What Should Be Your Expectations From the QA Team Lead?

Often questions arise among initiates during classroom discussions about procedural matters like the creation of a traceability matrix or the review of testing documentation. They ask, “Is this the duty of a QA lead or a team member?” This confusion reflects an underlying uncertainty about role demarcation and work distribution.

The lack of clear directives and definition of roles often leads to challenges for both newcomers and seasoned managers, leads, or coordinators when delegating tasks. Identifying the correct person for the appropriate role becomes a difficult task for QA leads.

Similar to some of you, there was a time when I wondered if the QA leads themselves were fully clear about their roles and responsibilities. Can’t they just decide on the go? Unfortunately, this casual approach often results in compromised effectiveness and quality.

In order to address these issues, we’ve mapped out the key duties and responsibilities of a QA team lead throughout the Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC). These have been outlined in the table below:

QA Team Lead’s Duties across Various QA Tasks:

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To gain greater clarity on the different procedures mentioned in the table, visit the following links:

• Creating test plans
• Gathering requirements and drafting testing scenarios
• Writing test cases
• Reviewing test documentation
• Creating a traceability matrix
• Review of test readiness and checklist for exit criteria
• Reporting status
• User Acceptance Testing (UAT)

Advice for QA Team Members:

1. Be accountable for the quality of your tasks. It’s not the team leader’s job to rectify your mistakes.

2. Strive to be independent. Don’t depend on your team leader for routine directives.

3. Share any issues, potential problems, or concerns early on.

4. If possible, reach out directly to developers, BAs, or technical teams for any functional or technical queries.

Suggestions for QA Team Leads:

1. Consider the team’s perspectives when estimating timeframes, schedules, and efforts.

2. Establish solid procedures to enable the team to work autonomously and with minimal oversight.

3. Encourage open communication and be approachable.

4. Share duties and practice teamwork.

Further Reading: How to build a triumphant QA team? and Leadership in Testing Part 1, Part 2.

About the Author: This piece has been penned by STH team member Swati S.

We have covered the duties of QA team leads and team members involved in a typical QA team. Feel free to share your thoughts, questions, or experiences in the comments below.