The document discusses how test managers are often seen as "black sheep" who raise issues without solutions and cause delays. It argues that test managers need to shift from a reactive to proactive role by getting involved early in projects, changing attitudes, and applying a test management dashboard to provide transparency and value. The dashboard would use KPIs and metrics to track testing progress, quality, risks, and deliver early warnings so test managers are seen as project victors rather than victims.

1. Put Test in the Driver’s Seat
Apply a Test Management Dashboard in your
Project
Kristian Fischer, PA Consulting Group
Wed. 12th of November 2008 - EuroSTAR

2. © PA Knowledge Limited 2008. Page 2
No more Mr. Black Sheep
Test managers are too often the victims rather than the victors. Traditionally
they have been considered the black sheep of projects, who:
• Raise problems without providing solutions
• Find issues which cause deadlines to uncontrollably slip to the right and
• Always moan about not having enough time or enough (and clear)
requirements
Unless we see a shift in attitude from a reactive recovery to
a proactive delivery mentality, test managers will continue to
be victims and IT-projects will continue to fail.
So how do we create this test manager transition from self-
pitying victims to victors securing project success in the
future?

3. © PA Knowledge Limited 2008. Page 3
Move away from the line of fire and into the value creating driver’s seat
• Move away from the heat and transform
yourself into what is needed at that specific
time in the project. Begin at project start-up.
• Be proud of what you are. And make
everyone know that. The attitude has to
change!
• Apply a test management dashboard. It will
create value for the project and make you
and the rest of the project proud.
Transform
/ move
Attitude
Apply
dashboard

4. © PA Knowledge Limited 2008. Page 4
Shift from a reactive recovery to a proactive delivery mentality
Instead of waiting for the development teams to start providing testable code,
actively join the project at start-up.
Move from the end of the food chain to the delicious starters.
With the right mindset and setup, this will:
• Support requirements creation
• Secure alignment with business processes and software solution
• Provide early testing benefits
• Provide early warnings of delays
Transform
/ move
Attitude
Apply
dashboard
Transform
/ move
Attitude
Apply
dashboard

5. © PA Knowledge Limited 2008. Page 5
Add value by being part of the project all the time
Support requirements creation
• Test managers will know if the requirements are testable and if not – how to make them testable.
Furthermore, they will know the quality of requirements before any code has been developed.
Secure alignment with business processes and software solution
• By being part of the whole project, test managers will have first-hand knowledge on the business
processes and requirements and the final solution. Any discrepancy will not go unnoticed.
Provide early testing benefits
• Early testing will provide valuable information on what works and what does not. It also helps find the
earliest acceptable system (EAS).
Provide early warnings of delays
• Early testing will find defects early and this may
reveal warnings of delays.
Transform
/ move
Attitude
Apply
dashboard
Transform
/ move
Attitude
Apply
dashboard

6. © PA Knowledge Limited 2008. Page 6
Change attitude for the sake of you, test and the project Attitude
Apply
dashboard
Transform
/ move
Attitude
Apply
dashboard
Transform
/ move
To succeed in these tasks, there is a need for a shift in attitude from all project
participants – from project owner to project members to test managers.
There are several ways to do this:
• One way to help change the attitude is for the project to acknowledge the
work done and value created by test managers and tester
• Another is to engage in more than just the obvious test ‘stuff’ in projects
• Yet another is to create a test management tool.

7. © PA Knowledge Limited 2008. Page 7
Provide confidence by applying a test management dashboard
A simple one page test management dashboard with a handful of selected KPIs
on the front cover (and data in the underlying sheets) enables us to:
• Provide daily progress and quality information
• Create transparency in the testing field to all stakeholders
• Predict delays and use tactics to avoid their occurrence
• Build trust and help to change the victim-attitude.
This again enables stakeholders to make key decisions, bringing the test team
and the test manager to be where they want to be in the future…
Transform
/ move
Attitude
Apply
dashboard
Transform
/ move
Attitude
Apply
dashboard

8. © PA Knowledge Limited 2008. Page 8
Use Excel (or something else) for the test management dashboard
Do we want to create the dashboard in Excel, PPT, Others or all?
And why not just use HP test director?
It is essential that the dashboard is:
• Easy to use and understand
• Easy to update
• Easy to expand or change, i.e. flexible.
If based on Excel, it is furthermore an inexpensive tool to use for many
organisations as well as most people know their way around Excel.
But anything goes as long as it meets the objective.
Transform
/ move
Attitude
Apply
dashboard
Transform
/ move
Attitude
Apply
dashboard

9. © PA Knowledge Limited 2008. Page 9
Transform
/ move
Attitude
Apply
dashboard
Transform
/ move
Attitude
Apply
dashboard
Test Management Dashboard by Excel example (copied into PPT:-)
Project EuroSTAR Week 46
2
1 3
1
0
1
2
3
0 1 2
Hint: In Excel, to copy from an underlying sheet to the dashboard, press Ctrl + C and when pasting, press Shift and Ctrl, go to Edit
and choose Paste Picture Link. This way the dashboard is updated automatically whenever the underlying sheets are updated

10. © PA Knowledge Limited 2008. Page 10
A ‘by no means exhaustive’ list of elements to consider
• Overall status - a subjective and effective
way to show what way the wind blows
• Early Acceptable System (EAS) – shows the
main functions, which can form an
acceptable solution when tested
• Countdown to important dates – puts
emphasis and focus on important dates
• Test execution plan - Number of tests
planned, run, passed by week
• Achievements – shows the main
achievements
• Concerns – A list of major concerns, project
manager or steering group should be aware
of
• Risk Matrix – The classic. Rate the risks to
find out where to focus.
Early Acceptable System
FA 15
FA 7
FA 6
FA 5
FA 4
FA 3
FA 2
FA 1
FA 8
FA 9
FA 10
FA 11
FA 12
FA 13
FA 14
Benefit
Risk
Transform
/ move
Attitude
Apply
dashboard
Transform
/ move
Attitude
Apply
dashboard

11. © PA Knowledge Limited 2008. Page 11
Yet another ‘by no means exhaustive’ list of elements to consider
• Test activity plan – a schedule on estimates
vs. actual
• Requirements (changes) - Major and minor
requirements changes
• Exit Criteria – The criteria to go to the next
phase?
• Functional hierarchy – Grouping of logical
functional areas
• Status on functional areas – Status on these.
• People – Do we have the people we need to
perform the tasks?
• Defect status – Defects found and closed
by week/day normalised against level of
effort
• Any others?
Test Activity Plan
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
W
eek
40
W
eek
41
W
eek
42
W
eek
43
W
eek
44
W
eek
45
W
eek
46
W
eek
47
W
eek
48
W
eek
49
W
eek
50
W
eek
51
# of Activities
Planned Planned (Accumulated) Actual (Accumulated) Actual
Transform
/ move
Attitude
Apply
dashboard
Transform
/ move
Attitude
Apply
dashboard

12. © PA Knowledge Limited 2008. Page 12
I have three sentences for you
• Lead when appropriate and
participate at all times.
• Make your voice heard and stand up
for your procession. Change the
attitude.
• Make your work and value obvious
by showing and telling using a Test
Management Dashboard.
Transform
/ move
Attitude
Apply
dashboard