How to build a QA Mindset from scratch - Chapter 1 - New Role
Throughout my personal and professional journey, I've encountered diverse challenges. It's clear that developing a QA mindset demands time and effort, with the ultimate goal of aiding others.
Embarking on my journey as a Junior Tester back in 2017 at a Portuguese consulting firm engaged in the NOS project, the title "Quality Assurance Engineer" wasn't as prevalent as today. Armed with insights from my IT and Management bachelor's degree, I was enthusiastic and well-prepared to put my knowledge into action.
Landing a new role brings an exhilarating sense of excitement, regardless of whether you're stepping into a junior, mid-level, senior, or management position.
In every company, the onboarding experience is pivotal. A foundational checklist for a new role should encompass:
Provision of a laptop, perhaps with the flexibility to choose the operating system and additional resources like monitors.
Swift creation of corporate email and business accounts, spanning platforms like Outlook, Teams/Slack, and Skype for Business.
Confirmation of a VPN account, if necessary.
Immediate setup of Jira and Confluence accounts on the first day, facilitating early engagement with essential tools.
This seemingly basic checklist aligns with the development of a QA mindset by emphasizing attention to detail. The first thing, to apprehend is detail-oriented. If you receive a list via email, ensuring prompt access and validation of that list, reflects a meticulous, detail-oriented approach – a crucial aspect of cultivating a QA mindset.
Your first day at a new job is a mix of excitement and anticipation. The initial welcome, orchestrated by your manager, sets the tone for what I like to dub the "Welcome Onboard New Hire" experience. Typically, this involves meeting your team and colleagues. My onboarding experiences have varied; at Noesis, my QA Manager greeted me in person, introducing me to QA colleagues and the operational/environment team. Interestingly, interactions with the CEO, CFO, or Developers were limited due to the Waterfall Methodology in place at that time.
In a different role, my Test Manager virtually introduced me to the QA and Customer Success teams. On the first day, I received a virtual welcome from the CEO and Director of HR. Unlike the standard email with access details, my onboarding involved scheduling a meeting with HR to receive the laptop, coordinate IT support, set up email and Teams accounts, and ensure seamless integration with the corporate SharePoint. The day concluded with a delightful team welcome lunch, uniting colleagues who were physically present at the office.
The second thing to retain, building a network of contacts, you were introduced to your colleagues, they are the first point of contact, they might or will work with you, and potentially can support you in the first days and the next. I’ve always written down their names and functions, what they do, this seems silly at first, but it will be handy for the next days/weeks, and months.
After stepping into a new role, the initial 3 to 6 months are crucial for gaining proficiency and transitioning into an innovative mindset. Drawing from my experience, let's outline a plan for this period:
First 30/60 Days: Exploring New Horizons
For Junior Roles:
Immerse yourself in key departments, products, and company values.
Dive into existing recordings and training materials.
Execute test cases for small projects with guidance from senior colleagues.
Embrace the art of asking questions, building resilience and persistence.
For Middle-Level Roles:
Review documentation and craft test cases for sprint features.
Ensure clarity in user stories with acceptance criteria.
Explore advanced test techniques like boundary values analysis and exploratory testing.
Prioritize proactive bug reporting using consistent templates.
For Senior Roles:
Delve into product intricacies, team dynamics, and project management.
Leverage documentation and mind maps for effective test case design.
Propose bug reporting templates and consider venturing into automation testing.
Next 30/60 Days: Progression and Independence
For Junior Roles:
Potentially contribute to designing test cases and supporting test execution.
Continue honing skills and actively seek training opportunities.
For Middle-Level Roles:
Embrace greater independence, estimating tasks, and proposing team initiatives.
Explore work beyond the team's immediate focus, understanding diverse ways of working.
For Senior Roles:
Present automation plans to the team and the broader organization.
Engage with stakeholders, emphasizing the importance of shift-left testing.
Showcase positive outcomes, building a reputation beyond the immediate team.
Last 30/60 Days: Mastery and Contribution
For Junior Roles:
Demonstrate a solid grasp of systems, tools, and processes.
Enhance proactive, detail-oriented, and collaboration skills.
Identify training needs and seize opportunities for personal improvement.
For Middle-Level Roles:
Tackle more complex projects and craft a personalized training plan.
Expand your focus beyond the immediate team, evaluating effective work practices.
For Senior Roles:
Understand the broader organizational picture, team connections, and roles.
Propose impactful improvements to the QA team and the company.
Share your expertise through presentations or workshops, contributing to overall team quality.
In conclusion, establishing a QA mindset is an ongoing journey, that emphasizes continuous learning and personal commitment. Much like the DevOps philosophy of continuous delivery, fostering a QA mindset is about establishing a culture of "LearnOps" – continuous learning.
Stay on for the next Chapter on QA mindset - Day-to-day Work.