Managing the Testing Process: Practical Tools and Techniques for Managing Hardware and Software Testing

Rating:
Summary: Portable version of an outstanding testing resource
Review: The approach and techniques given in this book will get the new test manager and his or her team quickly started with basic techniques for managing testing. The key strengths of this book include:

(1) Instructions for developing test plans, and associated test cases and reports - the material is fairly basic, but complete and consistent with good practices.
(2) An excellent discussion of, and advice for, effective management of a test team, setting priorities and managing budgets.
(3) Practical advice for setting objectives and scope within the testing process.

While this book will give the in-the-trenches test professionals a view of the 'big picture', it's more suited to managers and QA leads who are seeking guidelines for establishing the foundation of a test process, and who want to quickly implement standards for test documentation and a workflow. The book's accompanying web page provides over 50 templates, case studies and tools that can be downloaded and immediately used within your organization. In addition, the website contains a small (but growing) collection of articles, presentations and links that augment the material in this book.

Although there are a handful of other books on test management that are equal to this one, each has strengths and weaknesses - but all provide sound advice and a structured approach to managing the test process. This particular book's strengths include the downloadable documents that will save much time and effort, and the straightforward approach to basic test management. If you are trying to get a basic test process in place you won't go wrong if you select this book.