This article gives tips on the right way to approach your test manager when an issue arises involving the test team. Taking the time to plot out the right agenda before you begin communication is the key to a successful outcome.

We create lists to help us prioritize tasks and stay on schedule. Sometimes those lists help us accomplish those tasks faster. Sometimes those lists simply chain us to an archaic way of doing things. Having a "To Do" list is a good thing if you don't let it prevent you from thinking outside the box. In this column, Elisabeth explains why the agenda items that don't make the list can often be some of the most important.

This paper discusses what it takes to assemble the right members to make a successful test team. Examples are given of what to do and what not to do. Want to know how to recruit the right testers for your project? Read on and find out!

A potentially serious impediment to success in software projects is false assumptions. Both yours and everyone else's. If you act on false assumptions as though they're true, such as by assuming you understand exactly what your customers want, you may find yourself faced with flawed software and failed projects. In this column, Karten explores false, conflicting, and hidden assumptions, and how you can "surface" them.