QW2002 Tutorial F1 Mr. Rex Black (RBCS, Inc.) Test Management And Organization

Key Points

• Explain the organizational context of an independent testing team.
• Create and explain a cost-of-quality based business case for testing.
• Figure out how test efforts should fit into various system lifecycles.

Presentation Abstract

Organizations invest in quality in general, and testing specifically, because they expect the time, money, and care spent prior to releasing a system to pay dividends after the release. These dividends may come in the many forms, including but not limited to financial rewards. Testing is, therefore, a risk management exercise that helps the organization reduce the likelihood of having to bear certain unanticipated future costs. With such high stakes involved, testing is an endeavor that deserves careful planning, crisp execution, a talented team, and significant resources. This tutorial will examine the project and organizational context of testing projects, the need for alignment between testing and quality, and techniques that a test manager can use to ensure crisp test project management.

About the Author

Rex Black (Rex_Black@RexBlackConsulting.com) is the President and Principal Consultant of Rex Black Consulting Services, Inc. http://www.RexBlackConsulting.com, an international software and hardware testing and quality assurance consultancy. He and his consulting associates help clients such as Bank One, Cisco, Compaq, Dell, Schlumberger, Williams Communications, and others with implementation, consulting, training, and staffing for testing, test automation, and quality assurance projects. His first book, Managing the Testing Process, published in June 1999, sold thousands of copies in North and South America, Europe, and Asia. In July 2002, Wiley published the updated and improved second edition. Following on the heels of these successful books, Addison-Wesley will publish Critical Testing Processes, Volume I and Volume II in late 2002 and early 2003, respectively.