At the last Forum meeting we held a special session at the end of the day to discuss how the Forum should evolve and improve. There were four core topics discussed and four main actions arising from the discussion. This note sets out our proposed way forward on each. We have created three BLOG Posts on the site that provide more detail and background.

1.    Regional TMFs - Action on YOU, the members

Ways of starting up and running regional Forum events were discussed. Essentially, the TMF has been based in Central London since it's inception. Although this suits many people, there are many practitioners who cannot come to the Forum regularly because they are not in commuting distance of London. We've had some offers of help to stage events in the Bristol and Leeds areas, but we want to gauge the demand for regional events in a systematic way - and make some firm plans for regional events.

We have added two new fields to the UKTMF.COM account detail page. We are asking all members of the TMF to update their registration details with their
country and for UK based members, their UK region.

We are also asking for expressions of interest from people who would be prepared to act as a TMF  coordinator for their region. Mail me or use the website contact page.

You can see the full proposal here, complete with instructions for using the website. Please complete your registration if you want a TMF in your area.

2.    Test Manager Mentoring

Quite a few people expressed an interest in being involved in a mentoring scheme for senior practitioners - as a mentor or as a mentee. The blog post
below sets out some further background and we invite you to get in touch with us if you want to be involved. Initially, we envisage that we will run a 'speed dating' session at the January Summit to allow potential mentors/mentees to make contact. We are asking you to provide us with topics that either you wish to be mentored on or where you are prepared to be a mentor.

We expect the topics to be either career-development or technical issue related, but anything goes.

Please let us have your ideas for topics and whether you would like to be involved. Click here to see the fuller explanation.

3.    TMF Ethos and Session Format

At the special session, the consensus was that members really appreciate getting involved in discussions and are keen to avoid the TMF turning into ?just another testing event? and we?re certainly in total support of that

But there were also feelings expressed that we have drifted away from our original vision of focusing on open discussion and moving towards a more conventional presentation format. This has happened gradually over time for several reasons, but we plan to address this problem as a matter of priority.

Click here to see how we aim to refocus sessions on our original objective - to stage interesting, dynamic and informative discussion sessions.

4.    TMF Technical Stream

A concern expressed by some people was that the technical stream that stages sessions on performance, non-functional and more technical aspects of testing is somewhat obscured by our focus on broader 'test management' issues and topics. We decided in the room that we would pay more attention giving the technical stream an independent focus, give it some more attention and exposure on the web site and in mailshots. Susan and I will meet with Gordon McKeown (Facilita) and Michael Blatt (SQS) who manage the technical stream and we'll be working out how to proceed in the next few days. Watch this space.

In the meantime, we'd be delighted to receive any ideas or suggestions to help us to make the Technical Stream more visible and useful. Do
get in touch.

AND FINALLY...

The Fifth Test Management Summit will take place on 25 and 26 January 2011. The formal announcement and booking form is here. Pre-Summit Workshops take place on 25January and the Summit will take place on 26 January. Please note the bookings placed before 4 January 2011 will receive a ?25 discount. From 4th January 2011, the Summit price will be ?100 and the new rate of VAT (20%) will apply. Take advantage and book early!

Thank-you very much for making the TMF the premier testing event for senior practitioners.