Introduction
Becoming a QA Lead isn’t just about having more years of experience—it requires a shift in mindset, responsibilities, and influence. Many testers assume that once they master manual and automation testing, leadership will follow naturally. However, moving from execution-focused testing to a strategic leadership role means adapting to new challenges that go beyond technical skills.
In this post, we’ll break down the realities of transitioning from QA Tester to QA Lead, the skills that separate successful leads from ineffective ones, and the practical steps you need to take to level up your career.
1. The QA Lead Role: What’s Different?
A QA Lead doesn’t just test software—they build teams, define processes, and influence decision-making. While individual testers focus on finding and reporting bugs, QA Leads must:
✅ Define Test Strategies – Determine how, when, and what should be tested.
✅ Prioritize & Allocate Work – Ensure the team focuses on the right areas.
✅ Mentor & Coach Testers – Help junior and mid-level testers grow.
✅ Collaborate with Developers & PMs – Align testing with project goals.
✅ Advocate for Quality at the Business Level – Not just within the testing team.
Key Shift: A QA Tester executes test cases. A QA Lead builds and optimizes the testing approach.
A QA Lead is like a hybrid role between QA, Project Manager, and Scrum Master. While still rooted in a QA-first mentality, the focus expands to the bigger picture. Unlike testers who are often locked into specific features, sprint work, and backlog management, QA Leads must oversee the entire QA workflow, ensuring efficiency and alignment with business objectives. I had the pleasure of working as a hybrid QA lead and PM and this article states what I did : How to Successfully Balance Your QA and PM Responsibilities for Optimal Project Management
The Mistake Many Testers Make: Some testers believe that becoming a lead means doing less hands-on work—but great QA Leads still get their hands dirty. The key difference is that you spend more time guiding and enabling the team rather than just executing tasks yourself.
2. The Core Skills You Need to Move Up
2.1 Beyond Technical Skills: The Leadership Mindset
Your technical skills got you this far, but leadership demands a shift in focus:
🔹 Decision-Making – Instead of just executing tests, you must decide how testing is structured and prioritized.
🔹 Communication & Influence – You must advocate for quality, push back on unrealistic deadlines, and communicate testing needs to stakeholders who may not understand QA.
🔹 Process Optimization – Teams follow your lead in structuring test strategies, automation plans, and defect management workflows.
🔹 Understanding Agile & Scrum – If your team follows Scrum, take the initiative to understand how tickets are created and prioritized. Integrate yourself into backlog grooming sessions and collaborate with the Scrum Master to align QA efforts with sprint goals. Most teams appreciate proactive testers who can help streamline ticket creation.
I excel in communicating my thoughts on my test replies on tickets. I make it a point to list details on how and why a particular feature got that verdict. My customer service background helps me empathize with both the user and the team. In a remote team, a Slack message can sometimes feel like a reprimand, especially when failing a feature. By explaining test results clearly and constructively, I ensure that feedback is productive rather than demotivating.
I collaborate with developers through huddles so that suggestions feel like a discussion rather than a demand. As an introvert, I used to be afraid of speaking up, but this also gave me the focus to test accurately. Over time, I learned to voice out critical needs during sprint meetings—whether it’s requesting more test deadlines, highlighting critical bugs that need immediate attention, or advocating for quality improvements. I also started working closely with the design team, PM, and PO, ensuring that quality is part of every stage of development.
Interestingly, my laziness actually made me a better QA. I always look for ways to make my job easier, which means raising issues early, pushing for fixes in planning sessions, and ensuring problems get addressed before they become bigger hurdles. My laziness also helped me define Acceptance Criteria (AC) instead of guessing the scope of testing. Before investigating an issue, I check the AC first. If it falls within the AC, it’s a pass or fail based on the criteria. If it’s out of scope, it gets logged as a bug ticket. This systematic approach prevents unnecessary back-and-forth discussions and ensures clarity for both QA and development teams.
2.2 Managing a Team: Not Just Doing More Work
A common mistake testers make when transitioning to lead roles is thinking they need to handle all the work themselves. In reality, the best QA Leads enable their teams by:
- Delegating Wisely – Distribute work effectively based on team strengths.
- Building Ownership – Encourage testers to think beyond test execution and contribute to strategy discussions.
- Providing Continuous Feedback – Foster growth by guiding team members through constructive, actionable feedback.
- Bridging QA with Other Roles – Partnering with developers, Scrum Masters, and product managers can help reduce silos and improve overall team efficiency. If your team has a Scrum Master, learn from them. Understanding how tasks are structured in Agile workflows makes QA integration smoother and more impactful.
Pro Tip: Leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about guiding the team to find the best solutions together.
3. Common Pitfalls to Avoid as a New QA Lead
Transitioning to leadership comes with common challenges that can derail even the most skilled testers. Here’s what to watch out for:
3.1 Over-Reliance on Technical Skills
Many testers believe that being the best technical expert will make them a great QA Lead. Wrong. While technical expertise is valuable, your ability to lead, communicate, and strategize is far more important.
I also initially thought that being a QA Lead meant needing 20 years of experience across all fields—but it’s not about knowing everything. It’s about having the right skills for the job:
- Communication – Clearly conveying testing insights and working cross-functionally.
- Agile & Scrum Knowledge – Understanding workflows to integrate QA seamlessly.
- Team Collaboration & Dynamics – Knowing how to work effectively with different personalities and skill levels.
- Personal Connection (Without Being a Yes-Man) – Balancing support with constructive feedback.
- Strict Yet Flexible Leadership – Learning when to enforce standards and when to adapt to changing project needs.
- Handling Criticism & Retrospectives – Using sprint retrospectives to reflect on what worked, what failed, and tailoring strategies based on the sprint’s flow.
Solution: Balance technical skills with team management, communication, and process improvement.
Conclusion
Transitioning from QA Tester to QA Lead is not about years of experience alone—it’s about developing leadership, communication, and strategic thinking skills. Successful QA Leads enable their teams, optimize testing processes, and advocate for quality beyond just testing execution.
By focusing on mentorship, decision-making, and process improvement, you can make the shift into leadership without falling into common pitfalls. You may also want to read up on how to shift your mindset, this powerful article can help : How to Cultivate a Growth Mindset for Personal and Professional Success