Anna Royzman, Liquidnet
In 2008 my company reorganized into product units and adopted Agile process methodology. As a result, my QA manager position became obsolete. The new reality was not comfortable at first, until, some time and practice later I recognized that my test manager/strategist skills are equally important and applicable to the new role of a tester on the multidisciplinary team. That synthesis emerged into a new role of a “peer leader” which I later identified as a new trend — through conversations with coaches and thought leaders of our industry. This role is in demand now, and, as I foresee, will be in even higher demand in the future.
I firmly believe that advancement of the testing profession is calling for leaders, fully versed in testing strategies, equipped with the knowledge of psychology and team dynamics, who know how to effectively apply all available team’s assets (skills, knowledge, tools, time, etc.) to optimize the delivery of a quality product. The testers in new roles are motivators and educators who can transform every team member into the quality advocate.
In this paper, I will share my observations confirming that the new role is demanded; discuss in which ways it advances testing profession, show how and where it adds value to the Agile development team. I will also assess what the “skilled testing” education entitles, as the traditional view of QA is no longer applicable to the demands of the future.
Target audience: Intermediate
Anna Royzman, 2014 Technical Paper, Paper, Slides
