Test Management

Contents of the Syllabus

The syllabus starts by considering the purpose of testing or the test mission, and the relation between the test policy, the test strategy and the test objectives. Test prioritization and various effort allocation techniques, including risk-based are considered in depth. The expert test manager is considered to be able to utilize and adapt all available methods to define and meet testing objectives. Furthermore, an expert test manager is expected to be able to design a specific method or approach to meet those objectives and to gain and maintain early management commitment.

Managing the test team and managing testing throughout the organization are addressed extensively and special attention is given to the various project management tasks that would apply at the expert test management level. The test manager's role in performing risk management (risk assessment workshops and risk mitigation management), reviews, assessments, quality gate evaluation, quality assurance and audits are covered in detail. How to report test results and how to interpret results by evaluation of exit criteria is elaborated upon. The metrics are described which are presented in a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) dashboard and play a crucial role in the management of the test process.

The expert test manager is expected to select or create, evaluate and improve the most appropriate approach for a given situation, which implies that several right approaches can occur simultaneously, of which no individual approach stands out significantly. It is up to the expert test manager to find a suitable approach or combination of approaches which fit the organization in order to meet or exceed the given objectives.

Different ways to organize testing as well as different types of projects for test management, including vendor management, are covered. Typical test management topics such as incident management, test project evaluation and tools for reporting and test management are addressed in depth.

The syllabus concludes with an overview of special test management considerations for different domains and project factors.

Business Outcomes

The expert test manager is able to perform each of the following tasks:

• Lead the test management within an organization, project or program to identify and manage critical success factors with management commitment at CEO/Board level
• Take appropriate business-driven decisions on a test management strategy and implement organization wide commitment and compliance based on quality KPIs
• Assess the current status of the test management, propose step-wise improvements and show how these are linked to achieving business goals within the organizational context of test management (organization or project/program)
• Set up a strategic policy for improving the test management and the testing, and implement that policy in an organization
• Analyze specific problems with the test management and its alignment with other roles or management areas in the project/organization, and propose effective solutions
• Create a master test plan with matching governance dashboard to meet or exceed the business objectives of the organization or a project/program
• Develop innovative concepts for test management (project) organizations which include required roles, skills, methodologies (tools) and organizational structure
• Establish a standard process for implementing test management in an organization (project/program) with standardized delivery based on quality KPIs
• Lead an organization to improve the test management process and manage the introduction of changes
• Understand and effectively manage the human issues associated with test-project management and implement necessary changes

The Test Management syllabus can be divided into three parts:

• Strategic Management
• Operational Test Management
• Managing the Test Team