Key Test Team Roles

Test Designer Role:

 Build a deep understanding of the software and systems.
 Translate requirements, use cases, scenarios, designs, and functional specs into effective test plans
and test designs.
 Understand and use the test planning, test design and test management tools effectively to create
tests with deep application and/or technology test coverage.
 Design Keyword test cases and required Keywords using knowledge of the business process to
establish deep test coverage.
 Conduct risks analysis relative to the key area of test focus in developing the test plans and test
designs.
 Participate in upfront application and technology requirements, design and functionality reviews.
 Lead and champion reviews of test plans, partitioning and test designs, including Keywords and
Keyword test cases.
 Work with the Test Tools Engineer to ensure proper tooling and tool issue resolution.
 Collaborate with other Test Designers, Test Automation Engineers, Delivery Managers, Test
Managers, Test Executors and Test Architects to successfully design tests for specified software
areas.
 Support the effort at the designer level to implement the test architecture.
 Assist in defining and implementing test environment resources.
 Leverage technology and application standards to deliver quality software.
 Partner with project teams to ensure that the test design approach is understood.
 Build relationships with project teams.

Test Automation Engineer Role:

 Work with the Test Designers to create detailed automation plans based on the required tests.
 Ensure proper test automation tooling is in place and manage tool issue resolution.
 Translate test cases and Keywords into functions, utilities, code, and routines to improve the
efficiency of testing.
 Conduct risks analysis relative to the key area of test focus in developing the automation designs.
 Participate in upfront application and technology requirements, design and functionality reviews when
required.
 Participate in reviews of test plans, partitioning, test designs, and test automation code.
 Install, support, understand, and the effective use of the test automation tools.
 Design/customize and implement the technical infrastructure for tests automation for each project.
 Define and implement test (verification and validation) practices, standards, and processes as they
apply to test automation.
 Collaborate with other Test Automation Engineers, Test Designers, Test Managers, Test Executors,
and Test Architects to automate successful tests for specified application areas.
 Support the effort to implement the test automation architecture. Solve difficult automation
challenges.
 Assist in defining and implementing test automation requirements and standards. Maintain the test
automation environment.
 Partner with project teams to ensure that the test automation approach is understood.
 Build relationships with project teams.

Test Executor Role:

 This role may also be done by the Test Designer or Test Automation Engineer.
 The Test Executor runs and evaluates tests.
 Prepare for test execution.
 Schedule test labs, prepare documentation and other environmental items, etc.
 Run tests per test designer’s plans: Automated and manual.
 Identify and document problems found during test execution.

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 Document results – execution status, logic coverage, etc.
 Generate test logs.

Test Architect Role:

 Establish and maintain an effective and efficient test design and automation architecture.
 Assist with the selection, integration and implementation of tools needed to support testing, including
the libraries needed to support the framework and knowing which libraries and versions in the stack
perform best together. Deal with inevitable changes needed to the test design and automation stack
over time.
 Define, recommend, and gain approval for the enterprise, as well as project level test strategy making
tradeoffs on risks as needed.
 Ensure all test development is consistent with the test strategy and architecture while meeting the
needs of the business.
 Establish release readiness criteria and requirements and contribute to product release readiness
decisions.
 Assist in defining and implementing test environments, core competencies and methodologies.
 Define and drive “design for quality and testability” into the company.
 Consult with project teams, review their requirements, designs and planned functionality from a
quality and test perspective.
 Define and assess test (verification and validation) practices, standards, processes, and skills.
 Collaborate with other architects (including in other companies) championing the requirements and
needs of quality and test.
 Partner with projects to support test architecture tailoring domestically and internationally. Meet the
needs of each individual project while maintaining an enterprise-wide view and focus.
 Build a deep understanding of the company and build relationships, including with development
architects.

Test Delivery Manager Role:

 Milestone planning: Manage to the SOW, always keeping in view the SOW; estimate the number test
cases that can be automated for the milestones.
 Plan which test procedures should be automated that will ensure test coverage for various features of
the software. Ensure that all test cases listed/detailed in the test procedure are automated, and also
maintain the traceability matrix to track the test automation coverage.
 Regression on each new build: ensure that all regression test suites are run on every new build, and
plan for the test suite maintenance.
 Study test procedures to identify issues that may block automation.
 Manage Weekly review of all test cases automated against the test procedures. Also ensure that
automated test cases adhere to standards & guidelines.
 Review the defects found during the week and follow-up regarding resolution.
 Handle status reporting and email follow-up. Conduct daily stand up meeting with the team, for
update on design and automation progress and issues if any.
 Manage requests from Executive Management Oversight.
 Prepare and deliver weekly report on the team’s activity during the week.
 Coordinate infrastructure requirements and the follow-up on test procedure readiness/completion.

Test Manager Role:

 Coordinate, direct, and staff testing for multiple projects.
 Monitor Project Schedule and budget.
 Manages test team, may manage 1st line managers. Establish aggressive personal and team
objectives and manage individual and team performance.
 Champion organizational change and adoption relative to quality and test and drive quality and test
requirements into projects at the requirements stage through influence and demonstrating the value
add.

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 Drive test deliverables on a project basis being responsive to schedule and quality requirements.
 Implement test (verification and validation) practices, standards, and processes.
 Ensure that all direct reports and their teams are trained in the skills and tools of test, project
management, and other required key competencies.
 Participate in product readiness and release decisions and establish fact based measures of test
efficiency, effectiveness and product readiness.
 Review and continuously improve the organizations work products and the process that product the
work products.
 Assist with personnel issues such as hiring, training, assessment, career and succession planning.
 Support the effort to implement the test architecture.
 Assist in defining and implementing test resources; environments, methodologies, core competencies
and training.
 Build a deep understanding of the company and build relationships as needed.

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