Introduction: Peter Deng - SDET Consultant 

My colleague Peter, a CompSci graduate recruited through the successful SDET Academy scheme, and I, a long-serving test consultant, wanted to compare and share our experiences with building client relationships. As test consultants, we work closely with clients across many different sectors for weeks, months, or years, adapting to new systems and delivering quality assurance services. We have both learned that delays in connecting with clients can be as impactful to a project's delivery as scope and code changes. 

Peter: “What was it like to be a tester on your project at the beginning of your testing career?” 

One of my first assignments was on a project delivering for a complex infrastructure company formed from multiple legacy acquisitions. I was engaged to test and deliver quality assurance during a digital transformation project. I took over software testing for a specific area, helped develop a tailored quality assurance framework, and ensured that test outputs (scripts, defects, plans, and closure reports) would be useful for future business operations.

Despite initial challenges and concerns stemming from previous IT projects, as well as fears about the implications of new systems, we were determined to build trust and foster collaboration with the teams we worked with.

Two positive insights emerged from this experience. Firstly, by clearly communicating our arrival and the reasons for our testing quality assurance services, we successfully reduced the number of severity 1 live production incidents and improved collaboration with the client. Secondly, fostering a closer partnership between IT and business teams can significantly decrease the frequency and impact of production incidents.

Why do knowledge and relationship building matter? 

When starting any new assignment, gaining domain knowledge quickly is crucial. The rest of the test team and I collaborated closely with our client to understand their change processes, contact points, dependencies, infrastructure, and timescales.

Additionally, we needed insights into local departmental customisations, business practices, process flows, and change control procedures. Access to systems, existing training materials, and understanding the system catalogue and testing environment infrastructure were essential. This information not only informed our test planning activities but also influenced the creation and execution of test scripts to assess code quality and coverage.

We worked with them and the management team to obtain the necessary information to overcome the challenges of time constraints, costs, and the availability of up-to-date training materials. Furthermore, working on a project that was required to deliver a version of software that needed to be supported by multiple operating systems and browser versions added to the complexity of our testing process. 

What helped and what did we learn? 

As time on the project went on, the customer team I was working with started to respond positively to my energy, work ethic, and cheerfulness. The project team also appreciated my ‘can-do’ attitude. I realised that building trust takes time, but personal connections, like sharing birthday treats and anecdotes, helped to break the ice. The client director also recognised the strong work ethic and impartial evaluation skills of me and others on the test team.

With the support of my nFocus team, I was able to support the client in monitoring and measuring change and release controls. We then started to see the positive results of our efforts, with a clear and significant reduction in live incidents after software releases.

Our authentic engagement, integrity, and genuine care for their delivery helped break down barriers. I prioritised input from existing client staff, who had valuable insights into risks, issues, and relationships. Over time, social relationships were built through shared experiences within the client space. Humour played a key role, even down to client staff avoiding making tea for the team. Examples included sharing birthday cakes, charity bake sales, and wild snakes entering the building!

As staff recognised the benefits of collaboration, relationships grew stronger. Supporting colleagues at various events also contributed. Regular customer satisfaction reviews aligned expectations and helped facilitate an exchange of feedback. I learned that relationship building needs professionalism, cooperation, humility, give and take, resilience, and flexibility. 

Jane Kelly: “As someone who has come through the SDET academy, what was your experience like?” 

Starting Off From Zero 

Before I had finished the academy, I was already handpicked by my client and chosen to start at once. This was at the start of 2022, in January. I was onboarded immediately and given the task of testing new software.

Since I had completed my SDET training, I needed to rely on the training and skills I had acquired through the academy less than a month ago, as well as my communication and soft skills, to navigate my day-to-day tasks. I focused on identifying the client’s priority tasks and optimising my time to deliver the best results efficiently. 

I felt a lot of pressure from within myself to show my skills, given that I was one of the first to be picked out of all the graduates, along with being the first cohort. The first impression felt like a duty, not just for me but for my other fellow graduates. At the beginning, it was scary meeting unfamiliar faces, developers of all types and strong impressions but I always maintained my composure in front of the webcam. 

Making Mistakes… 

In the beginning, there were mistakes that I made, and now, looking back with more experience, they seem obvious. For example, I would not know what level of detail I needed to put into the bug report for the developers or the impact on their time if they required more information.

Here is where I learned important lessons like Rich’s tips 4 and 5 (see blog link here) about being honest about your knowledge and expertise. I was fortunate to have a client that understood this was my first assignment in the 'real world'. In response, I asked questions wherever and whenever I needed help, and that support came to me in abundance from all directions. 

The Ice-Breaking Moments... 

The biggest contributor to my acclimatising was an in-person social that my client invited me to. Here I got to meet the faces of those I saw every day remotely, which was a meaningful change. We took turns talking to each other about our interests, sharing anecdotes about ourselves, and exchanging information. By doing this, I felt closer to my colleagues and more relaxed around them. The client really understood the value of team relationships. 

In speaking with my colleagues, I was able to understand the work culture better. I felt their emphasis on values and accountability was important and aligned with mine. These values helped me become a better and more equipped individual to handle situations either at work or in my personal life. 

The Link Between Testing and Client Relationships 

Upon reflection, testing occupies a unique position bridging technical expertise and peer relationships. Whilst developers may occasionally shy away from collaboration though I believe they shouldn’t. Nurturing strong connections benefits testers, clients, business users, and customers alike. The collective efforts of team members validate and enhance confidence throughout the entire project.

If the developers deliver without communication between us testers, the wrong requirements could be built and much fewer defects could appear, which can lead to spiralling delays for the rest of the team. The developers I worked with, on the contrary, were professional, cooperative, but also blindly honest and had ‘gears-forward’ mindsets. It was amazing to see the pace and tenacity to get features out to clients and to us to test.

I truly appreciated their openness in seeking our input as testers. They actively asked questions about defects to gain a deeper understanding. There was zero judgement, if there was confusion in our defect reports. They placed emphasis on getting things done and getting them right. Likewise, with our product owner, she was kind and thoughtful but very willing to ask the important questions.

As testers within a team, our role extends beyond identifying defects. We provide assurance that the tested functionality works, instilling confidence in developers regarding their code. Additionally, our work ensures confidence for product owners when delivering to clients. Collaboration is a key; being cooperative, initiating conversations, and asking questions when necessary, lead to the most productive outcomes in achieving project goals.

Conclusion and Takeaways

Hopefully, now that Peter and I have shared some of our experiences on how we experienced relationship building with our clients and what impact that had, we have shown how with cooperation, team player attitudes, and good relationships, we will save more time and money than you expect.

Fewer delays, faster completion dates, and ultimately, lower delivery costs. Humour, humility, and inclusivity span even the boundaries of sharing cakes. Remember, we are all humans, Peter and I included! Each person has their own unique personality traits, experiences, values and beliefs, motivations, and interpretations. Everyone has skills to bring to the project table. The results are a harmonious set of wins, returns on investment, a high sense of achievement, and better positioning for our client to serve their market! 

Projects inherently come with their fair share of challenges, and it’s essential to minimise any additional barriers created by other factors. Embracing give and take, being open to listening, and offering solutions in earnest can take your delivery to the next level.