This document discusses the importance of personal investment for testers. It outlines different types of personal investment including time, cost, and emotional well-being. The tester's mindset and key attributes are described. Testers are encouraged to invest in their own development by reading materials, attending trainings, and pursuing qualifications. Companies can also invest in testers through career paths, internal communities, and training opportunities. The document stresses that personal investment will make testers feel better in their roles and more adaptable to challenges.

1. Testers are doing it for
themselves
Julie Gardiner
QST Consultants Ltd
46 Brooklands Drive, Gedling
Nottingham, NG4 3GU
email: info@qstc.co.uk
http://www.qstc.co.uk
© Copyright QST Consultants Ltd 1
tel: +44(0)7974 141436
Agenda
Different types of personal investment
Tester’s mindset & attributes of a tester
Why you should invest in your own
development
Actions for personal investment
How your companies can invest in you
Making it happen
How will you feel?
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2. Investment can take
many forms...
Time, cost, emotional wellbeing
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What about Personal
Investment?
What makes a good tester?
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3. The Tester’s Mindset
Impartial & challenging
Analytical
Methodical & thorough
Communicator & sounding board
Enthusiastic, motivated & passionate
Open minded
And others...
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Attributes needed to be a
tester
A risk manager
Information provider
Skilled and experienced
Disciplined and focused
Conscientious
Able and willing to communicate effectively
Diplomatic
Flexible and adaptable
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4. Why you should invest in
your own development
You know best
Demonstrates commitment to
everyone
Your employment might change, your
goals should be transferable
Helps management
– feed personal goals into team objectives
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Investment - Time
Read the books - All topics are covered
Web
Working Parties
Discussion forums
User Groups
Experience
White papers
Find a Mentor
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5. Investment - Cost
Training
– Testing
– Technical
– Soft skills
Professional qualifications – ISEB/ISTQB
Conferences
Videos/DVD
CBT/ on-line learning
Books and magazines 9
Investment - Emotional
Personal pride
Understand the benefits to be gained
Maslow Hierarchy of needs
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Http://web.utk.edu/~gwynne/maslow.HTM
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6. How your company can
invest in you (1)
Career path for testers
– Hierarchical
– Flat
– Functional
Examples…
All Career path slides taken from STARWest 2005 Tutorial how to build, support &
add value to your test team by Lloyd Roden Grove Consultants and Julie Gardiner
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QST Consultants Ltd
Career model (1) : Flat
Advantages Disadvantages
– simple - no opportunity to specialise in
– one true (happy) team? any area
– easier to rotate staff onto - pay rises may be limited
many projects business - no technical aspects identified
areas 12
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7. Career model (2) :
Hierarchical
Test Manager Advantages
– simple
– some structure
Team Leader(s) – key roles identified
Disadvantages
Senior Test Analyst(s) – structure is ‘management’
management’
focused
– no reference to functional
Test Analyst(s) skills
– no technical aspects
identified
Trainee Test Analyst(s) 13
Career model (3) :
Functional
Functional Career Model
Management Technical Application
Test Managers Senior Technician Non- Functional Functional
Team Leaders DBA/Env Technician Test Designers Test Designers
Test Consultants Test Automator Test Executors Test Executors 14
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8. Career model (3) :
Functional
Advantages Disadvantages
management is not the may need to introduce
only route! ‘trainee’ element to
trainee’
awareness of the different decide which path to
functions and skills within take
the team suitability of the
can swap from one column columns for the staff
to another
indicates that testing is
more than testing
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Example of functional
career path
Test Manager
Test Consultant Test Consultant
Test Team Tools Process
Test Team
Lead Lead
Senior Tester
Tester
Junior Tester 16
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9. How your Company can
invest in you (2)
Create Internal SIGIST
Time set aside in project plans for
– R&D
– Coaching & mentoring
Lunchtime sessions
Library
Conferences
Training & Knowledge sharing
– intranet
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Where do you go from here?
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10. Making it Happen
Personal
– Where am I now?
– Where do I want to be?
– How do get there?
– What investment can I make?
– What will I get out of it?
Small steps
– quick wins & short term goals
– long term goals
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How will you feel?
Feel better in yourself
– Growing/more confident within current role
– Gaining skills/knowledge towards new role
Proactive to new techniques/processes
– Adaptable and flexible to the challenges you face in
a company
Remember Maslow!
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11. Summary
You can & should take ownership for
your investment
It is important and motivational
Information is available and don’t
forget to share with others
Decide what investment you can make
Keep focused and don’t lose heart
You can make it happen!
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Thank you!
Julie Gardiner
QST Consultants Ltd
Email: julie@qstc.co.uk
Mobile: +44 7974 141436
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