Writing Test Strategies

Overview

A two day course. The role of the manager in seldom easy, most projects have many similarities but essentially all projects are different and although a standard approach may work, a specific and tailored approach is far better. How does the test manager choose the specific approach and how can that approach be chosen with confidence? This two day course explores the similarities and the differences found in diverse software based projects and provides the test manager with practical guidance in the choice of a suitable strategy. This course puts the manager into the project situation where a strategic approach is needed. The burning question is "What strategy should I choose?"

Prerequisites

Attendees of this course should have at least one years experience as a senior tester. Attendees may benefit from attending Writing Test Plans course prior to attending the course.

Who should attend?

Any tester who is involved in creating the test strategy, including test managers, test team leaders and testers aspiring to those roles. This course is particularly suitable for people in the system test and user acceptance test areas.

Delegates will learn how to

On completion of this course attendees will have encountered several different project challenges and will have had to propose a suitable approach for each.
On completion of this course, attendees will have gained the skills to devise effective and appropriate test strategies, and confidence to present their test strategies to their peers and to senior management.

Course Outline.

Strategies

Why have a test strategy
Who will a test strategy help
What is strategic planning
The objective of a test strategy
How to create a test strategy
Who should be involved
Management support
Qualities of a test strategy
Common test strategies
Politics
The first case study
Questions

Typical problems
Typical questions
The crucial questions to ask
Who should we ask
Negotiation
The second case study
Review

The essential components
Fundamental strategies
Risk reduction
Additional issues that must be considered
Have we covered it all?
The third case study
The way ahead

Management objectives
Business objectives
Teamwork
Deadlines
Budgets
Resources
Risk
Quality management
Metrics
Presentations