Tester Motivation Dr Stuart Reid Testing Solutions Group

London, UK www.testing-solutions.com

©Stuart Reid, 2014

Scope

• Introduction to Motivation

• Outline of the Motivation Survey

• Survey analysis and results

– What factors correlate best with motivation?

– How does motivation change

• for different roles

• for different regions

– Do existing theories work for testing?

– What is the best combination?

• Conclusions & recommendations

2

Defining Motivation

• a reason or reasons for acting or behaving in a particular way - Oxford Dictionaries

• internal and external factors that stimulate desire and energy in people to be continually interested and committed to a job, role or subject, or to make an effort to attain a goal – http://www.businessdictionary.com

3

Motivation 101

4

Multi-faceted Motivation

Motivation

Sociological

Physiological

Psychological

Behavioural

5

Investigation Approach

• Questionnaire

– Paper-based

– SurveyMonkey

• 40 Questions

– Demographic

– Motivation-related (Likert-scale)

– Open-ended

– Qualitative & quantitative data

• Responses from around the world (over 600)

• Thanks to Tafline Murnane

– KJ Ross – Australia

6

Respondents by Region

7

Industry Sectors

Finance, Insurance

Communications

IT

Utilities

Health Care

Government

Services

Transportation

Media

Non-profit

Retail, Wholesale

Construction

Internet

Manufacturing

Other

8

Organization Types

IT Organization

Self-employed Consultant

Self-employed Contractor

Testing Services

IT Department within an

Organization

Other

9

Testing Roles

10

Specified Variety - Test Analyst

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Exploratory

Test Design

Execution

Automation

Reviewing

Management

Improvement

Env't Support

11

Different Jobs…

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

100% Exploratory

Test

Design

Execution

Automation

Reviewing

Management

Improve-

ment

Env't

Support

Head of Testing

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

100%

Exploratory

Test

Design

Execution

Automation

Reviewing

Management

Improve-

ment

Env't

Support

Test Manager

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

100%

Exploratory

Test

Design

Execution

Automation

Reviewing

Management

Improve-

ment

Env't

Support

Developer/Tester

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

100%

Exploratory

Test

Design

Execution

Automation

Reviewing

Management

Improve-

ment

Env't

Support

Test Analyst

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

100%

Exploratory

Test

Design

Execution

Automation

Reviewing

Management

Improve-

ment

Env't

Support

Test Lead

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

100%

Exploratory

Test Design

Execution

Automation

Reviewing

Management

Improve- ment

Env't Support

Test Consultant

12

Life Cycles

13

Company Size

14

Motivation Theories

• Hierarchy of Needs – Maslow, 1943

• Motivation-Hygiene Theory – Herzberg, 1959

• Theory X & Theory Y – McGregor, 1960

• Expectancy Theory – Vroom, 1964

• Equity Theory – Adams, 1965

• Job Characteristics Model (MPS) – Hackman & Oldham, 1976

• Three Needs Theory – McClelland, 1988

• Temporal Motivation Theory (TMT) - Steel and Konig, 2006

• Motivation 3.0 (MAP) – Pink, 2010

15

• Skill Variety (V) – range of different skills used

• Task Identity (I) – degree of completing a whole job

• Task Significance (S) – importance of the job

• Autonomy (A) – level of control of your own time

• Feedback (F) – degree of supervisory & results-based feedback

• MPS =

FASIV

**3

MPS from Hackman & Oldham, 1975.

Motivating Potential Score

Assign a score of 1 to 7 to

each attribute...

...and then calculate your

MPS

16

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

strongly

disagree

disagree neither

agree nordisagree

agree strongly

agree

Perceived Motivation

“I am highly motivated to do my

job in testing”

17

Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient

r = +0.70 or higher Very strong positive relationship

r = 0.85 r = 1

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

0 5 10 15 200

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

0 5 10 15 20

18

Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient

r = +0.30 to +0.39 Moderate positive relationship

r = 0.35 r = 0.55

r = +0.40 to +0.69 Strong positive relationship

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

0 5 10 15 200

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

0 5 10 15 20

19

Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient

r = 0 to +0.19 Negligible positive relationship

r = 0.10 r = 0.25

r = +0.20 to +0.29 Weak positive relationship

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

0 5 10 15 20 250

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

0 5 10 15 20

20

MPS & Perceived Motivation

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

r = 0.40 r = +0.40 to +0.69 Strong positive relationship

21

MPS & Perceived Motivation

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

r = 0.40 r = +0.40 to +0.69 Strong positive relationship

22

Feedback

23

(WORK ITSELF)

(COLLEAGUES)

(SUPERVISOR)

Feedback - Asian vs All

24

(WORK ITSELF)

(COLLEAGUES)

(SUPERVISOR)

Variety

25

(# TASKS)

(# PROJECTS)

Variety - Asian vs All

26

(# TASKS)

(# PROJECTS)

Significance

27

(# AFFECT COLLEAGUES)

(AFFECT PROJECT)

Significance - Asian vs All

28

(# AFFECT COLLEAGUES)

(AFFECT PROJECT)

Identity

29

(PROJECTS TO COMPLETION)

(TASKS TO COMPLETION)

Identity - Asian vs All

30

(PROJECTS TO COMPLETION)

(TASKS TO COMPLETION)

Autonomy

31

(NEXT TASK)

(WORKING HOURS)

(WHO WITH)

(HOW TO DO)

Autonomy - Asian vs All

32

(NEXT TASK)

(WORKING HOURS)

(WHO WITH)

(HOW TO DO)

MPS Factors - Asian vs All

33

Daniel Pink’s MAP

• Daniel Pink’s Motivation 3.0

Mastery

Purpose Autonomy

34

Mastery

35

(CHALLENGE)

(MASTERED SKILLS)

(IN THE FLOW)

Mastery - Asian vs All

36

(CHALLENGE)

(MASTERED SKILLS)

(IN THE FLOW)

Purpose

37

(WIDER COMMUNITY)

(PROFITS)

Purpose - Asian vs All

38

(WIDER COMMUNITY)

(PROFITS)

MAP Factors - Asian vs All

39

Environment

40

Environment - Asian vs All

41

Integrating Theories

Motivation

Variety

Feedback

Significance

Identity

Mastery

Purpose

Autonomy

Environment

42

MPS and MAP and MAPFV and…

0.40

0.38

0.41

0.44

0.5

MPS

Summative MPS

M+A+P

M+A+P+F+V

Top 4

Daniel Pink’s Motivation 3.0

ENV’T + VARIETY 2 + MASTERY 1 + MASTERY 3

43

Asian vs All – Motivation Models

44

What Motivates Testers?

Challenges &

New Areas

Meeting

Targets

Feedback &

Appreciation

Autonomy

Quality &

Making a difference

Team &

Work Env't Money

Other

Good Management

45

What Demotivates Testers?

Developers!

Other Poor Management

Feedback &

Appreciation

Team & Work Env't

Repetitive Tasks

Ignored

Exit Criteria

No

Goals

46

How Do You Motivate?

Money

Bonding

Feedback &

Appreciation

Goals Variety &

Challenges

Other

Involve Team

Training &

Career Dev't

Autonomy

47

Salary Profile

48

Experience Levels

49

Education Levels

50

0.09

0.51 0.01 0. 15

-0. 05

Salary, Experience & Education

Tester Experience

Perceived Motivation

Tester Salary

Tester Education

51

Salary, Experience & Education

52

Qualification Levels

53

Different Life Cycles…

54

Different Organization Sizes…

55

Different Experience Levels…

56

Different Organization Types…

57

Outside Interests?

58

Conclusions

• Testers are special – we can improve on the generic motivation theories

• Please try to use the most influential factors – ALL

• MASTERY + ENVIRONMENT + VARIETY + FEEDBACK + AUTONOMY

– ASIA • IDENTITY + VARIETY + FEEDBACK

– TOP 4 • ENVIRONMENT + VARIETY 2 + MASTERY 1 & 3

• Not all testers are the same – Don’t treat everyone working in testing the same

• different roles require a different focus • culture plays a part – but less so than the roles

– We need to consider ‘smarter’ approaches to the motivation of testers

59

Thanks for listening

Any Questions?

More information available

– please email

sreid@testing-solutions.com

60

1 FEEDBACK 1 The work itself provides feedback on how well I am doing in

my job. (POSITIVE)

2 FEEDBACK 2 My colleagues provide little or no feedback on how well I

perform. (NEGATIVE)

3 FEEDBACK 3 My supervisor provides me with regular feedback on my

performance. (POSITIVE)

4 AUTONOMY 1 Most of the time someone else decides what tasks I should do

next. (NEGATIVE)

5 AUTONOMY 2 My job is flexible enough to allow me to decide which hours I

work most days. (POSITIVE)

6 AUTONOMY 3 For most tasks I get to decide who I will work with.

(POSITIVE)

7 AUTONOMY 4 I rarely get to choose the way that an activity is carried out.

(NEGATIVE)

8 SIGNIFICANCE 1 My job is one that affects few other colleagues.

(NEGATIVE)

9 SIGNIFICANCE 2 If not done well my job will have little impact on the project.

(NEGATIVE)

10 IDENTITY 1 My job allows me to see projects through to completion.

(POSITIVE)

11 IDENTITY 2 I often start tasks but then pass them on to colleagues before I

finish them. (NEGATIVE)

12 VARIETY 1 My job comprises a relatively small number of different tasks.

(NEGATIVE)

13 VARIETY 2 In my job I get the chance to work on many interesting

projects. (POSITIVE)

14 MASTERY 1 My job does not challenge or stretch me.

(NEGATIVE)

15 MASTERY 2 I have mastered most of the skills required to perform my job.

(NEGATIVE)

16 MASTERY 3 I often become so engaged in my work that I forget the time.

(POSITIVE)

17 PURPOSE 1 My job includes the opportunity to work for the good of the

wider community (beyond my employer). (POSITIVE)

18 PURPOSE 2 My organization is primarily focused on increasing its profits.

(NEGATIVE)

19 PERCEPTION I am highly motivated to do my job in testing.

(POSITIVE)

20 ENVIRONMENT My work environment encourages me to perform my job better.

(POSITIVE)