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1.7QA Team Maturity Model
| Level | Name | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reactive | No formal QA process. Testing happens ad hoc. Bugs are found in production. No automation. |
| 2 | Defined | Basic test processes exist. Bug tracking is in place. Some test cases are documented. Manual testing is the primary approach. |
| 3 | Managed | Test automation covers critical paths. CI/CD integration exists. Metrics are tracked. QA participates in sprint ceremonies. |
| 4 | Proactive | QA influences requirements and design. Shift-left testing is practiced. Test strategy drives automation investment. Quality is measured and reported. |
| 5 | Preventive | Quality is built into the development process. Developers write tests. QA focuses on coaching, tooling, and strategic testing. Defect prevention outweighs defect detection. |
Moving Up the Maturity Ladder
Each level transition requires different investments:
- 1 to 2: Establish basic processes, hire a dedicated QA person, start tracking bugs systematically
- 2 to 3: Invest in automation, integrate testing into CI/CD, start measuring test effectiveness
- 3 to 4: Move QA upstream (requirements, design), develop test strategy, implement risk-based testing
- 4 to 5: Build quality culture across the organization, shift QA focus from execution to coaching, measure defect prevention