Review By: Rick Craig
09/07/2010This book describes a model and process for business-driven, test process improvement. It is based on the Test Process Improvement (TPI®) model, described in a book of the same name written by Tim Koomen and Maritn Pol in 1999. TPI® Next, like its predecessor TPI®, helps test managers and process engineers: (1) baseline current testing processes and (2) identify logical "next steps" for process improvement.

I have successfully used the original TPI® model for several years and find it to be a useful tool to help measure the maturity of a testing organization and identify candidate process improvement opportunities. I also teach a one day class on the original model and feel that at the end of class, all participants fully understand the model and can use it in their organization without a great deal of further instruction.

There are several things I like better about the new model (TPI® Next) and some that and I don't. Frankly, there are a few things in the book that I didn't understand and had to ask my friend and TPI® expert Ruud Teunissen to explain to me.

The new model focuses on sixteen, business-driven key areas, e.g., stakeholder commitment, test strategy, etc. The old model had twenty key areas, some of which are the same and some different. One of the improvements in the model is the identification of "clusters" which allows an organization to target multiple (but related) process improvement initiatives at the same time rather than the more sequential direction of the original TPI® model. The model itself is clearer and more detailed in the sense that it is now possible to look at the completed model and identify how each checkpoint (question) was addressed.

On the negative side for me, was the entire idea of re-clustering. It would seem that the idea of regrouping process improvement areas together to match a particular environment would be a plus, but the reason I use a model is to get a particular degree of objectivity in the assessment. Also, a conversion table is available to convert assessments done in the original TPI® format to the new TPI® Next format. I found the conversion table and description to be confusing and (in my opinion) of dubious value.

The new TPI® Next book is well laid out and has better graphics and charts than the original book. The English in this text is easier to read than the old TPI® book which I think suffered from a relatively poor translation. It would seem that this book may have been written in English or possibly just had a better translation.

If your testing group is looking for a way to baseline current processes and identify improvement opportunities, then I recommend that you consider TPI® or TPI® Next. If you are already using TPI® and it is working for you, I see no reason to convert to the TPI® Next model. I also think that if you are a leader of small test team (four or five testers), and the focus of your process improvement is limited to your team, the TPI® model will work fine for you. On the other hand, if you are embarking on an enterprise-wide process improvement initiative, the TPI® Next model with its business-driven viewpoint is probably a better choice for you.

TPI® is a registered trademark of Sogeti.