people management


Test manager putting his hands up to his head in frustration Dealing with a Test Manager’s Most Annoying Problems

A test manager has to perform in multiple dimensions, using a variety of professional and interpersonal skills daily. With all these career facets, there are lots of different areas that can pose a problem. Here are the most common (and most annoying) things a test manager typically hears on a regular basis, as well as some strategies for how to deal with them.

László Szegedi's picture László Szegedi
Testing team standing around a computer and smiling 3 Methods for Better Communication and More Effective Testing

Successful delivery of software requires the entire team, so it’s imperative that everyone choose their words carefully so they convey what they really mean, are sensitive to others’ feelings, and consider all aspects of a problem. Here are three questions to remember when communicating about your software testing projects to ensure you’re considering the power of words.

Ajay Balamurugadas's picture Ajay Balamurugadas
A developer and a tester looking at each other warily Examining Cross-functionality Bias on Software Development Teams

Cross-functionality means having all the necessary people and skills on one self-organizing team. Unfortunately, the execution of cross-functionality is often biased. The main traps we fall into are misunderstanding the value of specialization, hero worship, and not “walking the cross-functional talk” as organizations. Let’s examine each of these pitfalls in the hope that your teams may avoid them.

Natalie Warnert's picture Natalie Warnert
Encouraging growth Agile Managers: Trust Your Team and Encourage Innovation


Lisa Rich's picture Lisa Rich Mic Riley


Steve Berczuk's picture Steve Berczuk
implementing gears Getting Employees On Board when Implementing Change Management

Change is a difficult but important part of business. It can be most difficult on the employees, but if you involve them in the planning process and make an effort to understand their points of view, you can mitigate resistance and facilitate the experience for everyone. This article deals specifically with ERP implementation, but its advice is useful for any change management situation.

RK Prasad's picture RK Prasad
hands holding letter Dear Software Development Manager: A Letter from Your Testers

More and more, testers are being added to programming teams. We testers think that's great, and we're happy to be here. But we also have some concerns based on our interactions with development teams in the past. To make the transition easier, here's a letter pointing out some things you should know when managing testers on your development team.

Marcus Blankenship's picture Marcus Blankenship
goldfish leaping from one fish bowl to another The Secret to Change Management: Creating a New Tradition

When we try to implement new processes, there is often resistance from the team. People get so used to their typical habits that it doesn't occur to them that there could be a better way to do things. To get buy-in from everyone, you need to understand the current traditions, then think about how you can set an example to start making the processes a new tradition.

Michael Stahl's picture Michael Stahl
welcome mat Accepting the Tester into the DevOps Fold

Today’s tester has moved upstream, along with the test processes, where he is involved right from the product design stages. This can create great opportunities for the team to bond, but if not handled well, it can become a breeding ground for strained relations. Adopting DevOps means promoting collaboration.

Rajini  Padmanaban's picture Rajini Padmanaban
accessibility restroom sign The Politics of Accessibility Testing

Web accessibility is often spoken about in terms of design, programming challenges, frameworks, and technical solutions, but there are also personal difficulties for the people involved. This article addresses some of the cases of initial resistance and provides a few practical ideas on how to minimize the challenges.

Albert Gareev's picture Albert Gareev


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