Consider a traditional project.

New code comes in bits and pieces — the front end is complete, but the API that the front end uses isn’t even on a test server. On the other, there’s a value optimization effort going on.

One tester is struggling with a vital support problem, another is about to receive a new functionality, and the third is absolutely blocked.

This is a typical day in the life of a tech tester. Work arrives in fits and starts, and it’s difficult to plan ahead.

How do we keep testers active when managing the flow of work in test management? Here are a few tips that can help you.

Get rid of blockers

If you’re part of a larger team that commits code at a rate that’s not only a couple of times an hour, but more like a few times a minute, grabbing the most recent code won’t help you much. Your up-to-date world isn’t that up-to-date until it is checked out and going.

In this sort of scenario, having some automatic test management checks running on any build, including on local development systems, can be extremely beneficial. You can easily find places with no coverage and remember to check there for surprises, in addition to seeing where a recent update could have broken something else.

Consider alternatives to the short-term flow

Two heads are normally better than one, and pairing a developer and a tester to work on a function will yield unexpected outcomes.

The goal of flow is to balance out the ups and downs of software development so that you can function at a slow, consistent rate. There are several reasons to focus on flow: perhaps you want to see how much tech you will produce in the next few months, or perhaps you just don’t want to overwork your staff.

Choose a place, smooth it over, and report back to me on how it goes.

Make the most of your “free time”

We testers are mostly working for applications, but there is a lot more we can do, and people who can be supported, because there isn’t any new software to try.

Product managers are professionals at communicating with clients about their needs and translating the information into a roadmap for developers. Begin by eliciting information about who can use the function and what benefit they expect. These inquiries aid in the creation of a better feature.

Support is still working on something time-sensitive. Often it’s a difficult-to-reproduce bug, and other times it’s keeping up to speed on the new version. The call and email records for customer service have always been helpful. You will usually find a bug if five people call for assistance with some part of the product.

Conclusion

Using a test management tool that allows you to quickly reuse tests is one of the easiest ways to boost efficiency.