Task: Define The Organisation (MTP)

1. Determining required roles

To ensure good alignment between the various test levels, it is determined globally which test roles must be distinguished and fulfilled. These are, in particular:

Test management or test coordination
Other types of management (on the master test plan level, think of e.g. management of the test infrastructure or the defects administration for all test levels)
Support (on the master test plan level, think of e.g. test tool experts, a test method expert for all test levels, domain expert or developer).

On behalf of the resource claim, it is also determined roughly which test roles are required per test level. This is then elaborated further in the Planning phase for the relevant test levels.

2. Allocating tasks, authorisations and responsibilities

This shows the tasks and responsibilities per required role. Not yet at the level of the test levels (it is described in the detailed test plans), but at the overall level.

3. Describing the organisation

The relationship between the specified roles, the separate test levels, and the relationships with the other stakeholders in the system development process must be determined and laid down. The organisation of testing is clearly part of the bigger (project) picture. In case of a project, one must not forget to define the relationship with a test or quality department, if any.

Testing must be organised, both at the overall level and the level of the test levels, within the framework of a master test plan. The following options are roughly distinguishable for a test level:

Testing as an autonomous activity or integrated with other activities
Either a project or line organisation is responsible for testing

As these choices depend on the test level, project and organisation, and little influence can be exerted on them at the master test plan level, we refer to Plan (AST) and Permanent Test Organisation for more information.

Another choice is to organise the overall management, control and support in a project or line organisation.

4. Allocating staff

After it has been established which test roles must be fulfilled in the test process, people are allocated to each role. Clearly, their availability and competencies in relation to the knowledge and competencies required for the relevant test roles are taken into account. One person may fulfil multiple roles, which often happens in iterative development environments. In this case, you should be alert to conflicting responsibilities!

5. Establish training and coaching needs

The people involved in the test levels must have various types of knowledge, i.e. of testing, the business domain, and the system. At the overall level, organising training courses for people involved in the test levels must be taken into serious consideration. We also recommend informing the various parties indirectly involved in the test process, such as project or line management, about the importance of (structured) testing via a presentation.

6. Establishing consulting and reporting structures

Communication must occur with various parties from the total test process. It must be agreed with each party whether consultation and/or reporting will occur, and the aim and frequency thereof.

Consultation types

For consultation types, it is agreed who will be present and possibly what the standard agenda is. Examples of consultation types for the test manager are:

weekly meeting with all test managers and/or test coordinators
weekly project meeting
periodical steering group meeting.

Reports

Various forms of reporting are possible to different target groups and at various times. Depending on the report type, it is based on one or more of the four BDTM aspects Result, Risks, Time and Costs. The main reporting types are:

progress report
risk report
release advice
final report

The test manager determines, for each of the report types, who sends which report to whom, its content and detail level, and frequency. The test manager already determined which parties want/need to receive reports in the task Understand The Assignment (MTP). This is now detailed in consultation with the client. The report types and content are described in detail in Report (AST).