self-management of a career in testing · 2019. 7. 25. · support & add value to your test...
TRANSCRIPT
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Self-management Of A
Career In Testing
Julie Gardiner
QST Consultants Ltd.
© Copyright QST Consultants Ltd 2
Self Management of a career in testing
QST Consultants Ltd
46 Brooklands Drive, Gedling
Nottingham, NG4 3GU
email: [email protected]
http://www.qstc.co.uk
tel: +44(0)7974 1414363
Julie Gardiner
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Agenda
Different types of personal investment
Tester’s mindset & attributes of a tester
Why you should invest in your own development
Actions for personal investment
How your companies can invest in you
Making it happen
How will you feel?
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Investment can take many forms...
Time, cost, emotional wellbeing
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What about Personal Investment?
What makes a good tester?
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The Tester’s Mindset
Agile
Impartial & challenging
Analytical
Methodical & thorough
Communicator & sounding board
Enthusiastic, motivated & passionate
Open minded
And others...
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Attributes needed to be a tester
A risk manager
Information provider
Skilled and experienced
Disciplined and focused
Conscientious
Able and willing to communicate effectively
Diplomatic
Flexible and adaptable
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Why you should invest inyour own development
You know best
Demonstrates commitment to everyone
Your employment might change, your goals should be transferable
Helps management
– feed personal goals into team
objectives
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Investment - Time
Read the books - All topics are covered
Web
Working Parties
Discussion forums
User Groups
Experience
White papers
Find a Mentor
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Investment - Cost
Training
– Testing
– Technical
– Soft skills
Professional qualifications – ISEB/ISTQB
Conferences
Videos/DVD
CBT
Books and magazines
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Investment - Emotional
Personal pride
Understand the benefits to be gained
Maslow Hierarchy of needs
Http://web.utk.edu/~gwynne/maslow.HTM
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How your company can invest in you (1)
Career path for testers
– Hierarchical
– Flat
– Functional
Examples…
All Career path slides taken from STARWest 2005 Tutorial how to build, support & add value to your test team by Lloyd Roden Grove Consultants and Julie Gardiner QST Consultants Ltd
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Career model (1) : Flat
Advantages
– simple
– one true (happy) team?
– easier to rotate staff onto
many projects business areas
Disadvantages
- no opportunity to specialise in
any area
- pay rises may be limited
- no technical aspects identified
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Career model (2) : Hierarchical
Trainee Test Analyst(s)
Test Analyst(s)
Senior Test Analyst(s)
Team Leader(s)
Test ManagerAdvantages
– simple
– some structure
– key roles identified
Disadvantages
– structure is ‘management’ focused
– no reference to functional skills
– no technical aspects identified
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Career model (3) : Functional
Test Consultants
Team Leaders
Test Managers
Management
Test Automator
DBA/Env Technician
Senior Technician
Technical
Test Executors
Test Designers
Non- Functional
Test Executors
Test Designers
Functional
Application
Functional Career Model
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Career model (3) : Functional
Advantages management is not the
only route!
awareness of the different functions and skills within the team
can swap from one column to another
indicates that testing is more than testing
Disadvantages may need to
introduce ‘trainee’ element to decide which path to take
suitability of the columns for the staff
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Example of functional career path
Test Manager
Junior Tester
Tester
Senior Tester
Test Team Lead Test Team Lead
Test Consultant
Tools
Test Consultant
Process
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How your Company can invest in you (2)
Create Internal SIGIST
Time set aside in project plans for
– R&D
– Coaching & mentoring
Lunchtime sessions
Library
Conferences
Training & Knowledge sharing
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Where do you go from here?
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Making it Happen
Personal
– Where am I now?
– Where do I want to be?
– How do get there?
– What investment can I make?
– What will I get out of it?
Small steps
– quick wins & short term goals
– long term goals
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How will you feel?
Feel better in yourself
– Growing/more confident within current role
– Gaining skills/knowledge towards new role
Proactive to new techniques/processes
– Adaptable and flexible to the challenges you face in a company
Remember Maslow!
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Summary
You can & should take ownership for your investment
It is important and motivational
Information is available and don’t forget to share with others
Decide what investment you can make
Keep focused and don’t lose heart
You can make it happen!
