CAST 2013

4 years ago my company reorganized into product units, and my QA manager position became obsolete. The new reality was not comfortable at first, until, some time and practice later I recognized that my test manager/strategist skills are equally important and applicable to the new role of a tester on the multidisciplinary team. That synthesis emerged into a new role of a "peer leader" which I later identified as a new trend -- through conversations with coaches and thought leaders of our industry. Quality Leader skills are in demand now, and, as I foresee, will be in even higher demand in the future.

I firmly believe that an advancement of the testing profession is calling for leaders, fully versed in testing strategies, equipped with the knowledge of psychology and team dynamics, who know how to utilize all available resources to optimize product delivery.  Quality Leaders are motivators and educators who can transform every team member into the quality advocate.

No matter which position you hold now, if you are a member of a team that delivers software products, you will need to advance yourself in order to advance the team to the next level of productivity. To be successful in this endeavor, you have to evaluate your current position and what sets you aside, make an analysis on what the team needs and in what ways you can add most value. We will discuss what's unique about the role that makes it an ideal fit for the context-driven test professional, and what skills are needed to succeed.