Quotes and stuff from "How Google Tests Software" (Part 2)

This post picks up where the last one left off.

page 10

The on-loan status of testers also facilitates movement of SETs and TEs from project to project, which not only keeps them fresh and engaged, but also ensures that good ideas move rapidly around the company.

New techniques and tools learned while working on one project can sometimes be beneficial on others.

Working on multiple projects with different test needs can also give SETs and TEs a better understanding of common challenges across projects at the company. This understanding can give them insights into what might be worthwhile to build because it might benefit not just the current project, but other projects they have visited in the past which are still active.

It is generally accepted that 18 months on a product is enough for a tester and that after that time, he or she can (but doesn't have to) leave without repercussion to another team.

This quote mentions that the tester is not obligated to leave a project after a generally accepted threshold of 18 months. This places more emphasis on the autonomy of SETs and TEs. 18 months might cut off a 6 month initiative in the middle or there may be emerging needs on the project that have only become apparent after having spent more than a year on it.

Regardless of their reasons, the SETs and TEs are in the best position to understand the testing needs of the project and should have the freedom to identify when their effectiveness has decreased to the point that it falls below their potential effectiveness on other projects.

One can imagine the downside of losing such expertise, but this is balanced by a company full of generalist testers with a wide variety of product and technology familiarity.

So the project may suffer in the short term but the overall health of the company increases by keeping testers engaged and innovating on new projects and bringing innovations to existing projects.