Any promising IT-company, sooner or later, faces the need of staff enlargement. This applies to every department, including the testing one, where the test lead manager is assigned for adapting a newcomer to the formed test team. Let´s try to figure out how to speed up the process while avoiding unpleasant moments and saving the team’s efficiency.
Preparation as a way to success
Obviously, one shouldn´t let the process take its course; instead, it´s better to make a detailed plan for a new person in his new company once he enters your office. First, the test lead should analyze the reasons for invitation of new employee, his working responsibilities and his potential advantages (if any) for other team members. And all of this must be kept in mind throughout the whole adaptation process of the greener. Second, remember that any team is a living structure of people united around the common goal to be achieved. The relationship within this structure is often complex and depends on personal qualities, experience and professional talents. Once the newcomer is inside the team, the system of human interaction is getting complicated being either strengthened or having signs of a rift.According to Tuckman model of group development (forming, storming, norming, performing), before the newcomer´s appearance your team is likely has been at performing stage. But afterwards the team returns to a second or even the first stage, since each team member ought to pass collective adaptation once again. So the main task of the test lead now is organizing acquaintance of the freshman with testers and other colleagues while making this process fast and comfortable. At the same time, the test lead is expected to learn the newcomer as much as he could during the probation period. Third, being as the test lead, assign initial tasks for the beginner like:
- improving relations with each team member;
- reviewing the current projects;
- using the testing in practice;
- learning test methods or certifying the existing skills.
In line with these tasks you need to make the action plan as a “roadmap” of adaptation process for you and your “ward”.
Get used quickly
In order to avoid rejection of the freshman by new colleagues, there are simple, but proven tips:
- Tell everyone of hiring a new employee beforehand by holding a small meeting or notifying through emails.
- Ask to support a beginner morally by creating a welcoming environment. Thus, you may reduce unnecessary questions and odd worries while inclining the team to think positively, to initiate communication and express active support.
- Try to arrange common coffee breaks / lunches with colleagues. It will unite the team and informally reveal the newcomer´s character as well as give him a chance of easy acquaintance with the corporate rules and staff behavior.
- Emphasize publicly the achievements of the new employee by doing that softly. For instance, you may underline his punctuality, diligence, attention to documents, perseverance, etc.
Bugs studies
Any specialist has specific assessment criteria for his professionalism and performance. Test engineers have been assigned to identify “bugs” and to hold a competent testing procedure. In order to enable the young specialist with professional career growth, the test lead is supposed to provide him with basic working rules and methods. First of all, familiarize him with your corporate approach for test approval, bugs documenting, and use of specific abbreviations/keywords. From the very beginning you should notice a way the newcomer plans his work, prioritizes tasks and records the bugs. Also a joint discussion of test cases could help on initial stage of adaptation as effective testing is impossible without a competent test suite. If the newcomer fails to find bugs, properly document them or design the test, if he uses its own testing approach, then the test lead is recommended to share his methodology for test management with arguments justifying every proposed action. Once the newbie lacks knowledge of subject area or certain technology, provide him with the necessary web links or literature while emphasizing on his self-learning.
Being always friendly and interactive with the newly employed specialist, even while repeating him the same things several times, you will not only help the beginner to adapt quickly and painlessly, but also preserve the workflow and productivity of your testing department.
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