Tags
Software
systems thinking and more
I publish a biweekly newsletter for the QE organization at my company, and I thought I’d start sharing some of what I have there. This edition is about systems thinking, as well as some other stuff. Always With the Learning Konstantinos Konstantakopoulos wrote about systems thinking and automation for the Ministry of Testing. Short read with some good insights.
Jun 2024where I'll be in 2024
I’m going to be at software testing conferences this year! It’s June as I’m writing this, and the first is in eight days, but I guess it’s better late than never! Romanian Testing Conference: June 12-14, Cluj-Napoca, Romania opening keynote - Real Life Is Not an Edge Case PNSQC: Oct 14-16, Portland, Oregon, US invited speaker - Mistakes I Made So You Don’t Have To workshop - Leveraging the Power of AI in Software Testing Testing United: Nov 7-8, Vienna, Austria opening keynote - Artificial Intelligence: the Good, the Bad, and the Bias Agile Testing Days: Nov 19-22, Potsdam, Germany musical - The Owl Problem talk - Mission Possible: Leading as an Individual Contributor I am THRILLED to be at these conferences. I couldn’t have imagined that these doors would open, and I can’t wait to meet people, learn a bunch, and share some of what I think about!
Feb 2017testing trainings - a comparison
In the past month, I’ve done two trainings on software testing: ASTQB’s Mobile Foundations course, and Satisfice’s Rapid Software Testing Applied course. The difference between them was marked. Like the SQE training I reviewed earlier and subsequent ISTQB test for the Certified Tester, Foundation Level, the mobile course was heavy on vocabulary and “best practices” and light on how to do a good job. It gave me things to think about, such as using simulators and emulators to increase coverage and getting cell data on some of our phones so our testing can be more real-life and more, well, mobile. But when it came down to it, a lot of the class was about the differences between web-based, native, and hybrid apps, and the risks involved in testing them. Looking at the risks that are inherent to the different types of apps was useful, but three days of vocabulary became a little wearisome. The test, which I took about a week and a half later, went just fine. It included a decision table, which took me by surprise, but the test wasn’t a big deal with a little bit of careful reading. I don’t have much more to say about the training or the test. I wasn’t planning on doing either, but then a spot was offered to me, so… it was fine. The training that I was really excited about, and that totally lived up to my expectations, was James Bach’s Rapid Software Testing Applied. We tested a vector graphics program called Inkscape, approaching it from some different angles. Each day was a combination of lecture, individual/team work, and review of that work. Some guys from another Utah company invited me to join their team, so I talked with them throughout the day and worked with them on the assignments. We talked about sanity testing, survey testing, risk analysis, coverage, deep testing, testing with tools, and how to report testing. It was a fascinating class, though I did receive criticism, both privately and then publicly the next morning, for some of my bug reports. (I still need to check with my developers to see if they’re annoyed by my reporting.) My ego was a little bruised, but I know he was trying to make me a better tester, and in the end, I appreciated (that might be too strong of a word) the criticism. This training brought out all my insecurities, particularly those surrounding tools, but I was also pleased to have some of my thoughts about testing affirmed. James Bach is something of an icon in software testing, and I really enjoyed learning from him. I’d like to take another RSTA class, as well as his lecture class of Rapid Software Testing. It’s possible I was just way more excited for RSTA, but I felt like I got more out of it as well. I really appreciated my company letting me do these trainings, particularly as they came so close together. I’m hoping to convince them to bring James Bach to Utah - that would just be fantastic.