Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, a team dealt with unrealistic deadlines, impossible stakeholders, and demotivated testers, who had no time to do things smarter and faster, just hammering away on the project “hamster wheel.” Then one day, as if heaven sent, a magical, but systematic approach to performance improvement, solving performance problems, and enhancing testing service delivery arrived in the form of the Four Dimensional Performance Improvement model. Marisa Müller describes this model that recognizes that performance relies on more than just people. Four dimensions of performance improvement—worker, workplace, work, and world—make up the total system. Marisa shares how her organization went about identifying and closing gaps, and provided empirical evidence that raised the understanding of the important value added by software testing. Join Marisa in exploring practical ways to apply to your own team what they did and empower you to transform testing’s value add and service delivery.

1.
BT1
Session
6/6/2013 10:15 AM
"Improving Service Delivery through
Performance Improvement
Techniques"
Presented by:
Marisa Müller
Micro to Mainframe
Brought to you by:
340 Corporate Way, Suite 300, Orange Park, FL 32073
888‐268‐8770 ∙ 904‐278‐0524 ∙ sqeinfo@sqe.com ∙ www.sqe.com

3. Marisa Müller
Micro to Mainframe (Pty) Ltd.
Marisa Müller is director of people management at Micro To Mainframe (Pty) Ltd., a wellestablished professional software testing services company in Johannesburg, South Africa.
MtoM provides specialized testing services generally in the banking and finance sector. Marisa
has spent the last six years perfecting a performance improvement process for testing teams,
improving testing service delivery in corporate environments. A seasoned HR practitioner with
more than twenty-four years of experience and Certified Performance Technologist through
ISPI, Marisa’s goal is to get the best work from IT professionals. Her passion and expertise lie in
performance improvement.

4. 2013/05/31
The Four
Dimensions of
Performance
Improvement
marisa@mtom.co.za
Marisa M Muller
From Johannesburg, South Africa
23 years in People Management
12 years specialisation in performance
management
6 years hard labour in the
IT & Testing arena perfecting
performance improvement
Corporate world vs testing purist
Runner
Batman groupie
Sci-Fi geek
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5. 2013/05/31
Micro To Mainframe (Pty) Ltd
Real testing done by real people
Innovators, Rule-breakers and
Change-makers
Unique approach to
message based testing
Our mantra:
Adding value to the hour
Main client base: global financial markets
Areas of specialisation: SWIFT & EMV
What we will share with you
today:Taking brilliance to the next level:
Adopting a systematic approach
to performance improvement
Solving the right performance
problems
Innovating
Enhancing testing service delivery
It’s about working with people and
getting the best out of them
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6. 2013/05/31
What is Human Performance
Technology?
①
Focuses on valuable, measured results
②
Considers larger system context of
people’s performance
③
Provides measurement tools
④
Describes solutions
clearly
Source: Performance Architecture, (2009 ISPI)
Addison, Haig & Kearny
4 Dimensions:
Source: Performance Architecture, (2009 ISPI)
Addison, Haig & Kearny
3

7. 2013/05/31
The principles of Performance
Technology R – What are the RESULTS we want?
S – Take a SYSTEM viewpoint
V – Add VALUE
P – Establish PARTNERSHIPS
Source: Performance Architecture, (2009 ISPI)
Addison, Haig & Kearny
Workplace - Organisation
Vision
Leadership
Strategy
Products
Services
Intellectual property
Product and administrative support
People – resourcing, performance
managing delivery
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8. 2013/05/31
Worker - Individual
Skills
Experience
Thinking
The way I test
Relationship Building
Personal preferences
Personal development plan
Individual testing strategy
Your tester ethos
Work – Process
Generic Testing Process
Scope
Repeat
Plan
Change
Analysis
Reflect,
evaluate
Execute
5

9. 2013/05/31
World – which we function in
Market indicators
Trends
Flags
Competitors
Differentiators
What products/services
do our customers/stakeholders want
now?
6

10. 2013/05/31
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11. 2013/05/31
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The situation was:
Workplace
Impossible deadlines
Unrealistic stakeholder expectations
Stakeholders not seeing value add for
testing – grudge purchase
Testware tools inefficient
Onboarding ineffective (people too busy
– get on with it) – time to competence
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12. 2013/05/31
The situation was:
Workplace
Performance management process
focused on individual
Constant change, wave after wave
“Mr. Price” breathing down our necks
Not enough resources
Poor project management
Less focus on testing, more focus on
money and cost saving
The situation was:
Work
Constant rework
New ideas & better ways of doing things
can’t be implemented – NO TIME
Inter-dependencies outside of testing
created inefficiencies
Use Cases & functional specs not of a
high standard
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13. 2013/05/31
The situation was:
Worker:
Stressed
Excessive overtime
Low motivation
No time for competency development
No time for multi-skilling – boredom
Limited career prospects within project
Project “hamster wheel”
“No time for myself”:
‘Get me off this project…’
The situation was:
World
“Mr. Price” & Offshoring threat
everywhere
Changes never ending – do it this way,
no, no – let’s do it that way
Unpredictable financial climate
The banking world turned upside down…
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14. 2013/05/31
The results we wanted:
Solving performance problems
quickly to stop negative
impact
Becoming more efficient:
Identifying gaps,
misalignments, duplication,
overlaps at all levels
The results we wanted:
Identifying the importance of testing in
customer-odds-are
Maximising service delivery
Raising the profile of testing – cost vs
value add
11

15. 2013/05/31
Performance Improvement process
Systematic Approach:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Identify the opportunities & needs
Define results
Conduct performance analysis
Make recommendations
Design and develop interventions
Implement according to client priority
Evaluate effectiveness of the
interventions
12

16. 2013/05/31
Information gathering:
We talked to people
Knowledge cafés
One on one’s
360 Degree Reviews
Observations
Read documentation
Viewed data and test artifacts from
QC
What we found…
People weren’t talking to each other –
gaps in communication
Undefined testing processes
Problems with inputs into testing
Project team lacked synergy
Individuals not positioned to their
strengths
Too much wasted time spent in meetings
Stakeholders unfamiliar with testing
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17. 2013/05/31
Our interventions:
Defining expectations
Managing expectations
Re-writing job descriptions
How we managed
performance on an individual and team
basis
Testing process improvements
The power of 3
The testing dashboard
How we shared information
What worked: Work Solutions
Refining test processes – eliminated
duplication, overlaps and closed
gaps
Ensuring everyone used the same
work processes
Taking the BA’s, Developers
and Project Manager through
the testing process
Visual representation of
the testing progress
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18. 2013/05/31
What worked:
Workplace solutions
Testing environments Reporting structure to stakeholders –
Defined SLA’s better
Project Managers – better time and resource
planning
What worked: Worker Solutions
Re-designed the job descriptions
Expectations and review sessions – new
project & role changes
Onboarding process revisited
Giving people context of the project and
program
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19. 2013/05/31
What worked: Worker
Solutions
Deciding together who was
accountable for what
Making people aware of all work
processes in up and down streams
Forming partnerships
Guess what?
No one required
additional training or
formal competency
development!
There were quite a few
individuals ready for
promotion
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20. 2013/05/31
What didn’t work & how we
fixed it
Expecting line management
to do this on their own
Being too dictative
Giving people total free-rein
Telling people once and
walking away
Not reinforcing the changes
agreed
And we all lived happily ever
after…
Workplace
Test team value add realised
Test team recognition
Employee recognition
Stakeholder expectations managed
Communication improved & stakeholders
informed
Testing effort recognised and costs justified
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21. 2013/05/31
And we all lived happily ever
after…
Workplace (cont.)
Performance management consistent
process adding value – not an event
Focus on improvement
Everyone participates, everyone knows
how
Improved performance = improved
service delivery
And we all lived happily ever
after…
Work
Testing smarter & quicker
Innovation
Performance problem solving enhanced
– identify cause and solution quickly
Testing process efficient & dynamic
Interdependencies with developers and
BA’s efficiently managed
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22. 2013/05/31
And we all lived happily ever
after…
Worker
Work/life balance
Fighting the right battles
Motivated, engaged employees = retention of skill
Team cohesion
Well rounded employees – multi-skilled and
competent
Sufficient career prospects = retention of skill &
knowledge
Creativity stimulated
And we all lived happily ever
after…
World, finding our place:
South Africa only needs to outsource the
‘check-box’ testing
The brain engaged testing and analysis
still being done by SA testers
SA testers still rank among the best in the
world
We get to go global!
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23. 2013/05/31
Key lessons learnt:
Look at the total system – not only
the individual (15%)
Systems thinking approach:
Identify Worker, Workplace, Work,
World elements and how each
impact on current performance
What have been our gains?
Expedient problem solving
Provided empirical evidence to report on
performance issues, classifying issues
related to Workers, Work and Workplace
Achieves raising profile of testing with
stakeholders –
Changes mindset
Corrects pre-conceived ideas of value
relative to cost
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24. 2013/05/31
Experiences gained:
The process identifies:
What can be improved
What the real problem is
Where it originates
How it can be solved from each angle
By involving everyone, you create awareness
Take an holistic view
Don’t underestimate the importance of the
human element
Performance Improvement for
dummies:
Re-write your job descriptions
including elements specific to:
Functional outputs
Behavioural outputs
What needs to be in place for the
workplace
What processes need to be in place from
a work perspective
Performance measures need to be
visible to everyone
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25. 2013/05/31
COMPETENCY
DESCRIPTION/
GUIDELINES
Extract Test
Requirements
Read through all
client project source
documents and
extract the complete
test requirements.
PERFORMANCE
MEASURE:
• Test requirements
are unambiguous,
measurable,
consistent,
complete, concise
and business
driven.
LEVELS OF COMPETENCY
(1. Novice, 2. Competent, 3. Expert)
1. Extract test requirements from written
documentation.
Participate in peer reviews of
requirements.
Document requirements, according to
prescribed standards, in testware tool.
2. Extract requirements when there is no
documentation available.
Arrange meetings with BAs, SMEs, etc. to
gather requirements and arrange for
signoff of requirements.
Participate in formal requirement reviews.
3. Gather complex or not easily understood
requirements from all sources.
Lead formal requirement reviews.
Define business requirement, if the project
requires.
EVIDENCE
(DELIVERABLES)
WORKPLACE /
WORK IDEAL
WORKPLACE:
• Testable
requirements
• Clear client
captured.
expectations of test
requirement standard
• Signed-off (accepted)
and format.
test requirements.
• Sufficient business
• Test requirement
documentation
repository.
(complete, concise,
unambiguous, etc.)
• Access to
stakeholders.
• Access to research
material and
resources.
• Sufficient time to
analyze and extract
requirements.
WORK:
• Sign-off process of
business and test
requirements.
• Versioning control of
business and test
documentation.
Performance Improvement for
dummies:
Adapt your performance
management process to
include all 4 dimensions
Adopt a formal process for
all new team members or for
team members changing
roles
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26. 2013/05/31
Expectation Sessions
Elements:
Housekeeping
Overview of Testing Project
Onboarding
Testing Deliverables – success measures,
reporting, specifics in Work & Workplace
Identifying Challenges & Obstacles
Consultant expectations
Review Sessions – 30, 60 & 90 day
Achievements
Expectations – progress and review
Team fit
Additional competence required
Areas for improvement
Testing Consultant feedback
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27. 2013/05/31
Onboarding Process
Onboarding
Plan created
• Business
domain
• AUT
• Project
overview
• Content
created
• Customised
Topics
• Onboarding
Plan.
Information
Gathering
• One-on-one
sessions
• Group
forums
• Practical
sessions etc.
Onboarding
Progress reports
• Individual
check-list
• Level of
competence
• Practical
application
• 100%
Productive
• Adding value
• Meeting
expectations
Onboarding
Client sign-off
Performance Improvement for
dummies:
Take accountability for:
The Workplace
E.g. Access to infrastructure, stable test
environment, testable AUT, testware, access to
developers/BA’s, realistic time lines
The Work
E.g. Well defined testing process implemented,
sign-off process of business & test requirements,
versioning control of business & test
documentation, defined & documented defect
management process
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28. 2013/05/31
Performance Improvement for
dummies:
Change the way you report on
testing – ‘stakeholder-oddsare’
Comprehensive view of the
testing project.
Accurate and timely
information allowing them to
make informed critical project
decisions.
What’s going to make them
look good?
Dashboards
Test Programme - business streams in which testing is
involved.
Test Improvement - initiatives aimed at improving testing.
Defect Summary - defects raised, status, turnaround time,
issues.
Test Team Execution – tests passed, tests failed,
outstanding per functional area.
Resource Allocation - across different streams,
breakdown of activities.
Leave Schedule - For resource planning purposes.
Downtime Log - Due to environmental issues, blocking
defects, maintenance, etc
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29. 2013/05/31
Questions
Conclusion
Don’t look at performance
issues 1 dimensionally –
there are 4 dimensions
Focus on the holistic system
we function in
Real people doing real testing
Getting the best out of testers
Getting the best out of yourself
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30. 2013/05/31
CONTACT DETAILS
Marisa M Müller
Director: People Management
marisa@mtom.co.za
www.mtom.co.za
www.swifttesting.com
www.testingemv.com
Tel.no.: +27 11 547 7900
Mobile: +27 72 576 2493
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