Create High Performance Testing Teams P. Nagarajan Softsmith

1. Create High Performance Testing Teams P. Nagarajan Softsmith

2. Goals • We need to create a set of people who scale up fast • Those people must be able to run projects within a quarter • Must become account managers within 2 quarters • Create an environment like that in IIMs

3. High Performance Testing Teams • Over last 3 years, we had done a lot of training programs, workshops, webinars, surveys, pep talks and direct meetings • Over 20000 responses are collected and analyzed • Over 3000 unique participants from CQOs to senior testers were touch based • We had done over 20 BOT engagements in the last 3 years

4. Top 5 complaints • Only a few people really scale out of 100s of lateral recruits • We work so hard, slog, still get the beating • We never felt like we learn continuously • Managers do not have clue on motivating people • We create and we lose the people • This session is going to be like a fitness plan, get ready

5. Rule 1 • Never feel that you will lose if you create • The very fear stops you from mentoring others • Keep mentoring • Managers and leads get tired of mentoring within a quarter

6. Rule 2 • Introduce tracking tools • In mid 2011, if you still feel, spreadsheets and emails are enough, there you hit the ceiling • Without tools, getting metrics and monitoring tasks is not going to be easy • You will lose energy in status collation itself • Every task they need to be in a position to quantify • Do not worry about complex metrics – take simple ones

7. QAMonitor • We provide QAMonitor, total test management tool, on the cloud • Anyone can sign up and use • No cost on the cloud – totally FREE • Manage requirements and test cases • Maintain traceability • Track test results and bugs • Get amazing dashboards and reports

8. Rule 3 • Expose sharp people to new automation tools every month • Ask them to evaluate new tools and one specific feature every alternate weeks • They must feel that they do something that no one else in the city does

9. Rule 4 • One new settings every day • The testers tend to troubleshoot on tool scripts or features only • The bigger picture of the app is missed in 90% of the cases • Database settings or webserver settings or app server settings – but one new setting every day • This one is very crucial. This helps the individual a lot towards eliminating problems and isolating the same

10. Rule 5 • Expose to one case study of escalation every week • People must know the tight situations and just observe • Do expose them as and when it happens • Ask them to give alternates

11. Rule 6 • Must know a full cycle load test, end to end • Introduce at least 3 tools to them • Only when they see load issues, they understand the bigger picture of scalable apps • Softsmith can test any web app for unlimited vusers – we have tools and many load test partnerships

12. Rule 7 • Top 100 domain based tests • Take all leading domains like BFSI, Pharma etc • The people must know some products in these domains • They must know key business flows in these • This will give them the real world needs

13. Rule 8 • Do this daily • They get closer to you

14. Rule 9 • Check weekly • You will be able to see quick progress

15. Rule 10 • Disengage this team at the end of quarter • They must feel that they are out of the nest