In our busy tech world where AI is making the headlines every single day, almost always there is still a human in the loop. Whilst I am a tester who loves upskilling on AI and who advocates the use of AI in testing, I will be the first to say that real people are the cogs that hold together technology and engineering teams.
In this article, I want to highlight my experiences where real human touch was the keystone of great collaboration and achievement on my teams. I want this article to remind all the testers who are busy exploring AI integrations and AI testing: empathy, not software tools, is the first step to quality relationships and work in the AI era.
Just like the unique earthy smell when it rains, what testers can contribute as humans can bring a fresh and cheerful mindset to the workplace. Like many people who read this article, initially I was excited to explore AI tools, taking part in AI hackathons and case studies as part of technology transformations. But then I realised: we make the most difference when we use our human emotional intelligence.
Put aside your own insecurities and help your colleagues grow
In my role, I move among various product teams where I implement testing processes (both manual and automated) that best suit the nature of the application. On these teams, I draw up a test strategy and help streamline the testing process flow within an Agile environment.
Since I get to work with various operational teams, I sometimes see a lack of support among testers. Testers often get used to working on their own, which can be an asset, but then they can forget the wonders they can accomplish as a team. What's more, today's job market, where many testers are getting laid off or cannot find work easily, lays the foundation for a competitive barrier between testers. What we need instead is a healthy partnership.
To all my fellow testers: bring out the kindness you have within you and be the first to offer support for your colleagues. Here are some ways to get started:
- Create a welcoming environment for someone new to your team. Send them an invite to a get-to-know-you chat instead of waiting to get one from them.
- Volunteer to be an onboarding buddy! Ever get stuck for hours in Docker installation on a new job? Save your new coworker the pain of that and help them out.
- Schedule regular weekly testing catchups to discuss what can be improved in the current process. Focused regular meetings are far better than one-off Slack interactions for this purpose.
- Advocate for quality as a team so your voice is heard. Learn the skill of persuading the team.
- Be the first to show your new colleague around the application and explain it from your point of view. No one can explain an application like a tester does! Exploring the application together will help build a friendly partnership.
- Have a banter and build a bond! Listen actively, smile, and acknowledge your colleague's comments.
Sculpt your people skills by embracing the art of working with neurodivergent colleagues
I am proud that the majority of all the teams I have worked with were neuro-inclusive. However, I have run into a few coworkers who misinterpret neurodivergent colleagues' ways of working and behavior, leading to resentment and conflict.
While many neurodivergent people hide their traits to align with social expectations, the burden should not be entirely on the neurodivergent to "fit in." It is vital for all of us to understand neurodivergent behavior patterns, tweaking our approach by actively soliciting feedback from our neurodivergent colleagues on what is most comfortable for them.
For example, some autistic people are very uncomfortable on camera and prefer to have their video turned off during online meetings. Honor that preference when possible.
These small, everyday adjustments matter, but sometimes we need to make bigger changes to how we design and communicate testing processes on a team.
For example, on many teams I've joined, many teams I've joined, at first there were no formal testing processes followed. When I first encountered this, I would schedule meetings to discuss the issue. But conversation on its own, without something to look at and spur ideas, wasn't enough. This kind of unstructured discussion can be overwhelming and unclear for some people, especially those who prefer information to be laid out logically and in writing.
So then I took a detail-oriented, strategic, and logical path. I would create a document describing the current test process and explain the advantages of an alternative process. I also explained the purpose of the document and attached the Agile testing guardrails defined by my test lead. Team members welcomed the document as a source of truth and an inspiration for testing process ideas. They cheerfully commented on it, and before you know it, we had a workable test process.
Rambling discussions via in-person or online meetings will not always be a good solution. Sometimes we need to alter our approach so that all of our team members can collaborate more easily and confidently. In particular, autistic people often want to see facts laid out clearly in place of a more unstructured chat.
Embracing ways of working that suit our colleagues is using your human intelligence. Let's keep the active use of human intelligence as a core value. It is vital for neurotypical people to embrace and adapt, rather than placing the burden on neurodivergent colleagues. This means changing underlying practices and standardised processes so they are inclusive by default.
Rosie Sherry once explained this to me beautifully to me. Just as ramps are standard for physical disabilities, we can create working practices that ease things for neurodivergent people. Clear instructions help everyone, not just neurodivergent colleagues. Designing this way makes work better for all, just as a ramp benefits many people, not only wheelchair users.
Cultivate a sense of belonging on your team and in your organisation
In all the teams I have worked with, I felt I performed better when I felt like I belonged on the team. When your colleagues encourage you to take initiative, and they welcome your ideas, you feel you belong there. And you're more productive as a result.
Recently, I had a great experience working with a business analyst. She herself was new to the tea,m and the application we work on together is complex. At first she struggled to learn the application in depth. But she took the initiative and enhanced her own learning by explaining the application to someone else: me!
- We scheduled regular catch-ups to go over the application gradually. During these sessions, we used cognitive tools like metaphor and shared thoughts for comprehension.
- We did pair testing sessions where I shared my screen to show how I would test the feature. The business analyst would explain to me the business problem the feature was intended to solve, as well as its functionality
- Together, we discovered various integration points of the application.
- The more time we spent together, the more we became compatible as colleagues.
- We built an organised folder of test case,s which also served as project documentation.
- My business analyst created a Microsoft Whiteboard canvas that grouped the features in scope for the upcoming release, based on various sections of the application. This gave me a holistic view and visual confirmation of the scope of the release. It was far more effective than reviewing, one by one, the 150 product backlog items that were tagged as part of the release.
Not only did I enjoy working with the BA, but it also gave me that sense of belonging on the team. She helped me deliver my best work. And of course, we had a brag list to motivate both of us! No AI integration could ever have given me what working with her brought me.
To wrap up
I hope this article reminds you of how important our human presence as testers is to the quality of the products we work on, and to our colleagues. Everything seems to be on fast-forward, now more so than ever. But it's fruitless to feel insecure about AI replacing us. Nor should the growing use of AI lull us into being negligent about our work relationships. Embrace what you can do with AI, and improve your abilities with it, but always remember that the real magic lies in finding the right balance of human and artificial intelligence.
Be proud of being a software tester. Spread empathy, companionship, trust and emotional intelligence. By cherishing all these core qualities, we can use AI in safety, focusing on the best of what it can bring us.
Let me know your experiences on how you work with your testing colleagues, and share some memories when you made a difference by being a true ally!
I would like to conclude with a potent reminder shared by one of my Agile delivery leads: 'We’ve all got to stick together!'
What do YOU think?
Got comments or thoughts? Share them in the comments box below. If you like, use the ideas below as starting points for reflection and discussion.
- Can you share some good experiences making real connections with your team, in the office or remote?
- Have you or someone you know ever gone an extra mile to support a colleague when they had rough moments at work?
- Which AI tool have you integrated into your test process? Did you feel like it enhanced collaboration, or perhaps it siloed you from the rest of the team?
For more information
- From Having a Mentor to Gaining an Ally, Anne Colder and Vincent Wijnen
- Empathy is the Foundation of Testing, Jenny Bramble and Erin Hess
- Making testing jobs safer for neurodiversity: Manual of Me, Maddy Kilsby-McMurray
