Human resources and responsibilities for roles.
The Test Team is a group of individuals responsible for all test activities, working in an interrelated way towards a test related goal.
Work Responsibilities#
Administration: setting up System Test, defining test concepts, writing strategic test plans, composing the team, providing leadership.
Operation: operational coordination, test planning, test specification, test infrastructure, test execution, problem management, reporting, monitoring and control.
Roles#
- Test Engineer / QA Engineer: operational work and test execution
- Test Manager / Test Lead: strategic work and management
- Tester: focused on test execution
- Specialized Tester: highly skilled, focusing on a specific topic (e.g. security)
- Test Analyst / Test Designer: responsible for test specification
- Test Automation Engineer: develops automated tests
- Problem Manager / Defect Manager: issue handling
With increasing project size, roles can split by Domain expertise: Test Infrastructure, Test Planning, System Integration, etc.
Individual Characteristics#
Traits
Critical Thinking, Curiosity, Proactiveness, Adaptability, Perseverance, Team Orientation, Integrity, Skepticism, Accountability.
Abilities
Analytical Thinking, Systematic Approach, Attention to Detail, Communication, Time Management, Prioritization, Risk-Based Thinking.
Skills
Test Design Skills, Test Automation, Tool Proficiency, Requirement Analysis, Bug Reporting.
Team Structure#
Structure Types
- Simple Structure: minimal formalization, wide spans of control. Quick and effective for small teams (up to 10-30 people). Ideal for agile development.
- Vertical Structure: hierarchy with defined chain of command. For growing teams with stable operations.
- Matrix Structure: combines functional and product departmentalization. For complex organizational structures.
- Bureaucracy: standardization as core concept, formalized rules. For high-stake test activities with regulatory background.
Test Manager#
Organizes and leads the test team. Acts as the head and takes responsibility for the outcomes of test activities.
Organizing: ensuring the team does things right, resource management, communication with the project.
Leading: ensuring the right things are done, motivation, feedback, vision for the test team.
Leadership#
Leadership is crucial for culture, motivation, performance and commitment. An effective leader is a social architect who understands individuals, groups and organizational behavior.
Leadership Types
- Directive: providing clarity, specifying tasks and expectations
- Supportive: positive work environment, approachability, empathy
- Participative: involving employees in decision-making, transparency
- Achievement-Oriented: challenging goals, continuous improvement, high standards
Motivation
Key motivational measures: job design, training, participation, choice, transparent rules, connections, meaningful work, safety, proper selection.
Justice
Organizational justice types: distributive (fair outcomes), procedural (fair processes), interactional (respectful communication), cultural (equitable treatment across backgrounds).
Quality Culture#
Foster a culture where quality is in the center: strive towards quality, excellent work, foster quality improvement, take ownership and accountability.