In traditional software processes, test managers are responsible for all management aspects of their team. Agile, however, is self-directed, so teams handle all the usual duties. Still, there is a role for test managers in agile, and it’s much more strategic than it was before. Here are the opportunities for the role.

Creating environments at work that acknowledge that failures will happen—and supporting the efforts team members make to recover—can help your organization become more effective. You cannot predict every challenge, but by embracing risk and providing opportunities for people to experiment, you can be more productive.

Software testers tend to focus their personal development activities almost exclusively on boosting technical acumen, but social systems are just as important. Infusing tech know-how with social skills, such as communication, adaptability, collaboration, and problem-solving abilities, creates team and project success.