Future of Ubuntu QA team in Launchpad

[Sense Hofstede]

2010/1/20 Ara Pulido <ara at ubuntu.com>:
> Hello,
>
> During last Ubuntu QA meeting we discussed the future of the Ubuntu QA
> team in Launchpad [1].
>
> Right now is a moderated team with a high entry barrier, which turned
> out to be a bit useless: no one is really moderating it and it just
> confuses people.
>
> We discussed some possibilities for the team, but we wanted to drop them
> here in the list for discussion. Feel free to vote for any of them, or
> add your own suggestion. The options would be:
>
> a) Keep it as it right now (moderated team, people have to apply).
> b) Open the team to anyone who is interested in QA activities, and then
> redirect them to the Bugsquad or Testing team depending on their
> knowledge and preferences.
>
> During the conversation, we inclined toward B, but we want them to share
> it with the rest before taking any actions.
>
> Thanks,
> Ara.
>
> [1] https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-qa
>
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Hello,

In order to make a good decision I think that the purpose of the
Ubuntu QA team should be clear first. Is it a group that provides
(infrastructural and organisational) support to the testing and bug
traiging (sub)teams, or does it determine the policy and the general
way to go? I know the team mostly from the fact that it hosts several
tools for the testing team and was the team from which Ubuntu
Brainstorm originated.

The role of coordinator for the different QA-related teams like
testing, bug triaging and user feedback is a very valuable one and
it's merits shouldn't get lost. Testing and bug triaging has (or
should have) close bonds and it is nothing more than logical to have a
QA team. However, maybe the QA team could be more visible and
distinctive. Currently it's very vague what to do if you want to join
the QA team and most people who show interest are redirected to two of
the team's subteams: testing and bug squad.

The role of coordinator is of course something that cannot be done by
people without experience in the Ubuntu Community and maybe the team
documentation and the replies to solicitors on the maillist should
reflect this more than they do know. I would say that the preferred
entry point for the QA team would be one of its subteams, unless
you've got valuable experience from elsewhere in the community.

Most importantly the responsibility should be made clear. The QA team
does X of Y, Testing does Z of Y and if you really like working on Y
and want to do X as well you should join the QA team. That would make
it more clear when to join the QA team and when not.

Because of the coordination role I don't think that the team should be
an open team, but instead members of QA subteams could either ask or
be asked to fulfil certain tasks in the QA team whenever there is need
for a new person. This maillist could and should of course still be
used to discuss potential tasks and roles within the QA team, so
anyone with a good story would be admitted as well.

Regards,
-- 
Sense Hofstede
[ˈsɛn.sə ˈɦɔf.steːdə]