Ladutko Andrey

Congrats, you have achieved the Senior QA level on the project! What's next? Probably, it is not expected from you to grow - 100% expectations from you on the project are met. Should you stay senior, or move to engineering management, or continue to sharpen your tech skills? But is it enough tech skills only on the Senior+ level?

In my talk, I'll tell how I answered these questions and share practical advice on how to grow as QA in the direction known as "Individual Contributor" in such companies as Microsoft, Uber, Stripe, and Amazon. And the roles called here - are Staff and Principal Engineer.

OKR (Objectives and Key Results) is a goal system used by Google and others. It is a simple tool to create alignment and engagement around measurable goals.

What happens with quality when a company moves to the OKR objectives setting system? How can OKR goals affect product quality positively or negatively? What should be done so that the quality does not "sink" in the transition period and in general when implementing OKR? How is OKR related to the development of the team - CFR - and how does the work with the team change during the transition? 

I will answer all these questions in the talk and share the practical experience.

The continuation of Alexander Alexandrov's talk "Economics of software testing, v.2.0" where we will extend the field for discussions and discuss the issues of the economics of testing with the audience.

The main points of the talk: 

• Exhaustive testing is not possible. 
• Testing is as well an economic activity. 
• Version 1.0, or What need to do. We work within a plan and evaluation, when a lack of resources, we ask to add them (extensive approach).
• Version 2.0, or How need to do. We work within a plan and assessment as efficiently as possible (intensive approach).
  

The round table will be devoted to the discussion on how to proceed to version 2.0, analysing the following tasks and using reasonable labour costs efficiently, analysing: 

• What the test cases we need (do we really need them?). 
• What the test data we need.
• What testers we need - a few strong ones (but expensive) or many of weak (but inexpensive). 
• What kind of automation we need (do we need it at all), what tools, coverage.

What is the talk about? 

Which tester does not dream of becoming a leader, preferably ideal? I have two news for you: good and bad. A good one - to become a test-manager really, and there are various options for developing you as a test manager. A bad one - to be an ideal is impossible, but as Adizes says about the manager, "you can polish the edges of your personal effectiveness and be effective in one, maximum - in two areas." 

Why should you come to the talk? 

• A look at the test management from various perspectives: Rex Black's book "The expert test manager", Adizes "The Ideal Executive", Henry Neave "The Deming dimension," and others. 
• My personal experience and not just a "retelling" of books (albeit very valuable ones). 
• Plan what to do next in your growth as the test manager

- Выполнять тестирование проекта с учетом специфики доменной области

- Обучить команду навыкам поиска, занесения и управления дефектами (defect management process)

- Обучить команду тест-дизайну

- Разработать тестовую стратегию основного продукта и независимых стримов продукта

- Провести оценку трудозатрат на тестирование

- Построить план-график работ по тестированию, распределять обязанности (включая бекапирование ключевых ресурсов)

- Мониторить выполнение работ по тестированию

- Готовить отчеты по активностям тестирования и качеству продукта 

- Нанимать и обучать тестировщиков (в том числе и при дефиците ресурсов)

- Разрешать сложные ситуации(некачественный тест-дизайн, отклоненные дефекты, конфликты с другими экспертизами)

There were many replies from listeners during the talk of Aleksandr Aleksandrov "Current State vs. Common sence" on SQA Days-20 in Minsk, like "Everything you talk is test manager's business", and there were a long after-speech discussion in lobby.

We have found out, that role of test managers is understood differently by all listeners.

During this round table, we are going to discuss mentioned problem and arise auditory, to get answers / thoughts / ideas / opinions for topics we propose to discuss.

- Could you learn to become test manager (and testing)?
- What would (and wouldn't) test manager do on the project?

- Can we work without test manager (and test management)?

- What would you do if project manager rules everything, and testers are not always agree with him?

- Does manager ought to "move away" from testing, and if ought to, how to understand, how much?

- Does manager ought to be "a barrier" for direct communication between testers and "outside world, and how much?

Test process assessment could be both: in-depth, with calling external experts and self-assessment. In my talk, I'll describe self-test assessment process, how to start, hot to set goal, assess, select improvement and track the progress.

Each of us knows (or at least heard) about boxes, their kinds and testing techniques for each of them. I'll tell about "the light side" - white-box testing techniques.

BTW, it's will be a master-class, so you leave your textbooks and come to solve practical tasks and looking for real examples. Happy to see you on master-class!