The Test Manager’s role, as traditionally defined is becoming less and less relevant. As more testers are expected to plan and scripts, test manager’s role has devolved into coordination and more than likely, actual testing (if a 1-man band). This is not a negative thing, as I believe this role is being superseded by that of QA Manager (much more concerned with overall processes of delivering a product). As such, a much more valuable commodity.
This has happened more by accident than design – Agile’s focus on more rapid cycles, and lighter documentation has seen the Test Manager’s role evolve into more QA. In such a position you can better influence project processes, based on sound QA principle. Milestones are traditional business measure of progress, and although Sprint demos for stakeholder partly fulfil this, there really is no milestone until the end. This led to Waterscrum, where Sprints became lengthier in a more traditional Waterfall way. For Test Managers to survive they must become more flexible in scope of their roles.
Testing is widely misconstrued as a task rather than a role. Therefore the “task” is assigned to anyone half-relevant to a project. Anyone can test – that is true – but testing itself is the activity, but there are other tasks around it just as essential, which is ensuring the test process is planned executed and recorded in line with the overall project process. Also, testing is not just about finding defects, sticking rigidly to scope – issues can be raised against requirements, improvements, etc. With this wholesale delusion about what a tester is, suddenly the idea of a Test Manager seemed a little unnecessary.
Of course this is wrong, but the Test Manager role has changed – not through any formal change, it happened out there in the field – professional defining their role within a project, and adopting the same principles as development, i.e. being part of cross-functional team. The new Test Manager will be defining Test Strategy, contributing to Sprint planning sessions, coordinating with Product Owner on stakeholder demonstrations, putting forward plan for process improvements. The role has got bigger and become a QA Manager.
Related posts:
