Page - 51 - in The Future of Software Quality Assurance

The Tester SkillsProgram 51 3.1 SkillsFocus There were several influences on the depth and range of skills needed and consequently, therearea rangeofobjectives for theprogram: • The syllabus would focus on non-logistics, that is the principles, more inde- pendent thinking,modelling and people skills. (As a consequence, there is little overlapwith ISTQBsyllabuses.) • Practitioners need skills that allow them to work in teams that use pervasive automationforenvironments,builds, tests. • Practitionersmightbeexpectedtoworkin teamswherecontinuous,event-driven processesareemergingorbeingadopted. • The range of skills implies a broader role of assurance is required which spans requirements through to testing in production;new disciplines of shift-left, con- tinuousdelivery,Digital eXperienceOptimization(DXO)requireconsideration. • Practitioners are assumed to be part of mixed,multidisciplinary teams and must havebasicproject, collaboration, interpersonaland technical skills. Skills shouldalignwith abetter-definedgoalof testing: to increasedefinition anddeliveryunderstanding. 3.2 New Tester Behaviours Program members wanted the scheme to encourage specific behaviours of practi- tioners: • To thinkmoreanalytically (modelling,systemsandcritical thinking) • To move from passive to active collaboration; to challenge and refine require- ments • To understand customer or digital experience optimization; to be aware of and exploitotherpredictivemodelsandalign testing to thesemodels • To act like apathfinderornavigator (rather thana ‘follower’) • To collaborate with confidence and at more senior technical and busi- ness/stakeholder levels TheTSPsyllabusaimstoencouragemoreoutward-facing,collaborative,pro- activebehaviour.