Developing Team Skills: Testing Professional Development Framework

1. Developing Team Skills:Testing Professional Development Framework Mike Jarred & Dr. Luke Avsejs Enabling Science

2. Welcome, Introductions and Agenda • Welcome • Introductions • Agenda • Objectives, and constraints • What is the Testing PDF? • IDBS – overview and regulation • Why did we do it? • Some things we had to think about… • How have we implemented the PDF • The good, the bad and the beautiful…

3. Objectives and Constraints • Objectives of this session • It’s a ‘show and tell’ – our journey to date, not an attempt to sell a generic approach • Keep it interactive – feedback and thoughts from other practitioners in the community • Garner feedback and improvement suggestions. This is under continuous improvement, all ideas welcome • Constraint • Our framework is not publically available , but check out the BCS SFIA plus for a good starting point if interested  http://www.bcs.org/category/7849

4. So, what is the Testing PDF? • It’s a mechanism for specifying roles, competencies, skills, skill levels, training and qualifications required to deliver testing services to our projects • Competencies and skills are broken down into Technical (what we want people to do) and Transferable (how we want people to be, inc. soft skills / behavioral attributes) • Provides a consistent, logical approach to staff development through benchmarking of knowledge, experience, training and qualifications • Under continuous improvement – updated regularly as new competencies and skills are identified as the demands on testing change • Lets take a look at it in a little more detail…

5. Career Path Test Manager ISEB Practitioner / ISTQB Advanced / PRINCE2 Practitioner Test Lead / Test Team Lead ISTQB Advanced Test Manager / ISEB Practitioner Senior Tester / Test DBA / Automation Test Engineer ISTQB Advanced Technical Test Analyst / Test Analyst Automation Test Engineer ISTQB Advanced Technical Test Analyst / Test Analyst Tester 1/2 ISTQB Foundation Test DBA ISTQB Advanced Technical Test Analyst / Test Analyst Tester 0 ISTQB Foundation

6. Example Competency Skills Matrix

7. Delivering Software to Regulated Environments • IDBS is a global provider of innovative enterprise data management, analytics and modelling solutions • Used by more than 200 pharmaceutical companies, major healthcare providers, global leaders in academic study, and high tech companies • Our products enable increased efficiency, reduced costs and improved productivity of industrial R&D and clinical research • Our platforms are enabling translational medicine – personalised medicine (right drug, right patient, right time) • Customer work in highly regulated environments • GxP (GLP, GCP, GMP etc…) FDA regulated, 21 CFR Part 11, EU Annexe 11 • Customers audit us to ensure risk of non-compliance introduced by our products is mitigated through robust software development practice • The Test Group are under particular scrutiny as we provide the safety net...

8. So, why did we do this…? Drivers • Demonstrate to customers how we holistically maintain a competent testing group (we are always asked under audit ) • Demonstrate internally that we are driving professionalism / increasing capability in test group • Enable clear objective setting and structured appraisal reviews • Provide clarity regarding competencies and skills needed in the test group • Demonstrate the Career Paths open to individuals in the Test Group – there was an org structure, but no visibility of how to progress • Benefits • A more structured & professional approach to career development • Visibility to all staff of how to progress within testing • Increase skill levels and broaden experience • Gain Industry recognized qualifications • Commitment from IDBS to their development • Opportunities to cross skill into a different framework e.g. Development (once rolled out to other groups)

9. Some things we had to think about…

10. How have we applied the PDF? • Overview of PDF, benefits, risks and pilot implementation plan provided to Exec team – secured approval and sponsorship • Test Management contributed and reviewed PDF content • Test Group received PDF overview as part of change management • Team members skill levels for competencies are validated through the appraisal mechanism. Evidence of skill levels required • Outputs from appraisal are linked to Personal Development Plans • Experience, skills and qualifications are continuously reviewed as part of personal development meetings • Once a level on the PDF, is established, further opportunities for development will be provided where possible as part of project delivery and departmental initiatives • Transitions points to other frameworks will be identified as the framework is rolled out to other groups

11. The Good, the Bad and the Beautiful… • Lots of positive feedback  (within, and outside the Test Group) • Training economies of scale • Competency based recruitment, and succession planning • Increasing team flexibility • Some scepticism over value of PDF and our ability to support career aspirations • Evidencing skill levels has proven time consuming, but is a one off activity – consensus is it’s worth investing in • Evidencing transferable skills is difficult • Beautiful – heat map / pie charts (management information)

12. Example heat map & pie charts