"Freshen Up Your Software Testing Skills"

Transcription

1 T3 Concurrent Session 5/5/2011 9:45 AM "Freshen Up Your Software Testing Skills" Presented by: Selena Delesie Delesie Solutions Brought to you by: 340 Corporate Way, Suite 300, Orange Park, FL

2 Selena Delesie Selena Delesie is a consulting software tester and agile coach who runs her own company, Delesie Solutions. Selena has been managing and coaching on software, testing, and agile practices for a range of leading-edge technologies for about a decade. She facilitates the evolution of good teams and organizations into great ones using individualized and team-based coaching and interactive training experiences. Selena is an active speaker, participant, and leader in numerous industry-related associations and conferences. Links to Selena's published works, blog, and contact information can be found at DelesieSolutions.com.

3 Freshen Up Your Software Testing Skills StarEAST 2011, Orlando Selena Delesie Consulting Software Tester & Agile Coach Delesie Solutions Inc. Last updated February 28, 2011 Copyright (c) 2011, Delesie Solutions Inc. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Canada License. View a copy of this license. Learn New Skills... Why Bother? Copyright (c) 2011, Delesie Solutions Inc. 2

4 "In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists." ~ Eric Hoffer Copyright (c) 2011, Delesie Solutions Inc. 3 Individual Benefits Improve your work quality Add to your toolkit Fuel innovation and creativity Improve your reputation Expand your career Copyright (c) 2011, Delesie Solutions Inc. 4

5 Team Benefits Improve collaboration More cross-training Improve business value of team Increase team reputation Boost morale & retention Copyright (c) 2011, Delesie Solutions Inc. 5 Organizational Benefits Improve product quality Reduce time-to-delivery Improve reputation Happier customers Increase revenue Copyright (c) 2011, Delesie Solutions Inc. 6

6 Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere. ~Chinese Proverb Copyright (c) 2011, Delesie Solutions Inc. 7 What's Holding You Back? Copyright (c) 2011, Delesie Solutions Inc. 8

7 What's Your Learning Style? Visual Learners Auditory Learners Experiential Learners Copyright (c) 2011, Delesie Solutions Inc. 9 Visual Learners Reading Writing Pictures Observations Show me and I'll understand. Copyright (c) 2011, Delesie Solutions Inc. 10

8 Auditory Learners Listening Talking Listening well is as powerful a means of communication and influence as to talk well. ~ John Marshall Copyright (c) 2011, Delesie Solutions Inc. 11 Auditory & Visual Learning Lectures Webcasts Peer Groups Books Blogs Articles Twitter You cannot open a book without learning something. ~ Confucius Copyright (c) 2011, Delesie Solutions Inc. 12

9 Experiential Learners Doing Acting Sensing Feeling A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way. ~Mark Twain Copyright (c) 2011, Delesie Solutions Inc. 13 We learn by example and by direct experience because there are real limits to the adequacy of verbal instruction. ~ Malcolm Gladwell Copyright (c) 2011, Delesie Solutions Inc. 14

10 Experiential Learning Workshops Pairing Hands-on Experiments Not Limited to In-Person Copyright (c) 2011, Delesie Solutions Inc. 15 By learning you will teach, by teaching you will learn. ~ Latin Proverb Copyright (c) 2011, Delesie Solutions Inc. 16

11 Paired Testing Two testers, one machine Forces each tester to explain, and react to, ideas Encourages creativity Cross-training Learn new domains & techniques Copyright (c) 2011, Delesie Solutions Inc. 17 Always walk through life as if you have something new to learn and you will. ~Vernon Howard Copyright (c) 2011, Delesie Solutions Inc. 18

12 Alpha-Beta Testing Have a favourite product? What industry do you want to learn about? Companies need help! Check their websites, or send an Copyright (c) 2011, Delesie Solutions Inc. 19 The world is your school. ~Martin H. Fischer Copyright (c) 2011, Delesie Solutions Inc. 20

13 Open Source Products Lots of open source options Search online Build a reputation Practice techniques Learn new domains & technologies Copyright (c) 2011, Delesie Solutions Inc. 21 Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. ~ Douglas Adams Copyright (c) 2011, Delesie Solutions Inc. 22

14 Online Testing Communities Test different kinds of software Collaborate Foster hope Gain peer recognition Contribute to the community e.g. Weekend Testing, Weeknight Testing e.g. Paid communities (utest, Mob4Hire, Software Testing Club's The Crowd) Copyright (c) 2011, Delesie Solutions Inc. 23 We learn more by looking for the answer to a question and not finding it than we do from learning the answer itself. ~Lloyd Alexander Copyright (c) 2011, Delesie Solutions Inc. 24

15 In-House Testing Workshops Bring someone in to lead one... or set up your own workshop! Focus on different technique / domain each time Try Pairing or Weekend Testing approaches Good for soft skills too Copyright (c) 2011, Delesie Solutions Inc. 25 Learn avidly. Question repeatedly what you have learned. Analyze it carefully. Then put what you have learned into practice intelligently. ~ Edward Cocker Copyright (c) 2011, Delesie Solutions Inc. 26

16 Take Ownership of Your Learning Don't let $ be a barrier Practice on your own time Learn from those around you Create opportunities for the whole team Skills growth helps you, your team, and your company Copyright (c) 2011, Delesie Solutions Inc. 27 Thank you! Contact Selena Delesie selena@delesiesolutions.com Copyright (c) 2011, Delesie Solutions Inc. 28