Risk management and testing
Rethinking Risk: Why QA Needs a Seat at the Table
Risk aversion is at the core of what we do in QA. Our job is to identify risks early and help teams navigate or mitigate them before they become showstoppers.
The Reality of Risk in Projects
Every project kicks off with risk assessments—discussing everything from organizational impact to customer experience, financial implications, and ROI. Risks are flagged, decisions are made, and everyone feels prepared. But then, somewhere along the way, the project hits a snag: a bottleneck, a missing piece, or a full-on halt. Suddenly, everything’s in jeopardy.
Why does this happen so often, even with all that upfront risk planning? In my experience, these issues usually surface right before or during testing:
- The environment isn’t ready.
- Test data is incomplete or missing.
- Partners aren’t prepared to test.
These aren’t new risks; they’re often identified early on. The real problem? No one listens until it’s too late.
The Communication Gap
Too many times, I’ve had tough conversations with senior leaders about why things went sideways. It almost always comes down to this: risks were flagged but not properly acknowledged, or it was too late to act when the issues finally got attention.
What Needs to Change?
The status quo isn’t working. Senior leadership doesn’t need every detail, but they do need to appreciate that there are real potholes on the road ahead—and trust QA to help them navigate.
Quality Assurance is about preventing issues before they happen. Risks to testing should always be part of the project’s risk assessment, not an afterthought. The assumption that testing will be straightforward once development is done is a myth—and when things go off the rails, anxiety sets in. QA’s role is to prepare leadership for these moments, not just react to them.
Beyond Risk Identification: Mitigation and Treatment
Spotting risks is just the first step. What’s needed are two solid plans:
- Mitigation Plan: What can we do to prevent this risk from materializing? This is about foresight and proactive action.
- Treatment Plan: If the risk does occur, what’s our plan B? Too often, organizations skip this step and default to blaming individuals instead of seeking solutions.
A good treatment plan quiets the blame game and focuses everyone on the path to resolution. It doesn’t mean planning for every possible scenario—just the most likely ones, with a high-level approach for the unexpected.
Making Risk Management a Team Sport
QA should lead the way in risk treatment, but it works best when everyone—especially stakeholders—is involved early and often. This collaborative approach helps avoid the big potholes or, at the very least, ensures you’ve got what you need to climb out quickly and keep moving forward.
Bottom line: Risk management isn’t just about identifying problems; it’s about planning for them, communicating clearly, and working together to keep projects on track. Let QA help you see the road ahead and navigate it with confidence.
"I help create ecosystems that become legacies.”
- Jeremy Berriault
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