Career and Competence Development of Test Personnel

Transcription

1 Career and Competence Development of Test Personnel EuroSTAR 2004 Tuula Jokiharju Specialist, SW Testing

2 Why I think I have something to say about the subject Hands-on experience from various tasks on the field from SW test engineer to SW test mgr Been responsible for test personnel s career and competence development (3 40 persons) Have interviewed applicants and hired new test personnel Been involved in planning training programs for test personnel Taken part in planning and implementing in-house trainings with precise focus for certain test personnel groups At one phase made career development and training plans for the whole department of over 70 persons

3 Topics Background to this presentation Testing as a career & Career development Competences & skills Test personnel characteristics Other factors Summary

4 Topics Background to this presentation Testing as a career & Career development Competences & skills Test personnel characteristics Other factors Summary

5 Background Experiences based on a SW testing career in 3 different companies all located in Finland, operating globally Currently working for Nokia, but this presentation does not describe how Nokia has organised these issues Training, education and organisational issues are culturally related things can be different in another country, culture or organisation Training and education are also personal issues some people respect them, some people respect more hands-on experience I ve learned that an economical recession or a boom can have affect on training issues and even career development

6 Topics Background to this presentation Testing as a career & Career development Competences & skills Test personnel characteristics Other factors Summary

7 Testing as your Career? Really? Traditional career TRAINEE TEST ENGINEER SENIOR TEST ENGINEER TEST TEAM LEADER TEST MANAGER

8 Test Specialist Career Anything but a manager of any kind SENIOR TEST SPECIALIST TEST SPECIALIST TRAINEE TEST ENGINEER SENIOR TEST ENGINEER TEST TEAM LEADER TEST MANAGER

9 Specializing within testing It can mean focusing to certain specific sub-area(s) Test case design Application testing Functional testing Integration testing System testing Data transfer testing Interoperability (IOP) testing Conformance testing Acceptance testing Test automation & tools

10 Choosing a career How do people choose the direction of their careers? In my experience it is a combination of personal features, objectives and ambitions family reasons organisational objectives & other issues coincidences being at a right place at a right time It is also adjusting together personal dreams and organisation s strategy Not too many responsibilities for a person who is eager but does not yet have the necessary skills or experience Encouragement to people who have the skills and capabilities but are modest or shy in expressing their ambitions

11 Topics Background to this presentation Testing as a career & Career development Competences & skills Test personnel characteristics Other factors Summary

12 A new test engineer I have interviewed hundreds and employed quite a number of SW Test Engineers In the interview most of them only had a vague idea about what testing is about In Finland proper education on SW testing has not been available until quite recently I have met persons who are natural born testers can excel at anything are average testers are below average testers to whom testing is not their cup of tea

13 SW Test Competences Several different skills required Testing skills Skills dependent on the application area Same skills on basic, advanced or state of the art level depending on your role and responsibility area Also need to acquire new skills when you move upwards Always possible to learn more and to enhance your skills Learning/ training needs to be planned

14 Basic Skills Using a computer Testing Methods & Techniques Programming Office Applications Know-how of application and technology areas Fluent English Understanding customers

15 Advanced Skills Testing Methods & Techniques Test Automation Test Management Test Processes Leadership Test Process Improvements

16 State of the Art What is there to add to the Advanced Skills? Deeper know-how on technology area Coaching Deeper know-how on the advanced skills Training

17 How to do it in practice You have to know your organisation What is your SW test strategy What are the sub-areas of testing Will the focus of testing change in short term What about long term Do you have or want to have test automation What are the long term plans about test personnel Will there be growth in team size Is it easy to get competent test engineers to replace possible members leaving your team

18 How to do it in practice (cont.) You have to know you test personnel Evaluate the current situation: studies, training, experience Identify the development needs Tasks in the near future Tasks in next 1 2 years Person s own interests and ambitions Make competence and career development plans Decide which is the best way to ensure development External training Internal training Self-study Coaching by a more experienced colleague Setting more challenging tasks

19 Topics Background to this presentation Testing as a career Career development Competences & skills Test personnel characteristics Other factors Summary

20 Test Personnel Characteristics systematic imaginative accurate intuitive exact keen on details happy to work alone interested in the entire system enjoys teamwork diplomatic flexible persistent self-confident ready for challenges

21 Topics Background to this presentation Testing as a career Career development Competences & skills Test personnel characteristics Other factors Summary

22 Other Factors Concealed personal views about testing as a profession Training has to be available There has to be time and money for participating in training Company strategy Company core competences Outsourcing strategy Economical boosts and recessions Test engineers are individuals

23 Summary SW test personnel need competences in many various skills Keeping up test personnel competences needs constant work Favorable atmosphere for training will help Training at the right time and with the right focus can help to avoid pitfalls Seeing possibilities in career development within testing helps to keep the competent persons within the field of testing There are possibilities of career development within testing Sometimes it does not matter what you do, some persons will want to move out from testing this is only natural

24 There are lots of stories in SW Testing this is my story. Other persons will have other stories to tell. THANK YOU!