Quality Assurance

Well, sometimes it is also plainly called Software Testing, or the whole organization of it. 

I still have vivid memory about my first line manager, saying "in order to hire a developer, you need to go to those ICT schools or agencies, but to hire a tester you just need to go on the streets." 

There might be some truth to that, while it definitely is a learned skill, which also requires some talent. Education and certifications build a good foundation, then much on-the-job practice sharpens the experience. It helps to have had programming exercise. Analytical thinking. Critical mindset. Able to plan and organize. To balance cost and efficiency. And then the soft skills, making the hard truth "here's a bug", or "we need more regression" what easier to understand. 

Test preparation is an all-around task. Information needs to be gathered from documents, meetings and talks, while planning needs to be evaluated, discussed and adjusted from time to time. Test approach is tailored to the system under test, the organization, available resources and tools. Then the test environment and data need to be defined and constructed. 

Test execution is not sweet for everyone. It requires a good focus to guide the direction of exploration, trail-and-error, and the perseverance of being confronted and having to retry. It is an attitude of taking responsibility, and the willingness to act (and talk) on it no matter how hard it seems to get. Eventually it pays off to see the result being one step closer to the truth.

Even for automated tests, there should always be an eye on it, to keep it well-structured, well-maintained, and well utilized. 

Test Coordination

In recent years, I have been given such privilege. It is difficult to build a test horizontal from scratch, but very rewarding. After having put our shoulders together through hard times, we build more than just the product - we build the team.

Respect comes from buckets of sweat, and synergy from seamless energy. One should be given room to be self-responsible and self-organized, while the whole is depending and counting on one another. Encourage collaboration. Identify and follow up best practices. Delegate and trust. Measure and evaluate. Reflect and learn. 

Together, it can make a powerful way for everyone to grow and reach his/her potential. This is a win-win situation for both the individuals and the organization.