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Practical Software Test Management

3 Days 

Contact Us to bring this course to your company or your city!

This workshop is designed for test leaders and test managers, people who expect to be in a test leadership role, or people who lead other test managers and test leaders. The main objective of this session is to teach you how to be the very best test manager and leader.

“Practical” means that the things taught in this course are:

1.    Able to be applied in real-world situations, not theoretical ones
2.    Well-suited for the demands of today’s fast-paced business needs
3.    Quickly applied
4.    Reinforced with real-world exercises

This comprehensive course also answers the question, "What does it mean to be the best?" There are many people functioning as test managers, but how many are really leading the team? In leading a test team, you must not only understand the basics of software testing, but you must also understand your own organizational culture.

 

Once you understand your organizational culture, you might find that testers have a less than positive image. This session will discuss how to transform the image of testers from one of police to one of team members.

Your instructor will be a recognized authority in the software QA and testing field with experience in successfully leading and managing test teams. You will learn the terminology, process, and challenges of testing in the real world. As well as how to effectively manage those activities. Team-based exercises reinforce the concepts of facilitating team activities and performing leadership activities.

As a result of attending this seminar, you should have a good working knowledge of software testing and what it takes to design and conduct an effective test of software, regardless of the technology.

Practical Software Test Management will help you become more comfortable and confident in leading the testing effort in your organization. You will emerge from this three-day session knowing how to develop test cases and test plans. You will also leave with the knowledge of how tools can help you perform testing.

Course Objectives

You will learn:

  • Your current level of dealing with people issues in testing
  • Your current level of core competencies in testing
  • How to deal with people issues in testing
  • How to build your skills and your team’s skills
  • How to become an effective leader
  • How to market testing activities to management
  • How to build a good test team
  • How configuration management supports software test management
  • What to measure in testing
  • How to make the most effective use of test tools
  • How to keep the test on track

Who Will Benefit

  • Current test team leaders
  • Aspiring test team leaders
  • Test managers
  • Testers
  • QA managers
  • QA analysts

Topics

Module 1 – Addressing the People Issues in Testing (1 hr.)

This module explains the most common problems encountered in software testing and proposes solutions to the problems.

  • Assessing the People Issues
  • What Tests You?
  • Understanding the Two Conflicting Roles of a Tester
  • The Top Ten Challenges of Software Testing
  • Solutions to the Challenges

Module 2 – The Basic Testing Process and Terminology (1.5 hrs.)

This module describes the basic terms and processes used for software testing.

  • The Deming Workbench Model
  • The Software Life Cycle
  • Test TerminologyWhen Testing Occurs  - “V” Diagram
    • Software Testing
    • Quality Assurance
    • Quality Control
    • Verification
    • Validation
    • Defect
    • Requirement
    • Static Testing
    • Dynamic Testing
    • Black Box (Functional) Testing
    • White Box (Structural) Testing
  • A Comparison of Project Methodologies and When Testing is Performed
  • Process Maturity and the Capability Maturity Model Integration

Module 3 – The Economics of Software Testing (.25 hr.)

This module explains the financial implications of how and when testing is performed.

  • Where Defects Originate
  • Where Testing Resources are Used
  • The Relative Cost of Fixing Defects

Module 4 – Building and Motivating Your Testing Dream Team (.75 hr.)

This module addresses how to hire, train and keep people for your test team.

  • Recruiting the Best People
  • What to Look for in a Tester
  • Keeping the Best People
  • Building and Training the Test Team

Module 5 - Basic Test Planning (1.5 Hrs.)

This module describes how to determine a test strategy and high-level test plans.

  • Basic Testing Principles
  • The Basic Testing Process
  • What is a Test Strategy?
  • The Components and Format of a Test Strategy
  • Identifying Critical Success Factors
  • Identifying Risks and Contingencies
  • Defining Test Objectives
  • The Components and Format of a System-level Test Plan
  • Major Elements of a Test Plan
  • How Much Time Should be Spent on Test Planning?
  • Planning Time Guidelines
  • Tips for Test Planning

Module 6 – Writing the Master Test Plan (1.5 Hrs.)

This module explains how to write a master test plan.

  • Key Test Planning Components
  • Major Test Planning TasksIEEE Standard 829-1998 Test Plan Standard Outline
    • Task 1 - Develop Test Strategy
    • Task 2 - Define Test Objectives
    • Task 3 - Identify Needed Test Resources
    • Task 4 - Plan Test Environment
    • Task 5 - Define Test Procedures
    • Task 6 - Identify Functions To Be Tested
    • Task 7 - Identify Interfaces With Other Systems or Components
    • Task 8 - Write Test Scripts
    • Task 9 - Define Test Cases
    • Task 10 - Design Test Data
    • Task 11 - Build Test Matrix
    • Task 12 - Determine Test Schedules and Estimates
    • Task 13 - Assemble Information
    • Task 14 - Finalize the Plan

Module 7 – Testware Design Approaches (1 Hr.)

This module explains how to design tests from a variety of approaches.

  • Risk-based
  • Requirements-based
  • Scenario-based
  • Model-based

Module 8 – Principles of Leadership (1.5 Hrs.)

This module examines the principles of leadership in general and what it takes to be an effective leader of people.

  • What Makes a Good Leader?
  • Leadership vs. Management
  • What Does It Take To Be The Best In Leading A Test Team?
  • Principles Of Effective Leadership
  • Getting Stakeholder Involvement
  • Getting Management Support

Module 9 – Building Your Team’s Skills (.5 Hrs.)

This topic addresses the basic knowledge that a tester needs to have to do an effective job and how to build those core competencies.

  • What are Core Testing Competencies?
  • Identifying Core Testing Competencies
  • Assessing Your Core Testing Competencies
  • How to Lead Your Team in Building their Core Competencies
  • Mentoring and Coaching
  • Options for Training

Module 10 – Marketing Testing to Management (1 Hr.)

This module describes how to get your message across to management.

  • Why Management Doesn’t Understand Testing
  • Finding the Hot Buttons
  • Identifying the Stakeholders
  • Timeless Principles of Marketing and How They Can be Used to Market Testing
  • Getting the Story Across: How to Make a Great Presentation
  • How to Craft an Elevator Talk

Module 11 – Leading by Process (1 Hr.)

This module describes why processes are so important and how to develop your own testing processes.

  • The Role of Process in Effective Testing
  • What is Process Maturity and How Does it Impact Testing?
  • What are the Stages of Test Process Maturity?
  • How to Define a Process in About an Hour: The Workbench Approach
  • Where do Standards Fit in?
  • How to Assess your Test Process Maturity
  • Understanding the Major Models – ISO, CMM ® , CMMi ®
  • Understanding the Major Software Test Maturity Models – TMM, TPI®

Module 12 – Measuring Your Progress (1 Hr.)

This module explores how to measure your testing effectiveness.

  • Basic Definitions
  • What are the Most Effective Measurements and Metrics for Testing?
  • What are Function Points?
  • Benefits of Testing Metrics and Measurements
  • What Needs to be in Place to Capture Measurements and Metrics
  • Things to Consider when Implementing a Metrics Program
  • Tools and Techniques for Measuring Testing Activities
  • The Problem with Industry Averages
  • Benchmarking Considerations
  • Measuring Test Effectiveness
  • Tracking and Understanding Defect Trends

Module 13 – Keeping it Between the Ditches – A Dashboard to Guide Your Testing (1 Hr.)

This module describes how to keep a testing project on track by using tools such as dashboards.

  • The Challenges of Staying in Control
  • What’s Needed to Respond to the Challenges
  • How to Build a Testing Dashboard
  • Sample Testing and Project Dashboards
  • Raising the Discussion – Contributing to the Project Dashboard
  • Avoiding the Potholes
  • Dealing with Change
  • Dealing with Mutinies, Conflict and Diversions
  • Keeping Your Eyes on the Road
  • Looking Down the Road to Anticipate Problems

Module 14 – Knowing What’s Important: Risk Assessment (1.5 Hr.)

This module explores the nature of risk and how to assess the level of relative risk for the purpose of test planning.

  • What is Risk?
  • Why is Risk Assessment Important?
  • The Elements of Software Risk
  • How to Perform a Risk Assessment
  • Project Risk Assessments
  • Technical Risk Assessments
  • Business Risk Assessments
  • A More Formal Risk Assessment Process
  • How to Avoid Being Misled by Risk Assessments

Module 15 – The Role of Test Automation (1 Hr.)

This module examines the role of automated tools in testing and provides a process for selecting the right tools for your project.

  • The Role of Test Tools
  • The Risks of Not Automating Testing
  • The Risks of Automating Testing
  • Test Automation vs. Manual testing
  • Tips for Automated Testing
  • The Major Issues
  • Top Ten Test Tools
  • Steps in Selecting a Test Tool
  • Critical Success Factors

Module 16 – Making the Transition from Manual to Automated Testing (1 Hr.)

This module describes how to make a smart transition to test automation.

  • Things to Consider at First
  • The Top Ten Challenges of Test Automation
  • Specific Things to Have in Place
  • How to Organize the Team for Automated Testing
  • The Test Manager’s Role in Test Automation
  • What to Automate
  • Managing the Automated Testware
  • Strategies for the Transition
  • Automated Scripting Strategies
  • Helpful Ideas
  • Summary

Module 17 – Software Configuration Management (1 hr.)

This module describes SCM and its role in testing.

  • What is SCM?
  • The Problem
  • Characteristics of Good SCM Programs
  • Why is SCM Important?
  • What Happens When Good SCM Practices are Missing?
  • The SCM Triangle
  • Major Perspectives of SCM
  • IEEE Standard 828-1990 for SCM Plans
  • The SEI Perspective of SCM
  • The SCM Plan And Tools
  • Management Concepts, Key Points And Necessary Involvement
  • SCM Staffing
  • The Role of the SCM Manager
  • The Key Activities of SCM
  • Key SCM Terms
  • A Basic CM Process
  • How Much Process is Needed?
  • Software Configuration Identification
  • CM Baselines
  • Version Control and Releases
  • Software Configuration Control, Auditing And Status Accounting
  • Case Studies And Exercise

Module 18 – Project Management Considerations (1 Hr.)

This module addresses basic project management concerns and how they relate to testing.

  • Keeping the Test on Track
  • Keeping Control When Others Want to Drive
  • How to Estimate Test Time
  • How to Predict Release Dates
  • How to Track Progress
  • The Role of a Defect Administrator

Module 19 - Test Evaluation and Reporting (1 hr.)

This module describes how evaluate and report test results.

  • Prerequisites for Test Evaluation
  • Test Evaluation and Reporting Process
  • Test Reporting Attributes
  • Types of Test ReportingSystem Test Evaluation - Defect Reporting
    • Defect reports
    • Status reports
    • Final report
  • Paper-based
  • Defect Tracking Tools
  • The Role of the Defect Administrator
  • The Defect Life Cycle
  • Defect Tracking - Things You Need to Know
  • What is a Defect?
  • How is a Defect Reported?
  • What are the Defect Categories?
  • How much Detail Should be Reported?
  • What does the Tester do When the Defect is Fixed?
  • Sample Defect Categories
  • Sample Defect Priorities
  • Status Reporting
  • Final Reporting
  • Test Summary Report
  • How Can This Data be Used?

Module 20 – Working and Playing Well With Others (.5 Hr.)

This module address the cultural aspects of a project and how they relate to testing.

  • The Role of Testing in a Project
  • Working with Developers
  • Working with Users
  • Keeping Management Informed of Progress
  • Managing Expectations
  • What Can a Tester Reasonably Assess or Recommend

Module 21 - Creating Your Action Plan (.5 Hr.)

  • Defining Your Goals and Timelines
  • Defining Your Priorities

Module 22 – Summary (.25 Hr.)

This is a summary of the workshop.

  • Top Ten Seminar Points
  • Final Thoughts
  • Questions and Answers

Resources

  • Checklists and Templates
  • Glossary

Deliverables

  • Course notebook with slides, worksheets, checklists, complete examples and supporting text
  • You will have the information needed to be an effective test team leader.

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