Presentation to

Software Quality New Zealand

Tester Certification

Background

• I managed a Software Quality Assurance team for a large UK development team in the telecom industry

• In 2001 my QA team was expanded from 5 to 9 testers with people being moved from the support team to mine

• These new people, although having subject matter expertise and good problem solving experience, had never received any training in testing

Choosing Certification

• I needed to find a way to integrate these people into my team as well as up skill them.

• I looked at what training was available in UK at the time and only ISEB had a recognised certification

• In the next few slides I will talk about the benefits my team and I gained by going through a formal testing certification program.

What is Certification?

• Recognized by international bodies

• Provides a learning path for further certifications

• Demonstrates a level of knowledge necessary for a person to be a professional software tester

Employer Benefits

• Clarifies definitions of activities, capabilities and responsibilities

• Improves job and career path descriptions as well as hiring and promotion criteria

• Clarifies required knowledge and training needs

• Attracts skilled testers

• Promotes more cost-effective practice

• Helps build trust in potential clients

Tester Benefits

• Improves the image of testers

• Increases professionalism, credibility, and respect

• Improves communication and coordination with others

• Facilitates training, professional growth, achievement and recognition

• Provides evidence of interest, knowledge, and accomplishments

Test Manager Benefits

• Demonstrates team capability

• Builds trust in team

• Team has same understanding of process

• Allows for delegation

End User Benefits

• More reliable products from more effective testing

• Helps find vendors who have a commitment to quality

• Ensures common terms are standardised so users and vendors have a reference point.

Perceived Risks

• Lose of Staff

• Ensure that your staff are content

• Develop personal development plans

Which is worse? Trained staff that leave or untrained staff that stay!

• Slows innovation (People don’t try to solve the problem in a better way)

• Encourage self learning

• Ensure staff have access to resources like StickyMinds

In Conclusion – Culture?

• Certification must be part of a strategy to develop an effective team; it should not be the strategy

• Certification must add value to all stakeholders; Employers, Testers, and End Users

• A framework must be in place to analyse suggested improvements and a plan created to implement improvements.