Test engineer

You can:

• explain why it's important to communicate technical concepts in non-technical language
• explain the types of communication that can be used with internal and external stakeholders, and their impact

You can:

• contribute to deciding the most appropriate test types and techniques to use
• follow guidance to design, build and maintain simple tests that align to user needs and requirements
• execute simple tests with support
• explain the value of automation within testing

You can:

• explain how to report and track defects
• follow a defect management process to report, communicate and maintain defects with appropriate information
• retest and escalate defects when needed

You can:

• describe quality characteristics and explain why they are important
• analyse information, such as user stories, prototypes, processes and designs, with support
• explain what might be a risk in achieving quality goals

You can:

• explain the value of quality testing approaches, plans and strategies
• explain how different delivery methodologies affect quality testing approaches, plans and strategies
• follow quality testing approaches, plans and strategies, with support
• explain how to measure the effectiveness of quality testing approaches, plans and strategies, and why it’s important

You can:

• explain why testing processes, environments and tools are important
• follow test engineering practices and standards, with support
• support the maintenance of automated tests and tools required for testing

You can:

• communicate effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders
• support and host discussions within a multidisciplinary team, with potentially difficult dynamics
• be an advocate for the team externally
• manage differing stakeholder perspectives

You can:

• set up suitable environments with some support
• select appropriate test types and techniques with some support
• design, build, maintain and execute tests that align to user needs and requirements
• conduct exploratory testing
• research and try new test types and techniques

You can:

• collaborate with others to create a defect management process to report, communicate and resolve defects, with support
• critically assess dependencies, defects and risks, with support
• contribute to mitigation and contingency plans
• clearly communicate risks and the impact of defects to stakeholders

You can:

• work with stakeholders to determine which functional and non-functional quality characteristics add value
• determine what to test following an agreed approach
• identify and advocate for test needs, such as data, access and environments, with support
• analyse information to identify risks

You can:

• create or adapt quality testing approaches based on risk, with some support
• follow a quality testing strategy and contribute to its development
• contribute to continuous improvement of quality testing approaches, plans and strategies

You can:

• use test engineering frameworks and tools to support testing activities
• follow test engineering practices and standards, such as source control and continuous integration, continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines
• integrate and execute tests to ensure early testing and continuous feedback
• create and maintain automated tests, with some support
• write and review coded solutions, with some support

You can:

• listen to and interpret the needs of technical and non-technical stakeholders, and manage their expectations
• manage active and reactive communication
• support or host difficult discussions within the team or with diverse senior stakeholders

You can:

• set up suitable environments
• influence and guide the use of appropriate test types and techniques to mitigate risk early
• lead others in designing, building, maintaining and executing tests that align to user needs and requirements
• contribute to developing and implementing standards for designing and executing tests
• improve test types and techniques through a structured process.

You can:

• contribute to developing standards for defect management processes
• manage and escalate dependencies, defects and risks across teams
• contribute to mitigation and contingency plans across teams
• use defect patterns and trends to make recommendations on testing and quality approaches, with support
• manage stakeholder expectations and communications during defect resolution

You can:

• lead work with stakeholders across teams to determine which functional and non-functional quality characteristics add value
• determine if an approach needs to change based on effort and risk
• ensure test needs are implemented early
• use multiple techniques to analyse complex information to identify risks
• coach others in test analysis

You can:

• work with teams to develop and implement appropriate quality testing approaches, plans and strategies
• contribute to organisational quality testing strategies
• implement ways to capture data to drive continuous improvement of quality testing approaches, plans and strategies
• advocate for full team ownership of quality testing activities, encouraging early engagement

You can:

• develop, standardise and extend reusable frameworks and tools to support a range of testing activities
• guide and coach others in creating and maintaining comprehensive and reliable tests that meet standards
• research and prepare for future testing needs, including tools, methodologies and techniques
• maintain and adapt continuous integration, continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines

You can:

• mediate between people and strengthen relationships, adopting the appropriate communication method with stakeholders at all levels
• manage stakeholder expectations and moderate difficult discussions about high risk and complex topics, even within constrained timescales
• speak on behalf of, and represent the community to, large audiences inside and outside the organisation

You can:

• set standards and influence organisational decisions for test types, techniques, design and execution
• coach others in test types, techniques, design and execution
• advocate for continuous improvement and refinement of test types and techniques
• make strategic decisions on new or improved test types and techniques used in your area

You can:

• lead and coach others in improving test and defect management processes
• support others in assessing complex and challenging defects across the organisation
• lead and coach others in using defect patterns and trends to make tactical and strategic recommendations
• influence improvements to quality processes, informed by defect patterns and trends

You can:

• lead and guide multiple teams in test analysis, ensuring it is implemented early in the life cycle
• advocate for risk-based analysis to drive improvements across many teams
• set standards and principles for test analysis across the organisation

You can:

• create and manage multiple quality testing plans, approaches and strategies
• lead and guide multiple teams in adopting quality testing strategy
• advocate for early quality testing involvement in organisational delivery processes
• guide teams across an organisation in optimising quality testing approaches, plans and strategies by using appropriate data

You can:

• establish and lead test engineering practices, standards and behaviours
• influence and guide test engineering technology and tool choices across the organisation
• advocate for the adoption and use of appropriate testing solutions, ensuring alignment with organisational goals and quality objectives

Test analysis

Communicating between the technical and non-technical

Designing and executing tests

Managing, reporting and resolving defects

Test and quality planning

Test engineering

Test analysis

Communicating between the technical and non-technical

Designing and executing tests

Managing, reporting and resolving defects

Test and quality planning

Test engineering

Communicating between the technical and non-technical

Communicating between the technical and non-technical

Communicating between the technical and non-technical