How to do the transition from Tester to Test management

In Nutshell following are the Responsibilities of a Test Manager in a Project:

Responsibilities of a Test Manager:
− Manage the Testing Department.
− Allocate resource to projects.
− Review weekly Testers' status reports and take necessary actions
− Escalate Testers' issues to the Sr. Management.
− Estimate for testing projects.
− Enforce the adherence to the company's Quality processes and procedures.
− Decision to procure Software Testing tools for the organization.
− Inter group co-ordination between various departments.
− Continuous monitoring and mentoring of Testing team leads/members.
− Review of test plans and test cases.
− Attend weekly meeting of projects and provide inputs from the Testers' perspective.
− Immediate notification/escalation of problems to the Sr. Test Manager / Senior Management.
− Ensure processes are followed as laid down.

How to do the transition from tester to test management

If you are a test team member or senior tester, aspiring to move to the Test Manager role, you need to strengthen the following elements:

1. Master Test plans preparation (you must have the ability to define the scope of the project by going thru various high level and low level requirement documents)

2. You should be familiar with the BUG tracking tools and software testing process. (Eg: Mercury TestDirector, Bugzilla, IBM Rational ClearQuset, etc.)

3. Must be familiar with the configuration management tools and processes. (Eg: CVS, VSS, Rational ClearCase)

4. Should be familiar with automated tools. (For example: WinRunner, QTP, Robot, RFT, Automation, to the End of recording scripting code) You may not have technical knowledge to write scripts in the above tools but you must be in a position to define automation framework and set processes for test automation for the team.

5. Should be familiar with the load and performance testing tools. Again the framework and prepare a roadmap for the team. (For example: LoadRunner, webload, silkperformance, can integrate data, analyze performance bottlenecks)

6. It would be nice if you are familiar with or proficient in one of the language. (For example: Java, C + +)

7. Should be familiar with the database. (For example: Oracle, DB2, SQLServer, MySQL)

8. Familiar to mainstream operating system. (For example: HP Unix, IBM AIX, Sun Solaris, Red Hat Linux, SuSE Linux, Windows)

9. Can Use English fluently and you must have excellent written skill.

10. You must have the ability to communicate with development team and other management team without creating any conflict.

11. Stronger ability to get the overall idea of the project/technology quickly. As a test manager you may not need to have a thorough understanding of every technological pieces.

12. You must be very good in excel trackers. Can track daily progress, weekly progress of the work without doing any micro management. Ideally you should have a good repository of reusable trackers and templates with you.

13. You must have strong knowledge on MS Project and can plan you work ahead of time by doing good Work Breakdown Structure.