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5 Tips To Build A Testing Centre Of Excellence
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By [x]cube LABS
Published: May 22 2015
In many IT organizations the testing runs as a silo under each project team. There is a flip side to this practice; the overall quality is not as expected from an organization standpoint. Many companies are shifting towards a TCoE which is a one-stop shop for all the QA and business testing.
TCoE has also shown a remarkable growth from 4% (fully operational TCoE) in 2011 to 26% in 2014 according to report published by HP, Capgemini, and Sogeti. Expectedly, there are many challenges in building a TCoE and here are a few crucial tips that should be looked at in setting up the center.
1. Top Management Commitment
The top management plays a crucial role in setting up a TCoE; not only is there a shift in thinking there is a shift in organization methodology of working, delivering the bad news if the project quality doesn’t adhere to new TCoE standards and practices – all these issues should be dealt with at the top of the organization for smooth transition.
2. Independence
The QA leaders should be able to deliver news about the testing without conflict of interest. There can be conflict that arises between the project management and TCoE team, and the problem mechanism system should be defined beforehand without handicapping the independence of the TCoE.
3. Decision Making
While discussions are being held regarding the standards and practices followed by the testing team, a TCoE personnel should participate actively so that all the stakeholders are on the same page and there is no confusion in the later stages of the project.
4. Early Prevention and Detection
Fixing the problem at a later stage can be complex, time consuming and a drain on resources. So it is best to fix the bugs at an early stage – preferably at the design and formulation stage – as this will lead to fulfillment of the overall objective of TCoE which is the overall business process testing for clients rather than just checking for specs and system readiness.
5. Operationalize and Automate Repeatable Tasks
This is one of the primary objectives of setting up a TCoE. All the standard testing processes that can be automated should be automated. Automation should not be just for automation testing; every stage of testing that has scope for automation and repeatability of automation tools across different projects should be looked at. Standard operating procedures should be set up as well.
The above-mentioned are a few top tips for setting up a TCoE. But, remember rule zero is adaptability, and setting up different competencies to adapt to changing situations is equally important.