with recruiters and staffing agencies to identify people with the requisite skills
• Sift through dozens of resumes looking for keywords and experience
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Building Test Teams – Common Model
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Building Test Teams – Common Model
• Interview prime candidates based on the resume information
• Hire individuals based on interview results
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• Results • Hire experienced individuals with (hopefully) the
requisite technical skills • Limited interaction and knowledge of their soft skills
and ability to learn and communicate • Disparate skills, backgrounds, experience across
the team (this has its pros and cons)
Building Test Teams – Common Model
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• Why only target testers with prior testing experience?
• Consider a different approach
Building Test Teams – Recommended Model
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• Establish relationships with “local” university IT, IS, CS, Math, and Business departments
Building Test Teams – Recommended Model
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• Begin the filtering process • Gather information on graduating students • Meet with classes and/or have brief, mostly non-
technical, conversations with recommended students – get a sense for their ability to communicate, learn, and understand
Building Test Teams – Recommended Model
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• Continue the filtering process (the goal is to have 15-20 candidates)
• Have current test team and/or development team run technical interviews with the best candidates • Technical abilities • Soft skills • Personality • Cultural fit
Building Test Teams – Recommended Model
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• Invite the candidates to 1-day testing workshop
Building Test Teams – Recommended Model
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• Use the workshop as an opportunity to evaluate
• Tester’s Mindset • Interest in testing as a career • Engagement during the class • Understanding/comprehension of basic testing
concepts • Gauge the candidates’ interactions with each other
• Serves as an extended interview
Building Test Teams – Recommended Model
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• Invite the 5-10 candidates to multi-day testing/automation boot camp
Building Test Teams – Recommended Model
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Building Test Teams – Recommended Model
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• Make final team selections based on • Technical aptitude • Demonstrated eagerness to learn and lead • Ability to work with the rest of the candidates/team • Ability to communicate with the rest of the
candidates/team
Building Test Teams – Recommended Model
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• Technically capable team of testers • Immediate team cohesion and knowledge
of each other’s strengths/weaknesses • Assurance of cultural fit with existing team
members
Key Benefits
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• Shorter introduction period and less expensive than intern program
• Better insight into who you are hiring vs. common model
Key Benefits
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• Lunch and Learns • Advanced topics • Conference presentations
• Mentoring programs • Incentives for blogging and presenting • Training development
Continued Team Growth
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Questions?