Test Managers, Can't Live With 'Em ...
We're all managers, managed, or both so we've all got experience of people who manage testing work: test managers. But what do these people do? What value do they bring? Who are they for? Some companies are disbanding their test teams and replacing test managers with test or quality coaches. Are test managers an endangered species?
In CEWT #4 we'll be considering test managers and test management and the relationship of testers to both of them. We want to surface ideas and perspectives on those ideas and then explore both in search of insight. We want to propose hypotheses and then challenge them, and try to expose the evidence and assumptions that motivated them. We want to report experiences and then understand them and the conclusions that have been drawn from them. And we want to do these things in a relaxed, friendly, safe, collaborative, supportive, and positive environment.
As usual with us, the topic is a jumping-off point and so here's a few questions to help to get you started: Is test management primarily a management role, that could be done well by any competent manager? Or is it a specialist position that requires experience of software testing? Does that sound wise? What makes a good test manager? Who was the best test manager you ever had? Why? Who wasn't? Why not? What does your test manager do for you that you couldn't live without? And what would you rather they never did again?
If you're a test manager, when did you last test something? How deeply were you able to test it? Are you OK with that? Can you apply your testing skills to management? With what compromises? Are you afraid for your job? Or aspects of your job? Is test management actually a role rather than a position? Would your thoughts on test management differ if you considered line management and project management independently? How?We were so happy with the changes we made for the format of CEWT #3 that we're not planning on doing anything radically different this time around.
Note: this is not an open call for participants. We try to support the local testing community by inviting those who've attended other Cambridge meetups recently first.
