Enabling Science
Developing Team Skills:
Testing Professional
Development Framework
Mike Jarred & Dr. Luke Avsejs
Enabling Science
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…
Slide 2 © IDBS 2012
Enabling Science
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
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Enabling Science
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…
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Enabling Science
Career Path
Test Manager
ISEB Practitioner / ISTQB Advanced /
PRINCE2 Practitioner
Test Lead / Test Team Lead
ISTQB Advanced Test Manager / ISEB
Practitioner
Test DBA
ISTQB Advanced Technical Test Analyst
/ Test Analyst
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
Tester 0
ISTQB Foundation
Career Level
Tester 1 / 2
Slide 5 © IDBS 2012
Project Experience
Experience should include participation in at least two medium projects, with exposure to:
1. Multi Tier Architecture
2. More than 3 systems being integrated
3. Minimum of 100 tests created
4. Minimum of 100 tests executed
Education
Writing Test Plans
Web Application Security Tester
Enabling Science
Example Competency Skills Matrix
Skill Level (0-5)
Competency
Competency 1
Skill
Job Role 1
Job Role 2
Job Role 3
Competency Skill 1
2
3
4
Competency Skill 2
1
2
2
Competency Skill 3
1
2
3
Competency Skill 4
2
2
3
Competency Skill 5
2
2
4
Competency Skill 6
1
2
4
Competency Skill 7
1
2
4
Competency Skill 1
2
2
3
Competency Skill 2
2
3
4
Competency Skill 3
1
3
4
Competency Skill 4
0
2
3
Competency 2
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Example Evidence / Indicators
Test Scripts, Defect Reports, Test
Results, Reports, Data Models, Project
Documents, Test Project Plan
Think beyond the day-to-day tactical
solution
Capable of developing strategies to
meet medium /long-term business
goals
Enabling Science
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...
Slide 7 © IDBS 2012
Enabling Science
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
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

Enable clear objective setting and
structured appraisal reviews

Gain Industry recognized
qualifications

Provide clarity regarding
competencies and skills needed in
the test group

Commitment from IDBS to their
development

Opportunities to cross skill into a
different framework e.g.
Development (once rolled out to
other groups)

Demonstrate the Career Paths open
to individuals in the Test Group –
there was an org structure, but no
visibility of how to progress
Slide 8 © IDBS 2012
Enabling Science
Some things we had to think about…
Slide 9 © IDBS 2012
Enabling Science
How have we applied the PDF?






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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
Slide 10 © IDBS 2012
Enabling Science
The Good, the Bad and the Beautiful…





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)


Slide 11 © IDBS 2012
Lots of positive feedback  (within, and outside the Test
Group)
Training economies of scale
Competency based recruitment, and succession planning
Increasing team flexibility
Enabling Science
Example heat map & pie charts
COMPETENCY
Competency 1
Competency 2
SKILL
Job Role 1
Job Role 1
Job Role 2
Job Role 2
Competency Skill 1
2
2
3
4
Competency Skill 2
Competency Skill 3
1
1
2
1
2
1
2
2
Competency Skill 4
Competency Skill 5
Competency Skill 6
2
3
1
2
1
3
2
2
2
3
4
4
Competency Skill 7
1
1
2
4
Competency Skill 1
2
1
2
2
Competency Skill 2
Competency Skill 3
2
1
2
1
3
3
4
4
Competency Skill 4
0
1
2
3
Tester 2 Competency
Test Team Competency
18%
24%
52%
30%
Not Meeting
Exceeding
Slide 12 © IDBS 2012
51%
Attaining
25%
Attaining
Not Meeting
Exceeding
Enabling Science