PA 3.2 – Test Training Program – SG 1 – Establish an organisational test training capability

A training capability, which supports the organisation’s test roles, is established and maintained.

Introduction

It should be noted that the training plans do not cater for specific technical or project level training requirements but rather strategic training needs (for example, ISTQB Foundation Course in Software Testing). However, there should be evidence that project training needs are considered.

Specific Practices

SP 1.1 Identify the strategic test training needs

To develop the capabilities and maturity of testing within an organisation, it is necessary to ensure that, along with other disciplines, training needs of test resources have been identified, planned for and that the organisation has publicised the training availability. This may be linked to the test job descriptions and should be part of the wider organisational training strategy.

SP 1.2 Align the organisational and project test training needs

SP 1.3 Establish an organisational test training plan

SP 1.4 Establish test training capability

This Specific Goal also looks to have demonstrated that the organisation has undertaken all the preparation to ensure the training is available as required and all elements have been developed or sourced to ensure the training capability is ready.

Deployment notes

• Are the organisation test training requirements aligned with business and project needs and agreed with stakeholders?
• To support the organisational training needs, is there a test training plan defined and agreed with all stakeholders?
• Has the organisation ensured all required elements are in place to implement the test training plan (training materials, tutors, external courses identified, training facilities – such as rooms available)?

Example Sub-practices and work products

Specific Practice 1.1 – Identify the strategic test training needs

Establish and maintain the strategic test training needs of the organisation.

Typical work products –

• Training needs
• Assessment analysis

Sub-practices

• Analyse the organisation’s strategic business objectives, test policy and strategy and (test) process improvement plan to identify current and potential future test training needs
• Periodically assess the test skill set of the people involved in testing
• Document the strategic test training needs of the organisation
• Map the test training needs to the test functions (including test career paths) and test roles of the organisation
• Revise the organisation’s strategic test training needs as necessary.