Confidential

Rev PA1 2012-01-04 1

Communication Platforms

Efficient Communication to Stakeholders

Introduction

As a tester it is critical to provide the right information to the right stakeholders

Different stakeholders need different information, through different channels

Handling this information flow is an essential part of a testers everyday job

Formalizing how this is done is needed in an enterprise verification organization

Overview

Identify Stakeholders

Identify Information

Content

Identify Information

Channels

Communication Platform

Identify Stakeholders

Every tester must be aware of their stakeholders – who bases decisions on the material the tester generates?

It is important to take the time to really map out which stakeholders are relevant in your context

Examples could be: Project Leaders, Line Managers, Developers, other Testers, and so on

Identify Information Content

When you know your stakeholders the next step is to understand what information they need to make accurate decisions

This could be specific information in the test reports, or what types of KPI and benchmarks are relevant for the stakeholders

Could also be the content of educational material or information sites

Granularity of Information

Just as important as the information content is the granularity with which it is presented

Understanding what level of detail stakeholders need is critical

Otherwise important information will be lost in information overflow, or omitted by mistake

Identify Information Channels

The final step is to understand how the information reaches the stakeholders, and if this setup is optimal both to the stakeholders and the testers

Examples could be: test reports, mails, word of mouth, meetings, wikis, presentations

Communication Platform Attributes

So what attributes are important to consider when setting up a communication platform?

Cost of providing information

Cost of receiving information

Information accurateness

Speed

Attractiveness

Communication Platform Risks

Setup and maintenance

cost of the Communication

Platform

Added gains of having a

formalized Communication

Platform

Conclusion

The right information must reach the right stakeholders through the right channels with the right granularity

In a large enterprise this requires a conscious effort to manage and must be done in a formalized manner

Always beware of the cost of setting up and maintaining this communication platform and compare it to the gains of having it