show just with about Johanna. I think we really want to get some of her advice. One of the things that I picked up off her Web site that I think really encapsulates one of the things that I admire about Johanna, is that she says "My philosophy is that people want to do a good job. They just don't always know what they're supposed to do or how to do it." I think that really encapsulates one of the things that Johanna does best, which is to demystify some of the technical jargon and really talk to people one on one and make these really hard technical ideas come to life. So, with the topic today of Test Management 101, Johanna, I am glad you are here with us.
Johanna: Thank you so much Carol. I am really glad to be here.
Carol: Now, I'm not a tester. So, I am probably one of the people who can probably gain the most from Test Management 101. And perhaps you can kind of lead us into the topic by telling us a little bit about what does Test Management 101 really mean.
Johanna: Well, the first thing that I think of is that a lot of people are called test managers, or quality managers, or quality engineering managers, and I think the real key is to figure out what are they paying you to do. So many people think their job is to either make sure the software ships, or make sure it ships without any defects, or that their job is to stop shipment if for some reason the software is not ready for whatever they think is ready. I see a big disconnect with what the people think their jobs are supposed to be as managers, and what the companies want from those people. It gets very disconcerting and it gets to the point where you start wondering, "Am I doing the right thing in my company?" Sometimes the best thing is to check with your boss and say, "I would like to either, you know, give you a lot of information about the product under test, or I would like to be able to stop shipment and here is why I want to be able to do those things." I am not a big fan actually of stopping shipment. I think that is a decision that is best left to senior management. But I think that being able to talk about what kind of information do I have about the product under test, and if I haven't been able to run any tests, that is information too. So, what do they pay me to do? How do I know what it is that I am supposed to do? How do I then organize and manage the work, so that I can get the thing done that I am supposed to be getting done? So, the first piece is "What am I supposed to be doing here?" I think, especially, as new managers, that a lot of us get promoted up from the technical ranks, we started off as testers or as developers or whatever. We come in, we get promoted into the first line management position; of course, no one ever teaches you how to manage anything. God forbid that should happen. So, we do not actually know. We maybe do the thing that our previous manager did, or maybe we do the things that our previous manager did not do. I think the key is to say, "What is my job here, and then how do
About the author
Johanna Rothman, known as the “Pragmatic Manager,” helps organizational leaders see problems and risks in their product development. She helps them recognize potential “gotchas,” seize opportunities, and remove impediments. Johanna was the Agile 2009 conference chair. She is the technical editor for Agile Connection and the author of these books:
- Manage Your Job Search
- Hiring Geeks That Fit
- Manage Your Project Portfolio: Increase Your Capacity and Finish More Projects
- The 2008 Jolt Productivity award-winning Manage It! Your Guide to Modern, Pragmatic Project Management
- Behind Closed Doors: Secrets of Great Management
- Hiring the Best Knowledge Workers, Techies & Nerds: The Secrets and Science of Hiring Technical People
Johanna is working on a book about agile program management. She writes columns for Stickyminds.com and projectmanagementcom and blogs on her website, jrothman.com, as well on createadaptablelife.com.
