Role of Test manager in Agile :

 

Test manager in Agile

To create an effective test process we need a good test manager. Test Manager or lead plays a central role in the team. Test manager or lead takes the full responsibility for the project’s success. The roles of Test leader and Test manager in software testing process of IT projects are listed below:

·         Building and leading the testing team to the success of the project.

·         Develop test strategy and test plans for projects

·         Participate in developing and reviewing the test policies for organization.

·         Defining the scope of testing within the context of every release and every software testing level or cycle.

·         The use of resources in an effective way and managing the resources for software testing.

·         Applying the appropriate test measurement and metrics for the software product and testing team. 

·         Identify and resolve the project risks in testing team like

o    No enough time to test 

o    Not enough resources to test

o    The project budget is low

o    Testing teams are offshore

o    The requirements are too complex 

The test leader or test manager plays an important role at an outset of the project. They will in work collaboration with the stake holders, devise the test objectives, organizational test objectives, policies, test strategies and test plans. They decide when test automation is appropriate and they put effort and plan to select the tools and ensure training the testing team. During test implementation the test managers / test leaders make sure that the test environment is set up and verified before test execution and managed during the test execution.

Rationale

Test managers tend to be quite nervous about agile. As the focus of a testing team switches to collaboration on products and projects, rather than testing being an isolated phase or service, it may feel like the need for a test manager disappears. Because testers should be communicating their progress directly within their project teams, providing their estimates as part of an agile methodology and using just-in-time test planning, there is no need for a test manager who acts as an intermediary or overseer at a project level. 

But in general, in agile environments, one could see the test manager role as evolving to a higher-level position that includes:

• In sprint zero: advisor to the team – how to cope with responsibility for quality?
• Facilitation of inter-team communication across many agile projects within an organization
• Presenting an aggregate view of testing utilization to high level management
• Personal support, mentoring, and professional development for testers (e.g. as a line manager)
• Being an escalation point for testers
• Budgeting or forecasting for testing as a service (dependent on organizational process – testing as a service must be used)
• Involved in scrum-of-scrum meetings
• Providing advice regarding quality
• As a stakeholder for the product owner
• Combined with the scrum master role

People Involved

The test manager is the only person involved in this role.

Artifacts

Artifacts of a test manager in an agile context could be:

• General test agreements between different Agile teams

Success factors

The success factors of a test manager in Agile are quite diverse. However, they include:

• To build trusting relationships with their staff
• Improve the capabilities of the testing group
• Trust the different teams and facilitate rather than trying to steer them in a direction.