1. The testing as a component in an agile world : the manager role and the team role:
Shirly Ronen -Harel
Testing manger in an agile environment gets the opportunity to manage a professional
testing team without being the tester's people manager.
This pose new challenges to the testing manager and to the testing team which is now
divided into several development business related teams. Still, the testers needs to be
related to virtual team as if they are a component inside the organization with special
professional needs of skills and mind set.
We can compare it to a group of flight technicians in the army air force. The technicians are
part of the flight team, they perform a specific technical role but still needs to develop the
sense of belonging and the bond with the flight team. Without this bonding, the entire team
will lose its straight .the combat team needs to relay on each other completely to perform
the mission as team.
We can compare the mission to the business goals. Still, the technicians have their own
professional manager, which makes sure they are committed to their role as well as to the
team mind set and spirit.
So , we can list the manager role as follows : each of the following assignments , are
delegated in time to the teams. A mature agile tester takes this role with their teams.
• Coach testers
– Help the testing unit to get to a mind set of Self managed component team
as part of a scrum team
– Professional testing dilemma's : help testers and scrum team
– Support testers coping within integrated teams and non testing managers
• Develop a vision on a testing componential team , together with the testers
• Develops and maintain the organization approach to Test Policy, Test Strategy and
Test Project Plan
• Make sure testers are able to mange the testing operation inside the team
• Make sure testers mind set and role fits the agile methodology.
• Manage the testing team as self managed agile team.
• Review test approach/ Scope (manual & automation ) of a product backlog item
every sprint of every team or delegate this role to the teams

2. • Approve upload to production. It does not mean that the testing manager is the gate
keeper. The quality commitment belongs to the team , they are responsible to
present to the testing manager (or other that takes this role) the quality measures
and delivery commitment achievements before any upload
• Approve non tested items or US
• Increase the testing knowledge of testers; for example,
– hold a X weeks professional circle
– Hold daily scrum meeting – testing component
– Holds the testing retrospective of the sprint.
– Promote formal and non formal trainings for testers : product related,
business related and testing methodology related trainings.
• Participate as optional in scrum ceremonies .
The testing componential team role:
• Sharing Professional vision and interest.
• Perform professional testing training and increase testing knowledge share.
• Help solving methodological dilemma's as a team
• Integrate automated methodology cross teams and cross components
• Integrate testing environments
• Consult each other over testing and product issues
• Share common events
• Review each other testing plans
• Support each other coping within integrated teams and non testing managers