Software testers require people-oriented skills to survive what can
often be a lose-lose relationship with developers and managers.
Surviving the Top Ten Challenges of Software Testing goes beyond the
technical skillsets required for effective testing to address the
political realities that can't be solved by technical knowledge alone.

Authors
Perry and Rice compile a "top ten" list of the challenges faced by
testers and offer tactics for success. The challenges illustrate the
way testing fits into the context of software development and how
testers can manage expectations and improve communication with
managers, developers, and customers. The text features a
self-assessment for testing skills and an action plan for improving the
testing process.

Topics include training, acquiring management
support, obtaining tools, communicating with customers, managing
changing requirements, marketing the importance of testing, testing
what's thrown over the wall, controlling the scope of testing, teaching
developers to test, and handling the delicate situation of reporting
defects.

The Top Ten People Challenges Facing Testers

Challenge #10: Getting Trained in Testing
Challenge #9: Building Relationships with Developers
Challenge #8: Testing Without Tools
Challenge #7: Explaining Testing to Managers
Challenge #6: Communicating with Customers -- And Users
Challenge #5: Making Time for Testing
Challenge #4: Testing What's Thrown Over the Wall
Challenge #3: Hitting a Moving Target
Challenge #2: Fighting a Lose-Lose Situation
Challenge #1: Having to Say No