Enabling Science
Enabling Science
Developing Team Skills:Testing Professional
Development Framework
Mike Jarred & Dr. Luke Avsejs
Enabling ScienceSlide 2 © IDBS 2012
Welcome, Introductions and Agenda
Welcome Introductions Agenda
◦ Objectives, and constraints
◦ What is the Testing PDF?
◦ IDBS – overview and regulation
◦ Why did we do it?
◦ Some things we had to think about…
◦ How have we implemented the PDF
◦ The good, the bad and the beautiful…
Enabling ScienceSlide 3 © IDBS 2012
Objectives and Constraints
Objectives of this session◦ It’s a ‘show and tell’ – our journey to date, not an attempt to sell a generic
approach
◦ Keep it interactive – feedback and thoughts from other practitioners in the community
◦ Garner feedback and improvement suggestions. This is under continuous improvement, all ideas welcome
Constraint◦ Our framework is not publically available , but check out the BCS SFIA
plus for a good starting point if interested http://www.bcs.org/category/7849
Enabling ScienceSlide 4 © IDBS 2012
So, what is the Testing PDF?
It’s a mechanism for specifying roles, competencies, skills, skill levels, training and qualifications required to deliver testing services to our projects
Competencies and skills are broken down into Technical (what we want people to do) and Transferable (how we want people to be, inc. soft skills / behavioral attributes)
Provides a consistent, logical approach to staff development through benchmarking of knowledge, experience, training and qualifications
Under continuous improvement – updated regularly as new competencies and skills are identified as the demands on testing change
Lets take a look at it in a little more detail…
Enabling ScienceSlide 5 © IDBS 2012
Career Path
Senior Tester / Test DBA / Automation Test Engineer
ISTQB Advanced Technical Test Analyst / Test Analyst
Tester 1/2ISTQB Foundation
Tester 0ISTQB Foundation
Test ManagerISEB Practitioner / ISTQB Advanced /
PRINCE2 Practitioner
Test Lead / Test Team LeadISTQB Advanced Test Manager / ISEB
Practitioner
Test DBAISTQB Advanced Technical Test Analyst /
Test Analyst
Automation Test EngineerISTQB Advanced Technical Test Analyst /
Test Analyst
Career Level Project Experience Education
Tester 1 / 2 Experience should include participation in at least two medium projects, with exposure to:1. Multi Tier Architecture2. More than 3 systems being integrated3. Minimum of 100 tests created4. Minimum of 100 tests executed
Writing Test Plans
Web Application Security Tester
Enabling ScienceSlide 6 © IDBS 2012
Example Competency Skills Matrix
Competency Skill Job Role 1 Job Role 2 Job Role 3 Example Evidence / Indicators
Competency 1
Competency Skill 1 2 3 4
Test Scripts, Defect Reports, Test Results, Reports, Data Models, Project Documents, Test Project Plan
Competency Skill 2 1 2 2
Competency Skill 3 1 2 3
Competency Skill 4 2 2 3
Competency Skill 5 2 2 4
Competency Skill 6 1 2 4
Competency Skill 7 1 2 4
Competency 2
Competency Skill 1 2 2 3Think beyond the day-to-day tactical solutionCapable of developing strategies to meet medium /long-term business goals
Competency Skill 2 2 3 4
Competency Skill 3 1 3 4
Competency Skill 4 0 2 3
Skill Level (0-5)
Enabling ScienceSlide 7 © IDBS 2012
Delivering Software to Regulated Environments IDBS is a global provider of innovative enterprise data management,
analytics and modelling solutions◦ Used by more than 200 pharmaceutical companies, major healthcare providers,
global leaders in academic study, and high tech companies
◦ Our products enable increased efficiency, reduced costs and improved productivity of industrial R&D and clinical research
◦ Our platforms are enabling translational medicine – personalised medicine (right drug, right patient, right time)
Customer work in highly regulated environments◦ GxP (GLP, GCP, GMP etc…) FDA regulated, 21 CFR Part 11, EU Annexe 11
Customers audit us to ensure risk of non-compliance introduced by our products is mitigated through robust software development practice
The Test Group are under particular scrutiny as we provide the safety net...
Enabling ScienceSlide 8 © IDBS 2012
So, why did we do this…?
Drivers Demonstrate to customers how we
holistically maintain a competent testing group (we are always asked under audit )
Demonstrate internally that we are driving professionalism / increasing capability in test group
Enable clear objective setting and structured appraisal reviews
Provide clarity regarding competencies and skills needed in the test group
Demonstrate the Career Paths open to individuals in the Test Group – there was an org structure, but no visibility of how to progress
Benefits A more structured & professional
approach to career development Visibility to all staff of how to
progress within testing Increase skill levels and broaden
experience Gain Industry recognized
qualifications Commitment from IDBS to their
development Opportunities to cross skill into a
different framework e.g. Development (once rolled out to other groups)
Enabling ScienceSlide 9 © IDBS 2012
Some things we had to think about…
Enabling ScienceSlide 10 © IDBS 2012
How have we applied the PDF? Overview of PDF, benefits, risks and pilot implementation plan provided to Exec
team – secured approval and sponsorship Test Management contributed and reviewed PDF content Test Group received PDF overview as part of change management
Team members skill levels for competencies are validated through the appraisal mechanism. Evidence of skill levels required
Outputs from appraisal are linked to Personal Development Plans Experience, skills and qualifications are continuously reviewed as part of
personal development meetings Once a level on the PDF, is established, further opportunities for development
will be provided where possible as part of project delivery and departmental initiatives
Transitions points to other frameworks will be identified as the framework is rolled out to other groups
Enabling ScienceSlide 11 © IDBS 2012
The Good, the Bad and the Beautiful…
Lots of positive feedback (within, and outside the Test Group)
Training economies of scale Competency based recruitment, and succession planning Increasing team flexibility
Some scepticism over value of PDF and our ability to support career aspirations
Evidencing skill levels has proven time consuming, but is a one off activity – consensus is it’s worth investing in
Evidencing transferable skills is difficult
Beautiful – heat map / pie charts (management information)
Enabling ScienceSlide 12 © IDBS 2012
Example heat map & pie chartsCOMPETENCY SKILL Job Role 1 Job Role 1 Job Role 2 Job Role 2
Competency 1
Competency Skill 1 2 2 3 4 Competency Skill 2 1 2 2 2 Competency Skill 3 1 1 1 2 Competency Skill 4 2 2 2 3 Competency Skill 5 3 1 2 4 Competency Skill 6 1 3 2 4 Competency Skill 7 1 1 2 4
Competency 2
Competency Skill 1 2 1 2 2 Competency Skill 2 2 2 3 4 Competency Skill 3 1 1 3 4
Competency Skill 4 0 1 2 3
52%
30%
18%
Test Team Competency
Attaining
Not Meeting
Exceeding
51%
25%
24%
Tester 2 Competency
Attaining
Not Meeting
Exceeding