This blog was written by Caroline Smith, University of Provar Course Designer at Provar.
The new year has arrived, and with it comes the opportunity to reflect on our work at Provar from the past year. As we look out on all its potential, let’s take it in with a moment to pause and set some resolutions to make this one the best.
Be curious
Information in the quality landscape and the wider world is immense and ever-changing. Research shows that 85% of the jobs that will exist in 2030 were not around in 2020. As you evolve, stay committed to your professional learning to level up your skills. There are endless resources to help you with this, including blogs, books, online courses, Slack channels, and much more.
If you are unsure of where to start, check out our recent blog post with testing podcast recommendations, or head to the University of Provar, where our mission is to educate, empower, and elevate! UP can meet you wherever you are on your quality journey with courses on test automation, DevOps, and much more.
Be intentional
When making decisions, be sure you are clear about the purpose of the work you do and reflect on your “why.” In your quality journey, this might be what to document, what to automate, or just what to test. Testing for testing’s sake can lead to a lot of work with little value. Likewise, running endless automated tests doesn’t guarantee that you are getting the most from your work.
Instead, use a risk assessment or an impact analysis to gather data and get a clear direction for your efforts. Once you have the clarity to steer toward your most meaningful work, try reassessing your working habits. It might feel like there is always more work than time, so stay aligned with your priorities by focusing on the work that is important, not just the work that’s urgent.
Be collaborative
We know that quality is everyone’s responsibility, so consider your role in building a collaborative culture on your team. While this might seem like quite the undertaking, you can drive progress with small steps. For example, help others understand and connect to your work by increasing the visibility of it. Or, encourage open communication across your team with both finding solutions and asking questions. These incremental changes can add up in the long run, and in the meantime, the perception of working together can enhance your own performance.
Be you
By “be you,” I mean the most important thing to know is your context, which includes your industry, your users, your team, and your own strengths. Leverage this knowledge to optimize your testing with your own uniqueness, and then implement the tools or methodologies that enhance rather than eclipse it. If you look around and see lessons learned from others’ successes, take them with the goal of adaptation, not replication. Best practices become even better when considered through the lens of your specific context.
Let’s go!
While we can’t predict where we will be at the end of 2023, we can resolve to make the most of it now. How are you planning, prioritizing, and finding purpose with your work in the new year? We would love to hear from you!
Want to learn more about Provar solutions? Schedule a demo with our team to see how Provar can help you achieve your quality goals.
