The role of Test Manager vs. the role of Tester.

Senuri Samindi
3 min readSep 12, 2021

In the basics of testing there are two roles as test managers and testers. The activities and tasks performed by these two roles depends on the below points,

  • Project context
  • Product context
  • Skills of the person
  • The organization

Test Manager

The test manager is in charge of the entire test process as well as successful direction of the test operations. A professional test manager, as well as a project manager, development manager, or quality assurance manager, can execute the test management function. Several test teams may report to a test manager, test coach, or test coordinator in larger projects or companies, with each team led by a test leader or lead tester.

Tasks of the Test Managers

  • Develop or review an organization’s test policy and approach: Consider the context when planning the test activities, as well as the test objectives and hazards. Selecting test methodologies, calculating test time, effort, and cost, acquiring resources, creating test levels and test cycles, and defect management are all examples of this.
  • Create and maintain a test plan
  • Work with project managers, product owners, and others to coordinate the test plan.
  • Consider testing in the context of other project tasks, such as integration planning.
  • Start the analysis, design, implementation, and execution of tests, track test progress and results, and check the status of exit criteria or the definition of done and test completion activities.
  • Based on the information gathered, prepare and submit test progress reports and test summary reports.
  • Adapt planning depending on test findings and progress which is sometimes documented in test progress reports and/or test summary reports for previous testing that has already been conducted on the project, and take any test control measures that are required.
  • Assist with the setup of a defect management system and proper testware configuration management.
  • Introduce appropriate metrics for tracking test progress and assessing the testing and product quality.
  • Support the test process by recommending a budget for tool selection (and maybe purchase and/or assistance), dedicating time and effort for pilot projects, and providing ongoing support in the tool’s use.
  • Make a decision regarding how the test environment will be implemented.
  • Within the organization, promote and advocate for testers, the test team, and the test profession.
  • Build testers’ abilities and careers through training plans, performance evaluations, coaching, etc.

Tester

Testers are specialists in these professions may work on test analysis, test design, specialized test types, or test automation. Different persons may take on the role of tester at different test levels depending on the risks associated with the product and project, as well as the software development lifecycle model chosen. The role of a tester is frequently performed by developers at the component testing and component integration testing levels, for example. Business analysts, subject matter experts, and users frequently serve as testers at the acceptance test level.The role of a tester is frequently performed by operations and systems administration professionals at the operational acceptance test level.

Tasks of the Testers

  • Review and contributed to test plans.
  • determine the testability of tests by analyzing, reviewing, and evaluating requirements, user stories, and acceptance criteria, specifications, and models (i.e., the test basis)
  • Identify and document test conditions, as well as test case, test condition, and test base traceability.
  • Create, configure, and test test environments, frequently in collaboration with system administration and network management.
  • Create and execute test cases and processes.
  • Prepare and collect data for the test.
  • Make a clear schedule for testing.
  • Execute tests, analyze the results, and keep track of any deviations from the predicted outcomes.
  • To make the testing process easier, use the right tools.
  • As needed, automate tests. For this tasks may be need the support by a developer or a test automation expert.
  • Non-functional aspects such as performance efficiency, dependability, usability, security, interoperability, and portability should all be considered.
  • Examine tests created by others.

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Senuri Samindi

I am an unrelenting person who has marshaled all the knowledge, skills and abilities to win over audacious goals by constantly honing latent abilities.