Any leader is as good as the team. A Test Manager should hire teams which have the right blend of skills and keep them updated as requirements of skills change over with time. The teams should be given training on new skills and opportunities to grow to improve their performance and to retain the team.

The Test Manager should have skills to function effectively under pressure in fast-moving setting. Test Managers should have excellent people skills.

Table of contents

1. Individual Skills
2. Skills required by Test Manager
3. Assessing and Managing Skills
4. Skill Development Planning

In this article we will discuss about skill assessment techniques that would enable Test Managers to fill gaps in the team to make it effective for the organization. The next articles also discuss about motivating testing teams and communicating as a QA Manager effectively.

Individual Skills

Anyone can learn software testing through training and education or by experience and go on to become a good software tester.

They can improve their software testing expertise by:

• Using software systems
• Gaining business or domain knowledge
• Participating in all phases of software development, like analysis and development to support and maintenance
• Performing testing related tasks

End users have good knowledge about these aspects:

• How does the system work
• What are the potential areas of failures
• Which areas suffer maximum due to failures
• What should be system reaction in different situations

If the users are also domain experts, they are aware of areas which are most important in terms of business requirements. This information is useful in setting priorities for testing tasks, developing test cases, creating testing data and verifying use cases.

A grasp of various phases in software development lifecycle, like requirement gathering, system design, system analysis, coding etc. enables one to understand:

• How defects might be introduced due to errors
• Which are the areas that may have defects
• How to avoid defect from being introduced into the system

Technical support expertise gives information about user expectation, experience and requirements for usability.

Expertise in software development is necessary in following situations:

• Use testing tools that need knowledge about programming and designing
• Analyzing static code
• Unit testing
• Reviewing code
• Technical integration testing

The testing skills usually include:

• Analyzing a testing specification
• Participating in risk analysis
• Designing test cases
• Persistence required for running the tests and documenting their results

Skills required by Test Manager

Test Managers should have the necessary skills, expertise and knowledge of project management because test management comprises many similar activities like planning, monitoring progress, stakeholder reporting etc.

If the project manager is not available for any reason, Test Manager might need to perform both the duties, especially during the final stages of the project. These skillsets are required along with those discussed in Foundation Level syllabus as well as this one.

Besides technical skills, people in testing must have other skills to succeed. Some of these skills are:

• People skills
• Providing and getting constructive feedback
• Influencing
• Negotiation
• Well-organized
• Detail oriented
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written

A perfect team would have the right blend of experience and skills. Members of the team must be ready to learn from other team mates and teach them too.

This is necessary because different situations lays emphasis on different set of skills. For instance, in technical testing, programming skills get appreciated more but for black box tests domain knowledge would be more important.

Assessing and Managing Skills

To promote teaching and learning culture among team members, Test Manager can create a skill assessment spreadsheet listing every skill required for the task at hand as also relevant for that position.

Some of the areas in which testers may be assessed include domain knowledge, software testing, systems development, software systems, interpersonal skills etc

• Each team member should be rated on a scoring level of say, 1 through 5, for each skill listed.
• Based on the chart produced at the end of scoring, strength and weaknesses of each person can be known.
• Based on this knowledge, the Test Manager can create training programs, set performance goals and define individual assessment criteria.

People cannot be hired just for one project but long-term. Test Managers should promote an culture of learning so that team members are inspired to gain more knowledge and prepare for subsequent projects.

• Test Managers need to remember that hiring the perfect person is close to impossible.
• Also, even if they are ideal for this project, they might not be suited for the subsequent one.
• So, Test Managers should employ people with these skills – intelligent, willing to learn, team player, adaptable and ability to pick up new skills.
• Getting these characteristics in every team member may not be possible always.
• A strong team could be established by bringing together individuals with complementary weaknesses and strength.

Skill Development Planning

Test Manager should use the skill assessment spreadsheet to address team’s weaknesses and develop a plan to enhance their skills. Some of the possible approaches are listed here:

• Training – Team members may be provided in-house, external or customized training.
• Self-study – People can be motivated to read books, participate in webinars or use internet resources.
• Cross-training – A person needing a particular skill is teamed with another team member having that skill so that knowledge transfer may occur.
• Mentoring – New incumbent is generally paired with someone senior in the team, having experience in that role so that the new person may be trained for his role.

Test Managers must not forget to use the strengths displayed by the team members while creating training plans.

The next topic explores hiring testers & managing team dynamics as a Test Manager.

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• How to communicate effectively as a Test / QA Manager?
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