Agile Testing Days

A distributed mob testing session

 

After I had facilitated a distributed Exploratory Testing workshop, that same client asked me to help them out some more and expand on the topic. I thought it would be a good idea to try out a distributed mob testing session to help them. It would have the added benefit of showing them how effective testing with a group can be. My first experience with mob testing was with Maaret Pyhäjärvi back in October 2016, so I learned from one of the best! I learned a lot by observing how she gave the gave tips and which questions she asked to help the group progress.

In my last post, I mentioned some difficulties with the distributed part of the workshop when it came to doing exercises that the participants had to do alone. I had no way to keep tabs on how they were doing. Therefore, I opted to do everything as a group this time. The workshop was 100% distributed this time, since I did it from the comfort of my own home (the first time I had 2 people physically present with me). Continue reading →

Agile Testing Days 2016: Wrap Up!

It’s a good thing Pete Walen was attending ATD again, because my live blogging efforts weren’t up to par this year. I posted two blogs so far, but they were neither live nor very detailed. It’s just that I didn’t attend a lot of talks this year. It seems that every year I go to less talks. Don’t assume that I do less learning that way! Instead, I spend my time pursuing certain goals. This year my goals were: pairing with someone, getting to know certain people better and explore making new connections. This is what makes the conference valuable and fun to me. So, did all these things happen? Continue reading →

Agile Testing Days 2016, Day 2

In the morning I was having the all too familiar fight with nerves again (every time I am about to give a presentation this happens). I stayed sober the night before, but I had very little sleep. I was already ‘busy’ with my talk in my mind. At breakfast, I struggled with a small egg sandwich again and I just went upstairs and practiced a little. So, no keynotes and other talks for me yet, I wouldn’t hear a thing anyway.

The talk itself went quite alright. I had some technical difficulties. Payed 80 bucks for PollEverywhere and it didn’t even work on dual screen. Yeah, I’m gonna try and get my $$ back. Also, I had tested it on my room and apparently, my session wasn’t closed so the audience saw the last question somehow? It was pretty weird.

Anyway, after the rough start the rest of the talk went smoothly. I had fun and I hope people went away with a little more knowledge and a lot more inspiration. I feel very relaxed now and I’m going to drink a few beers with some people tonight. Cheers, already!

All the information from my talk and resources can be found in Google Drive

During the lunch break we played Eddy’s game Gameception. It’s a really fun game that he designed himself. I’m looking forward to the gaming tonight! Continue reading →

Agile Testing Days 2016, Day 1

Never have I ever….Been hungover before a conference even started. Oops, guilty.

I have never started a conference on such a weird note. I guess I have to tell what happened. The short version is: IF you cannot handle a lot of alcoholic beverages, THEN don’t drink a lot of said alcoholic beverages. Seems easy enough, right. Somehow, this little bit of reasoning was too much for me to comprehend.

It all started on Sunday evening, in the bar. This conference is secretly starting on Sunday evening, when some of the people already arrive. It was so nice to see a lot of people again, hugging all over the place! Meike even brought her dog, Hagrid. Such a beautiful animal. We played board games all evening and had a good time. Continue reading →

Tests are a form of waste?

I was in a meeting where a developer said: “every test is a form of waste”. Coincidentally, this meeting was about how the build was taking too long because the tests were slow, so I can see how the connection was made in the mind of the developer. It must be the tests, right?! What a waste (a waste of what actually? Time, money, effort?). However, I think this is a fallacy and I would like to use this blogpost to explain why.

In my career in IT I have heard remarks from some developers in different shapes and forms about how testing is wasteful: it takes too long (“I have spent 3 hours developing the functionality, now I have to spend 6 hours writing tests, how stupid!”) , it is boring, tests are flaky and besides: after all the effort put into making the tests work there are still bugs! Gosh. Continue reading →