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Feb 21, 2010 8:49:25 PM Archived Entry: "A Day in the life of a Test Manager"

This represents almost exactly what I did on a typical day at work as a test manager in a large, waterfall based organization that outsources its development work but keeps some of its testing inhouse.

8:52 Arrive and fire up laptop
9:02 Laptop won't start. Give up and go to meeting.
9:18 Leave and go to next meeting (was double-booked 9-9:30).
9:20 Arrive at meeting with tea (mine) and cookies (to share)
9:32 Boss arrives to same meeting (he also was double booked)
9:45 Bored. Do estimated budget for self for the month.
10:58 Adjourned. Back to test to fiddle with laptop. Quick Tweet from phone.
11:09 Computer still won't connect to internet. Reboot.
11:12-20 Chat with colleague re: my first 5 months
11:20 Multitasking! Read and answer email _and_ check blog stats, post a mostly-written review to blog
11:55 Informal conversation with minion regarding Optimost
12:06 Quick check of twitter
12:15 Discussion on "done-ness" of test effort
12:25 Make desperate dash for the bathroom
12:30 Get caught outside bathroom and asked question on resourcing for big project
12:35 Return to desk and answer question about resourcing for different medium project
12:39 Check Yahoo/Gmail
12:43 Lunch. Run vital errands nearby.
1:20 Return to desk and actually eat my burrito (bought while out). Take phone calls.
1:30 Continue eating, but now read email and weekly reports. Reschedule 4 PM meeting.
1:39 Make fresh cup of tea. Discuss project with stink of death about it (Project Voldemort)
1:43 Read test strategy. Nibble on caramel rice cakes.
1:46 Get call from employee that his father is ill and he needs to leave immediately. Make a new cup of tea then return to reading test strategy for Very Big Project.
1:53 Reject test strategy, write brief note explaining why.
1:56 Update to-do list
2:00 Meeting re: contract that needs test hardware. End meeting making bad jokes.
2:25 Read messages on my phone
2:27 Make a list of employees training goals for the next fiscal year
2:30 Discuss problems with test plans not being approved but being marked that I've approved them
2:34 Check blog stats. Read Twitter.
2:41 Call husband and ask him to buy me a slow cooker.
2:50 Take online test on my risk assessment abilities.
3:05 Write emore emails
3:14 Return to team training schedule
3:27 Send email re: project Voldemort
3:39 Schedule meeting for next week
3:50 Start up online chat with friend
3:38 Continue chatting and update document on remediation actions needed to get troubled project out of risk
4:07 Finish updating doc. Continue chatting.
4:09 Call employee re: meeting & chat.
4:12 Block spam comment from blog and chat.
4:13 Fill out weekly timesheet and chat
4:27 Dig in pocket for money for colleague's going-away card and chat
4:31 Tea.
4:37 Actually get tea after getting hijacked on way to hot water.
4:51 Another talk about resourcing
4:55 More talk on Project Voldemort
5:02 Call husband again to ask when he's leaving work
5:10 Call company offering training to confirm start time & location
5:50 finally go home

"Only weak men fear able women" - Marion Boyars