Releasing any kind of software product on the market requires a fair amount of testing throughout its entire lifecycle.
The problem is that as technology improves, you might need to upgrade your toolkit with new test management tools.
If you were used to a different system before, making the switch can bring some new challenges and delays of its own.
In this article, you will learn how to train your QA teams to use a new test management tool, reducing delays and confusion along the way.
Assess Current Skills
When training your team to use test management tools, very often, there is no need to start from scratch.
In fact, many of the features of the old tool should also be present in the new one.
You must assess their current skills and knowledge levels so that you may identify potential gaps.
This way, you can create a learning plan that takes as few resources and wastes as little time as possible.
Familiarize Them with the Tool
The next step is to help them become familiar with the tool. Offer them a crash course on the functionalities of the new tool and how it aligns with your specific goals.
Tell them what new features they can use in comparison to the old software testing tools, and so on. The more familiar they will be with the program, the more confident they should be in taking full advantage of it.
Focus on the Why’s
Progressing with new tools is something that every company wants and needs to do at some point.
The issue is that not every employee might take kindly to this change and may still try to use the other tool when you are not looking. Rather than just giving them the “hows” of working with the new tool, give them the whys instead.
Tell them why you chose to upgrade to the new program and what limitations of the old test case management tool it covers. This should make it much easier for them to learn.
Set Up Hands-On Practice
While it may be tempting to make them read the instruction book repeatedly until they learn it, you might want to set up some hands-on practice opportunities. Most people prefer this option, as it gives them the perfect opportunity to learn.
Consider using generative AI to create different pieces of software and scenarios where they can put the program to the test.
It doesn’t have to be a perfectly written scenario, as the point here is to use the test management tools to find bugs.
Bottom Line
Training your QA teams on new test case management tools might not be the easiest thing to do, especially if you’ve worked with the old one for quite some time. Having said that, this does not mean it’s not possible.
Focus on making them understand why this new tool is better and how it can improve productivity. Once they get the hang of the things that make it different, the rest should fall back on instinct.
