Challenges and Solutions in Test Staff Relocations within a Software Consultancy Company

Test staff in modern software consultancy companies often has to work in multiple projects that differ not only technically, but also from organizational, management and social aspects. The ease and speed with which staff can adapt to new projects and environments is crucial for the success and profitability of the consultancy company. This paper investigates how management in a Swedish software company can facilitate test staff relocation practices. Consultants in the testing department were interviewed to elicit the differences between testing projects they are involved in and their views on the challenges of and learning needed when relocating between projects. Based on this we present an approach to better support such staff relocations. The approach is based on a knowledge sharing process and the introduction of specific templates to capture testing experience. Initial, static validation in the associated company shows that the approach has merit and should be further evaluated.