Training is an integral part of the Appmatics corporate culture. In this article we describe how we found a solution for us that successfully combines theory, practice and experience.
In current management literature, a lot is written about knowledge transfer, employee motivation through further training and employee retention through targeted promotion. Some say: employee training is necessary to develop a common culture and a uniform level of knowledge. Others say: Too much training not only makes it difficult to find a work routine, but also reduces identification with the employer.
At Appmatics, we take a middle course when it comes to training new or already trained employees. Training is particularly important in the testing industry because testing is a job that requires a lot of precision, thoroughness and communication. For test managers, certification from the International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB) is recommended. The problem with this is that it involves hundreds of pages of theoretical content and ultimately a lot has to be learned by heart. Practical relevance is different. In addition to certificates, our test managers also have a lot of practical experience gained through actual testing of apps, websites and IoT products.
Training & Mentoring
We try to bring these Appmatics experiences to our new testers in targeted training sessions. Those who start with us receive various training courses in the first few weeks, which last between 30 and 45 minutes. The experienced test managers lead these courses and incorporate any feedback or problems that have not yet been considered directly into the next lesson. For these first five to six days at Appmatics, there is also a mentoring programme. This means that in addition to the theoretical work, a new employee is assigned an "old hand" throughout the day who can directly help with any practical questions and explain the correct procedure. In this way, we link theoretical learning directly to practice. We have noticed that this approach is well received by our teams and visibly leads to faster success.
The three basics
The aim of our training is to achieve our own quality standards. To achieve this, training courses cover three areas:
- The test plan: In this training, testers learn to read, understand and follow a test plan. The main focus here is on certain procedures and terminology as well as on conveying a procedural understanding of testing.
- Explorative testing: Explorative testing is a supplement to a fixed test plan and means a free and intuitive exploration of software. To ensure that not too much time is lost in the free exploration of software and that usable test results are produced at the same time, we train our employees to think through their procedure logically and to document it.
- The ticket: A particular challenge is to write tickets for the developers in such a way that they understand what the issue is with a quick glance and can reproduce the error.
Beyond the basics
After all the training has been carried out, it is of course checked whether the level of training has been achieved. For this, there is also a mentor who not only provides advice and support, but can also check the quality of the work and the level of knowledge of the trainees. The leading testers, who lead the test runs and act as mentors, are also trained by us, but less in new technical developments than in the development of soft and team skills.
Training for more success
Tester can be a very strenuous job, because many factors and details have to be taken into account. Intensive induction is therefore essential - training and mentoring are two of the most important building blocks for us, along with practical experience. It has been our experience that our new employees accept the training well and that the results after training are better than before. Our trainings are an integral part of the Appmatics corporate culture and we are proud to have established a functioning system for this.
