I am currently leading IT Project which:
- binds key resources nearly from all departments
- is in center of attention (Mgmt Board in SteCo, senior mgmt as BO)
- turned out to have a symbolic meaning (we discuss PM rules on the level of this Project with assumption that similar should applied to all other Projects)
What are the Questions?
1) Which role should prepare Test Cases and
2) Which role should prepare User Manual
By Business Team it is believed that the role of IT Business Analyst should be further utilized. As of today BA collects all Requirements, writes User Stories and so the expectation is the he prepares as well Test Cases and User Manual.
My understanding is that both Test Cases and Manual should be prepared by Business, if needed with some support by IT BA.
Please let me know your thoughts, Saving Changes...
Business analysts manage the high level business requirements. IT decomposes those into product level requirement and develops functionality to support the user community. The user community needs to validate that the provided SW can effectively execute the business requirements while performing their necessary functions. Saving Changes...
Stéphane ParentSelf Employed / Semi-retired| Leader MakerPrince Edward Island, Canada
Have you noticed that in some Agile approaches, like Scrum, there are only three different roles? There is the Scrum Master, the Product Owner, then there are the Developers. Have you noticed there are no business analsysts, no testers, no technical writers part of the team?
That's because the understanding is that tasks are numerous and meant to be handled by any and all Developers. Don't get trapped in tasks belonging to a specific role.
In my current team, the coders develop and run the tests. Part of the reason is because there is a level of technical detail required which the business analysts don't have. Most technically-inclined persons are happy to learn a new skill. Why not leveragge that? I remember enticing a technical writer to try business analysis. He was keen and, thus, interested. Saving Changes...
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
I totally agree with Keith and Stephane. It is a collaborative task that should be developed in coordination and collaboration with the whole team otherwise you might end up with a a User Manual and Test Case that do not satisfy all requirements. Saving Changes...
For test cases, it depends on the type of testing being done. Unit test cases might be produced by developers whereas User Acceptance Test cases are normally produced by end users (with support as needed from BAs or QA analysts). If you move to a cross-functional model with generalizing specialists, the lines might blur.
For a user manual, it could be a representative from the end user community, but a Technical Writer is also a common role which does this given their skill set.
Kiron Saving Changes...
Khai Ng.IT PMO | IT Project Manager| TTGROUPHanoi, Viet Nam
That depends on the type of tests. IT BA should be responsible for Functionality Test Cases, Developer should be responsible for Unit Test Cases , Security Team members should be responsible for Security Test Cases...
For User Manual, IT BA is a good candidate for it. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Business Analyst is in charge of it. At least is accountable for it. Why? Because this role has to assure that "what you get is what you need". Saving Changes...
Lukasz, In addition to the above points, I recommend developing a testing strategy (part of a test plan) to understand the overall targets, approach, tools, and timing of testing activities.
The suggestion of the components in a testing strategy document (but the approach, of course, depends on various factors) is as follows: 01. Overview 02. Scope 03. Quality Objectives 04. Timeline 05. Assumptions 06. Testing Team Structure (Governance Structure) - e.g., Overall Testing Lead, Testing Phase Leads, Testers, Overall Defect Managers, etc.; their roles and responsibilities 07. Testing RACI - I guess it could help you answer your question; who is responsible, accountable, etc., for particular work packages & deliverables 08. Testing Lifecycle (Testing Phases) 09. Testing Types and Details - e.g., Unit Test, Functional Integration Test, Regression Test, etc. 10. Testing Environments 11. Testing Tools 12. Requirements Traceability 13. Release Management 14. Risk Analysis 15. Security & Control 16. Review & Approval Saving Changes...
I agree with Kiron. Test cases should be defined by developers, business, and QA analysts, taking into consideration the criteria of end users (through polls or special interviews). And user manual can be created by a technical writer, in collaboration with all technical team. Saving Changes...
Anton OosthuizenSenior Business Analyst / Project Manager| Self EmployedPretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
As Keith said, it is a collaborative effort. Who owns it? Normally it would depend on the size of the project. Larger project typically have the budget for trainers, testers, writers etc. while smaller project not. Then it falls on the BA to train, test, document but it should always be a collaberation. Also, writing a user manual is not something that everybody can do because it is not just about putting words down on a paper, it is about doing it in a way that anybody can understand. That is easier said than done. For complex systems is is always better (adds more value) to get a proper writer to write user and training manuals. We are not all Hemmingway.
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1 reply by Stéphane Parent
Feb 20, 2023 12:35 PM
Stéphane Parent
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"“As a writer, you should not judge, you should understand.”"
-- E. Hemmingway
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