What defines an excellent Software Testing Team?
“A team with many individuals is good, but without one, it is great.” – Unknown Author.
Recommended IPTV Service Providers
- IPTVGREAT – Rating 4.8/5 ( 600+ Reviews )
- IPTVRESALE – Rating 5/5 ( 200+ Reviews )
- IPTVGANG – Rating 4.7/5 ( 1200+ Reviews )
- IPTVUNLOCK – Rating 5/5 ( 65 Reviews )
- IPTVFOLLOW -Rating 5/5 ( 48 Reviews )
- IPTVTOPS – Rating 5/5 ( 43 Reviews )
The above mentioning provokes a conversation about the characteristics of successful teams. This guide is derived from the insights obtained working with various teams and observing how members behave under pressure due to intricate project requirements.
This is applicable for the Software Testing team which plays a key role in project tasks and demands the right mixture of talents to execute them.
What You Will Learn:
Why Some Software Testing Teams Fail While Others Flourish
Is there a solution to this issue? The answer is both Yes and No, depending on how team members align themselves towards their common goal and not at the expense of suppressing individual interests, thus working with a shared understanding of the problem in hand.
The success of a team also depends on leadership traits displayed by the Test Lead – the “Captain of the Ship”.
The purpose of this guide is to aid software test engineers or anyone who appreciates teamwork to comprehend the attributes of an efficient team and enlighten them on constructing such traits within their teams.
It’s important to note, the success of a team over a period of time doesn’t rest on a single “STAR” but rather depends on the collective efforts of all who form constellations of stars and therefore form an excellent team.
Attributes of an Excellent Software Testing Team
Initial step: Ask yourself the succeeding question:
Does the new team member comprehend the reason they were chosen for the team?
Confusion often arises in new recruits regarding their roles within the team. Even though one might argue that it’s not necessary for the individual to understand the objective, they should focus only on their tasks. Unfortunately, many higher management officials make this blunder.
Assist individuals in understanding the project within a broader context by precisely defining their roles and responsibilities.
This involves highlighting the significance of their job, potential contributions towards the projects, and shared team objectives established earlier. This tactic imbues a sense of commitment towards work, thus elevating its quality.
Ownership
As project complexity heightens concerning tasks and team size, keeping track of each task by a single leader becomes unfeasible. The alternative to this issue lies in empowering individuals with ownership.
However, this virtual leadership often impedes progress rather than providing a solution if not employed properly. Just appointing someone as the Owner without contemplating whether they can manage the group won’t bring the desired effect.
Individuals acting as owners must embody leadership mindsets and show willingness to become future leaders. These have the potential to make a difference by involving their team members. Conversely, displaying indifferent attitudes towards their teams could lead to their disintegration.
Owners’ responsibilities extend beyond merely assigning tasks to understanding the broader picture of the situation and achieving a common understanding among their team members.
Supporting team members during challenging tasks, words of encouragement, rectifying mistakes by not acting superior but as a peer, implementing ideas or seeking advice from experienced members for suitable circumstances will definitely contribute towards the shared aim.
Collaboration and a strong sense of interdependence among the team will diminish blame culture and boost opportunities for improvement and learning.
Experience of Senior Team Members
The term Senior Player refers to a person who has spent a considerable amount of time on the same or similar kind of work. They hold vast knowledge about the project. Utilizing their expertise, the entire team can benefit greatly.
This person should showcase a sense of diligence towards others’ work rather than arrogance. It’s often said: “Past success breeds arrogance.” These individuals are high performers whose absence can leave a void in the team. However, it should not be the sole criterion as there are others with similar potential to take this place.
Motivation – Essential Element
Motivation doesn’t merely involve providing an encouraging speech during team gatherings but requires customization to suit each individual.
Every team member possesses unique skills and work styles which makes it complex for the Test Lead, as it requires effort to understand the individual’s feelings towards not only their assigned tasks, but also the entire project.
A positive attitude from the lead role can inspire the team – this is quoted from experience working with one of the most dynamic testing teams. If the leader complains about working long hours or insist on an impossible schedule, then your team’s morale will reflect the same.
An authentic leader is the one who, in spite of the challenging schedule, instills confidence among team members to believe in their abilities and simultaneously works offstage to justify the workload and negotiate an extension to make tasks easier for the team.
Recognition
Everyone appreciates being recognized for their work. When an individual is rewarded, the team lead should communicate the reason for their recognition to others.
The decision making of the team lead for such tasks should be unbiased. This induces respect for the recognized individual amongst their peers. They might start working similarly and, eventually, their collective response will benefit the team.
Members working under virtual leaders often go unnoticed due to their invisibility. It’s the virtual leader’s responsibility to highlight the accomplishments and contributions of team members. This implies that a virtual leader is a future leader who takes excellent care of his team and is respected by team members.
Private Meetings
Roles and responsibilities of members are often defined at the beginning and evaluated at the end of the project. While this is a formal process, adding informal one-on-one discussions greatly aids this procedure.
These informal meetings should address current issues that members may not feel comfortable sharing during group meetings, potential future opportunities for members, identifying potential future team leaders/owners and acting on feedback from team members.
Giving timely and understandable feedback can make the difference between a team that conceals errors and a team that views errors as learning opportunities. The responsibility for poor performance often lies in the team structure rather than individual incompetence, yet it’s the individuals who are subjected to training programs to rectify it.
If team members feel they are being pitted against each other to compete for rewards and recognition, they may withhold valuable information from the team. When a team faces challenges, an effective team leader focuses on the team’s structure before addressing individuals.
“Don’t instruct people how to do things, tell them what needs to be done and let them surprise you with their results.” – George Patton
Conclusion
Numerous factors play into developing a successful team. Key elements such as Unity, Trust, Respect for others’ opinions, and working fearlessly, form the foundation of a successful check team and any efficient team in general.
Upon reading this guide, evaluate your team and ask yourself “Are you part of a great test team?” or “Will you strive to build a great test team?”. If the answer is positive, don’t delay and start molding a “Efficient Software Testing Team” at the earliest.
“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, working together is success”. – Henry Ford
The floor is yours!
From your experience, what characteristics do you deem important for building a successful QA team?
About the Author: Sharath R. Bhat is a Software Test Engineer at Torry Harris Business Solutions, Bangalore with over three years of experience in Software Testing. An ISEB/ISTQB Certified Test Engineer, he has worked in Telecom, Finance, and Healthcare sectors. He possesses technical expertise in testing Web Applications, Client-Server, Data Warehousing, and Middleware applications built using “Kabira”.
Receive amazing Software Testing articles straight in your inbox! Just click here to subscribe.