The role of a Test Manager is of great significance in an organization, especially one that is focused on software testing company. The position comes with the responsibility of leading a team of testers towards achieving the set targets of quality standards put in place by the QA Company against the backdrop of established procedures.
Although different organizations may assign different responsibilities to its QA Manager, the main duty of a Test Manager is to work as an effective leader of a team and run the QA services efficiently. Some of the best practices to lead as a QA Manager can be listed as follows:
To Lead from the Front
QA testing companies expect their QA Manager to follow the practice of leading from the front. To do so, he/she should have exceptional expertise as a software tester, and also possess other essential leadership qualities which can give him/her the confidence to lead a team of testers. These qualities include technical (IT) skills as well as managerial, interpersonal and problem-solving skills, along with good numerical ability, and an understanding of statistics.
To Encourage the Team to Strive for Excellence
The QA Manager should encourage team members to strive for excellence in the real-world application of their skills, and aim for technical and professional growth. Hence, the QA Manager should follow the pertinent practice of pushing the team towards skill upgrades from time to time, so that the team retains its creative edge while undertaking different projects. A creative team that is motivated to outperform itself at every possible opportunity can be a valuable asset for the organization.
To Provide Relevant Information to the Team
In accordance with the requirements of a specific project, it is imperative for a QA Manager to adopt the practice of providing all the relevant information to his/her team. If there are issues while the team is working on a project, the QA Manager should identify all the possible solutions which can enable the team to track the root cause of the issues. In addition, the QA Manager should not merely be a process enforcer, but should also learn to offer his/her validation and analysis services to the team as and when required. Reputed QA companies attach a lot of importance to ensuring that relevant information reaches each person working on a project.
To Delegate Responsibility for Better Efficiency
Delegation of responsibility by the QA Manager to the testers can uplift their confidence and stimulate them to perform their tasks more efficiently. Such a practice implies that the QA Manager is not micromanaging the testers, but, instead, trusts their ability to take some important decisions on their own. With a part of the responsibility delegated to the testers, the QA Manager can identify and resolve bigger issues such as inefficiencies or resource waste, or gaps in transfer of knowledge between customer support and QA teams.
To Have a Project-based Mind-set
It is pertinent for the leader of a QA team to have a project-based outlook, rather than a role-based mind-set. This approach allows the team to come together more creatively since it provides the required leeway to the team to handle minor issues in the absence of the leader. In such a scenario, the QA Manager does not oversee all minute details as a director, but acts more as a mentor guiding the team towards the accomplishment of assigned tasks.
To Establish Quality Metrics
The QA Manager should adopt the practice of assisting the development teams in defining and establishing quality metrics with the aim of effectively evaluating the quality of deliveries. An established quality metrics can check the underperformance of the testers, steer them towards the correct use of testing methodologies, and improve the code quality significantly. This would be the result of fewer regression defects caused by insufficient code coverage in automated tests.
To Keep Overall System Quality in Mind
The practice of reflecting on overall system quality is important for the QA Manager, especially from the perspective of the organization as a whole. The QA Manager acts as a link between development testers, QA architects, and development teams when issues are detected at the system level, by receiving inputs from the different teams. Therefore, due consideration to overall system quality can enable the QA Manager to evaluate all cross-system activities diligently, identify and resolve bottlenecks.
In Conclusion:
If a QA Manager is mindful of the best qualities to lead, he/she can establish a ‘team vision’ by identifying the strengths of the team members, and provide some level of autonomy to the members to allow them to take responsible decisions. By following these practices, a QA Manager can successfully create a positive and stimulating environment for his/her team, implement the testing process efficiently, and achieve product and organization goals. This is in turn would reflect the professionalism, expertise, and knowledge of the company represented. Connect with us to work with such top quality experts.
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