By: Stan Lee Itzcoatl.
Have you ever worked in a place where QA and Development hated eachother? Maybe it wasn’t even that bad. Maybe the two groups simply stayed away from one another. I’ve witnessed these types of environments in companies and not only is it a bit sad, but it can also seriously damage the work the team as a whole can produce.
Luckily for me I’ve worked on some pretty awesome software engineering teams. I’ve worked on teams where there is hardly any division between QA and Development. These teams were usually a lot of fun and you bet your money they were also the most productive.
Here are 3 simple signs that your Development and QA groups will do awesome work together:
1) They go out to lunch together.
Yes, it sounds simple and silly, but it is so true. This simple act of going out to eat together represents respect and a good relationship. In an indirect way the groups are telling eachother “hey, we are one team and we like to hang out together”. It doesn’t mean that these groups have to always go out, but if you see them taking lunches together once in a while on their own it is a great sign.
2) They joke around together.
In unhealthy environments you will see the old school approach of Dev and QA targeting mean humor at eachother. This usually happens when the other group is not around. In the best environments I’ve worked in both teams focus their humor on life’s little things and on cool current events. This is what folks that have a good relationship do.
3) They share knowledge and ask eachother for help.
This one really speaks for itself. I’ve seen developers and test engineers openly share knowledge and go to each other for help in the best software groups I’ve been a part of. There is no stigma that if you go to the “other side” you are somehow breaking a hidden rule. Communication is open and just plain awesome in these types of groups.
Stanitz LLC is a world-class software consulting firm specializing in creating websites, building mobile applications, technical SEO and software quality assurance testing. Adopting the most cutting edge approaches and continuously innovating is what drives the culture at Stanitz LLC. Contact Stanitz today.
