Dear Project Manager/Senior Stakeholders,
This is:
1. When business requirements are ambiguous, incomplete, or constantly changing.
This makes it difficult to create comprehensive test plans and test cases and usually ends up in misunderstandings or miscommunication between the development team and the testing team.
2. When constantly faced with tight deadlines and time constraints.
We Test Analysts often work under tight deadlines and time constraints, especially in Agile or fast-paced development environments. Your unrealistic deadlines can lead to challenges in adequately testing the software within the given timeframe, resulting in potential compromises on the quality of testing or incomplete test coverage.
3. When we do not have enough Test Environments.
Availability of suitable test environments that closely mimic the production environment is a constant headache. This includes access to the right #hardware, #software, and #network configurations for testing, which can impact the accuracy and effectiveness of testing efforts.
4. Limited Resources:
Why does the project miraculously run out of funds when it gets to funding for testing? Test Analysts always face limitations in terms of budget, personnel, or tools, which impact our ability to conduct thorough #testing. Limited resources will always result in compromises on the scope or depth of testing, potentially leading to undiscovered defects in the software finding their way into production!
5. No test automation. We must be proactive!
On any large project we already know we will have hundreds, if not thousands of test scripts, so why do we not have the need for a Test automation team baked into project requirements right from the start?
6. Risk and Issues Management.
What's the point of testers raising risks if we only address them when we have time. Risks are dynamic and must be addressed immediately and reviewed constantly in order for them not to become issues It is a worry and a risk itself if a project does not have a fortnightly risk and issues meeting, and even more worrying if no one from the testing team is invited!
7. ...and finally!
Dear Project Colleagues (including the IT Director/CIO/CTO)...Please if you have not been professionally trained as a Test Analyst, and have not got a history of proper structured testing experience, then please keep quiet and stop telling us - "I've done a bit of testing myself" It is most irritating!
Demola Adeshina
Testing Academy:
