Community of Software Testing Professionals
Testmanagement reporting directly to steering committee
Lately we are discussing a topic on a dutch forum, concerning the position of the test manager. Traditionally the test manager is positioned within a project, as a regular project member. Both time and budget are ultimately managed by the project manager. The discussion is about whether the position of a test manager should be inside the project team or above it, right next to a project manager, both reporting to the steering committee. The reason why:
A project manager is responsible for delivering a quality product, but not for the quality of the executed tests thus not for the quality of the advice given. Most likely a project manager can't judge they quality of tests conducted, but he does have a major influence on them. Simply because he regulates the costs and time for doing those tests.
When a project is running low on budget, a project manager can decide to cut the funding for testing. This won't result in a lower quality of the product, since the product being tested isn't being tested as thorough as planned in the test strategy. Just in a lower quality of the testing advice. He won't cut the funding for the actual development, because that will result in a visible incomplete product. When a project is running low on time, actions taken can be pretty much the same.
The main concern here is communications to the steering committee. A project manager is in the position to decide whether he does or DOES NOT communicate these issues to the steering committee, since he is the only one communicating with this committee. The reason not to communicate maybe simply being driven by the fact that at the end he is personally being evaluated for managing projects within time and budget (which isn't rare).
In my opinion the decision to request more time or budget should be done by a test manager, directly to the steering committee, instead of by a project manager. The test manager is responsible for the quality of the advice. And the project manager is responsible for the quality of the product. Those shouldn't be conflicting.
I'd like to hear your opinion. Should a test manager be positioned at an equal level as project management (with separated time lines, budget and responsibilities for both), both reporting to the steering?
A project manager is responsible for delivering a quality product, but not for the quality of the executed tests thus not for the quality of the advice given. Most likely a project manager can't judge they quality of tests conducted, but he does have a major influence on them. Simply because he regulates the costs and time for doing those tests.
When a project is running low on budget, a project manager can decide to cut the funding for testing. This won't result in a lower quality of the product, since the product being tested isn't being tested as thorough as planned in the test strategy. Just in a lower quality of the testing advice. He won't cut the funding for the actual development, because that will result in a visible incomplete product. When a project is running low on time, actions taken can be pretty much the same.
The main concern here is communications to the steering committee. A project manager is in the position to decide whether he does or DOES NOT communicate these issues to the steering committee, since he is the only one communicating with this committee. The reason not to communicate maybe simply being driven by the fact that at the end he is personally being evaluated for managing projects within time and budget (which isn't rare).
In my opinion the decision to request more time or budget should be done by a test manager, directly to the steering committee, instead of by a project manager. The test manager is responsible for the quality of the advice. And the project manager is responsible for the quality of the product. Those shouldn't be conflicting.
I'd like to hear your opinion. Should a test manager be positioned at an equal level as project management (with separated time lines, budget and responsibilities for both), both reporting to the steering?
Tags: committee, management, project, steering, test
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Ram on -
Michel,
so you are talking about the project team hierarchy. I think it literally depends on the size of the project and if steering committee wants one point of contact from the project team or if multiple point of contacts ok with them. It is also in a way "managing up" and "managing down". Agreeed, Test Manager to have the say at the steering committee along side a project manager would be more appropriate, so a TM can highlight the quality aspects of the deliverables.
at the same time what concerns me when you said " The main concern here is communications to the steering committee. A project manager is in the position to decide whether he does or DOES NOT communicate these issues to the steering committee " is there appears to be an issue with TRIST FACTOR. A project must have the open conversations. The reports gets sent to steering committee must be shared with the rest of the team as well. There appears to be a problem with "Team Work" in this context you have described about. Is Trust is really what is driving the conclusion to have both Project Manager and Test Manager to participate with steering committee.
In my experience, Test is a gateway and Test Manager decides (together with the team) on quality outcome. Project manager must provide the report from the Test Manager, so that clearly conveys Go/No-Go decision.
regarding " personally being evaluated for managing projects within time and budget " although even PMP does not mention about quality in its tripple contraint (Scope, Schedule, Cost), the stakeholders who provide the sign off on a Go/No-Go decision would not approve for a lower quality (well, it is contextual and relative - based on how quality is defined in Test Strategy)
and based on my above understanding of your description, to summarize your question " I'd like to hear your opinion. Should a test manager be positioned at an equal level as project management (with separated time lines, budget and responsibilities for both), both reporting to the steering? " , the answer is I think it depends on various constraints and context for each project, as each project is unique.
-Ram
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Permalink Reply by Michael Bolton on -
A project manager is responsible for delivering a quality product, but not for the quality of the executed tests thus not for the quality of the advice given.
Sez who? If a chef is responsible for the quality of the meal, isn't he responsible for the quality of all of the work being done, including the tasting?
Should a test manager be positioned at an equal level as project management (with separated time lines, budget and responsibilities for both), both reporting to the steering?
This is another unicorn question. Who, other than the organization that is developing the product, is to say what should be done? This isn't a question that can or should be answered by us here. That is, we can have all the opinions we like, but I would venture to say that very few of us are at any kind of management level; fewer still are in a position where we could make or contribute to such a decision; and even fewer still would be influenced by discussion here.
---Michael B.
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Permalink Reply by Michel Kraaij on -
"Sez who? If a chef is responsible for the quality of the meal, isn't he responsible for the quality of all of the work being done, including the tasting?"
I agree, it's his/her responsibility. However, in your example a chef (or anyone else within the team who does the tasting) knows what to expect from a certain dish. If he doesn't know which taste he should be expecting, would he approve the dish or not? Someone who is evaluated by the number of courses being expected to serve or the amount of money he spends on preparation of a single course in comparison to the price which it is sold, might have different motivations to approve a certain dish. And yes, even if a dish tastes like crap, it would be presented to the customer (resulting in excellent footage for Gordon Ramsay's show ;)).
"That is, we can have all the opinions we like, but I would venture to say that very few of us are at any kind of management level; fewer still are in a position where we could make or contribute to such a decision; and even fewer still would be influenced by discussion here."
That's why i was interested in opinions. Ultimately, the decision isn't ours to make. I agree. But we can influence the outcome of the decision, just by challenging the given motivations and evaluating the past experiences with these situations. And currently i am in a position where my contribution in making such a decision is at least heard.
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Permalink Reply by Tedi Roca on -
Optimally, in large organizations I would push to have:
- Global Test Manager coordinating all test streams (System, Integration, UAT, ...) and reporting directly to the steering comitee
- Stream Test Managers owning each phase and reporting bo both the Global Test Manager and the Project Manager.
- Test Leads reporting to the Test Manager.
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Permalink Reply by Yeshwanthrao Tharkeswar on -
It should be decided by the Steering Committee. Assume that the test manager is directly reporting to the steering committee and his/her budget for a project was rejected by the committee? What will he/she do?
Sometimes the test budget will be approved by the PM (many times it's happened in my case). My opinion is 'It is immaterial where the test manager is positioned. He/She should be Clear and Tough and prove that his/her budget will be always correct.
Yeshwanthrao
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Permalink Reply by Michel Kraaij on
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"Assume that the test manager is directly reporting to the steering committee and his/her budget for a project was rejected by the committee? What will he/she do?"
I would say "EXCELLENT!!" because they would probably have a reason for that. And i would love to challenge them for that reason.
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