The dynamic landscape of product development continuously increases the scope of what is demanded from quality engineering (QE) professionals. So, it is not surprising that workplace learning and upskilling are critical to the organizational success, as highlighted by Workplace Learning Report:
Without a doubt, the more technical side of the skill spectrum - e.g. automation, prompting for GenAI, and deep understanding of QE techniques and methodologies - is crucial (especially given the pace of innovations in the space). At the same time, the softer side should not be underestimated since it provides the foundation for successful interactions with technologies and stakeholders. In this article, we will focus on the following 3 skills:
- Fast learning
- Critical thinking
- Clear communication
It may be challenging to figure out how to quickly and effectively improve those, which is what we’ll try to help you with in this article.
Skill improvement tips
In the sections below, we will cover the essential components of each skill and our curated selection of recommendations, learning sources, etc.
A quick note before we dive in: there are quite a few frameworks to help you get started, but applying their “default” versions can only take you so far. If you really want to master these skills, then strive to truly understand what drove the creation of those frameworks and which hybrid approach works best for you.
Fast learning
With the ever-increasing speed of product development progress, QE professionals have to constantly adapt and often switch learning contexts. With other responsibilities not taking a pause, the new knowledge has to be obtained at lightning pace.
The Feynman Technique can be a solid building block in your journey to improve this skill. It is a four-step process to comprehend a topic regardless of the area or complexity.
Step 1 is to write down the concept you want to understand. The key is to focus on something specific, whether it's a subject you're struggling with or simply something you want to master.
For Step 2, try to engage your imagination by visualizing the information you are learning. Create mental diagrams or mind maps that help you identify connections and synthesize complex concepts. Furthermore, consider “embedding” as many of your senses (e.g. sounds, colors, motions) into your mental images as possible to enhance memory encoding.
Step 3 is necessary if you get stuck or do not feel confident in step 2 results. Repeating the review of the exact same source material could still help fill the gaps in your knowledge. But you can also take it a bit further, seek additional sources with a different perspective or in a different format. If you started with the written materials, try attending webinars, listening to podcasts, or watching videos. Depending on the topic, consider hands-on activities (for instance, trialing a variety of products - competitors, complementary/integrated ones, etc.).
For Step 4, actively seeking connections between new information and existing knowledge enables better comprehension and memory formation. You can take inspiration from Sherlock Holmes’ Mind Palace method which implies crafting a story to connect unfamiliar objects in a shared space. Additionally, practice retrieval by regularly testing yourself.
Taking the Feynman technique as the rough template of “what to do”, let’s add a few tips about “how”:
- Leverage the Pomodoro technique - alternate ~45-minute sessions of learning and 10-minute breaks.
- Apply spaced repetition: revisit the information at gradually increasing time intervals to boost long-term retention - review the topic 1-2 days after the initial learning session, then do it again 3-4 days later. You can use flashcards or digital apps with built-in spaced repetition algorithms.
- Consider your psychological/behavioral nuances in developing the learning strategy. For instance, if a one-topic-at-a-time approach does not work, you can try interleaving - studying related concepts or skills in parallel, which can improve your brain's ability to constantly adapt and adjust.
Lastly, a couple of reading recommendations:
- “Learning How to Learn” by Barbara Oakley, PhD
- “Thinking, Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman
- “How We Learn: The Surprising Truth About When, Where, and Why It Happens” by Benedict Carey
- Ministry of Testing newsletters
- Best Exploratory Testing books to add to your list in 2024
Before we move to the next skill, we want to leave you with one more consideration: since the number of topics that feel necessary is increasing constantly, even with the high learning speed, you may need to consider prioritization techniques and to understand what not to learn (at least for now). One of the concepts that could help is called “steps from the core” - if you imagine your current/desired workflow, count how many stages there are between your position (“core”) and where the topic has the largest impact. If the answer is “more than 2”, you may have to leave that topic for later.
Critical thinking
QE professionals leverage advanced critical thinking to dig into root causes and come up with solutions. One example of applying it is developing a comprehensive test plan, taking into account thorough risk analysis (to prioritize testing efforts based on potential impact) and deep understanding of user perspectives.
So, what is this useful skill? It is about objectivity, having an open, inquisitive mind, and drawing your own carefully considered conclusions.
The building block we suggest for this skill is the IDEAL method:
- Identify the issue in a precise manner
- Define the barriers
- Examine your options
- Act based on the findings so far
- Look at the final result and iterate
In order to follow these steps and properly evaluate the coherence of arguments, you will need to keep a couple of tips in mind.
Always cross-reference new information. Thoroughly evaluate its sources - not only their general trustworthiness but also their incentives in your particular situation (e.g. whether they are unbiased).
Diversify thoughts. Consider as many sides of the story as possible and try to build a clear picture of their perspectives. Empathy definitely assists with this, but look for the objective evidence, not hunches or emotions.
Recognize and challenge assumptions. Ask open-ended, probing questions to stimulate ideas and encourage deeper reflection. Repeat them until you get to the bottom of the issue (one round of questions is rarely enough given modern complexity). Particularly for root cause analysis, combining fishbone diagrams with the '5 Whys' technique can be crucial for finding the answers.
Curiosity is a key trait of critical thinkers and it is also a skill that can be improved, force yourself to be inquisitive. This is also a good opportunity to mention the 5 C's of critical thinking which, in addition to Curiosity, include Creativity, Clarity, Coherence, and Commitment.
Minimize judgment. Do not forget that critical thinking relies on keeping an open mind. Turn that curiosity inward as well - question your own biases. Practice playing devil’s advocate even when you are convinced in your point of view.
Look beyond the immediate solution. Thoroughly explore the implications of your ideas and predict not just the primary, but also the secondary outcomes (i.e. evaluate the full breadth of impact). Post-mortem reports are crucial as they help formalize your thinking, pinpoint areas of improvement, and facilitate insights for the next iteration.
To help with your skill improvement journey, organizations like The Foundation for Critical Thinking and The Critical Thinking Consortium, or learning platforms like Udemy and Coursera offer a wide range of resources, including workshops. If it aligns with your career path, preparation for case interviews (e.g. this tool from Deloitte) or an exam like GMAT also helps.
Clear communication
The cross-functional nature of quality engineering demands effective collaboration skills to communicate testing outcomes, raise issues, and promote a quality mindset throughout the development process.
Good news for your communication development - as Clarity is also part of the critical thinking “toolkit”, you will be improving both skills simultaneously. Bad news, though, is that while the 2 previous skills are fairly company-agnostic, communication depends heavily on the expectations of your particular stakeholder group.
Oftentimes, there is no single solution or style to “clear communication” - you will have to speak multiple “internal languages” and be able to quickly switch between them, “translating” for different audiences within the organization. So, the cornerstone step is to identify the stakeholder preferences via formal/informal inquiries. Next, demonstrate that you are not only open to feedback but also capable of acting on it.
Furthermore, evaluating your major communication “deliverables” (e.g. reports, presentations) from the lens of storytelling principles is a useful building block (you can leverage the practice from the Mind Palace technique as well). The two variants of the structured technique you can start with are STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) or BRIEF (Background, Reason, Information, End, Follow-up). In the action/reason section, make sure your evidence representation is thorough, consistent, and compelling.
A few extra tips to consider:
- Successful communication is not just clear but also concise. Find a way to not drown your audience in details, avoid filler words and overly elaborate analogies/anecdotes. Recognize the verbiage and tone appropriate for each use case (research report vs test execution report vs feature feedback). For some of the more universal writing principles, you can also check out this book collection.
- Modern visual approaches to reporting often go beyond “simple” pie or bar charts. It may be worth incorporating data visualization tools to create interactive dashboards, heat maps, fishbone diagrams, etc.
- Preparing speech notes and reading your material aloud can better identify issues with both content and delivery. Consider recording yourself (the file could also be shared for feedback as an alternative to dry runs).
- Your critical thinking training comes in handy again as asking open-ended questions (as either the presenter or the audience) reinforces another part of your communication toolkit - active listening skills.
- Attending a couple communication skills workshops can be worthwhile to quickly expose yourself to the breadth of styles. Improvisation or role-play classes can also be considered, although in many instances your project-related communication would be less spontaneous.
Transform knowledge into action
The space of product development and quality engineering is ever-evolving, so fostering continuous curiosity and learning at the organizational level is vital. Modern QE professionals have to masterfully juggle a constantly increasing mix of technical and soft skills in order to formulate and execute effective test strategies. Improving your learning pace, critical thinking, and communication can propel your chances of driving high customer satisfaction by delivering products of top-notch quality.
Feel free to check our other blog posts and an extensive knowledge base for information about different aspects of quality engineering and specifically test management.
Let’s keep pushing the limits of quality engineering together.
