Solving difficult situation
A testing manager wrote to me: “I work on a project that has many defects but only have one week before the delivery dateline. The project manager reports to the owner and customers that the software is “good” and ready to deliver. I know that the software cannot be released because it would take several weeks for developers to fix defects. If customers find out that the software has defects, testers will be blamed for it. As the testing manager, it is my job to provide accurate information to the company owner so he can make the right decision. I am afraid that it will make the project manager and a lot of people unhappy. Please help.”
Answer: It seems that you want to report the true state of the project but afraid that it will make some people unhappy. First, it will make the project manager looks bad. It may cause him to lose face with company owner for his false report. It will make the customers angry because the project will be delay for few weeks. It will make the company owner unhappy for something that he did not expect and is forced to solve. Of course, you do not want to damage your credibility as testing manager in the company.
This is a difficult situation because what you want to say is what many people do not want to hear so it is no longer a technical issue but an organizational issue. You cannot predict what other people do but with careful preparation you can deliver a difficult message to get a favorable response. The question is who should you talk to first? I suggest that you raise your concern to the project manager because you work for him. It is possible that he did not know that the project has so many defects? If he dismisses your concerns, you need to think about where you could go next. Think about what will happen if the owner gets the bad news. Do you think the company owner is a person of integrity? or maybe he would dismiss your concern then later blame somebody for not doing a good job; in this case it is you? Should you deliver the message alone or include testers and developers? Do you have anyone who may support you in this situation?
If you want to go to the owner, you need to pick an appropriate time for the owner to hear your message. You must schedule the meeting accordingly. You must prepare carefully of what you are going to say. Make sure that your information is accurate with details. Bring any supporting material with you and do not go beyond facts that you can prove. If you must state an opinion, be clear that it is your opinion.
A busy company owner may give you five to fifteen minutes. You must make sure that you can give your message within this time limit with just enough details but not too much. You must have all the details in place when you meet with him in case he ask for them. You must only mention the fact about your concern but also be prepared if the owner becomes angry. Can you remain calm? Can you manage your own reactions?
Following is my advice: The message should NEVER be an accusation or about someone's fault. The message should be “I need your advice to solve a problem. My intention is to deliver a quality product to customers”. The owner cannot be angry when someone is asking him for advice rather than forcing him to make a difficult decision. You should organize your message like this: “The problem is we still have many defects that need to be fixed but we only have one week. In my opinion, if I have three more weeks I can fixed all defects but we already told customer that we will deliver the product by next week. I believe the possible solution is to discuss with the customer on a change in schedule by let them know our situation as we want to deliver a quality product to them. I need your guidance in helping me making the best decision possible.”
You do not need to go into more detail (Unless you are asked). You do not accuse anyone since you are asking for his advice but you also propose a logical solution (More time to remove defects). You support his company's reputation because you want to deliver a quality product to customers (Who can be angry with a statement like that?). If you are the owner of the company, you probably like to have managers who can think about solutions and ask for permission to solve problems rather than someone just present a problem and ask you to solve for them. This solution will not make the project manager be angry with you because the final decision is still with the company owner.
Sources
- Blogs of Prof. John Vu, Carnegie Mellon University
