test process improvement asking the big questions? graham thomas softtest belfast, dublin, galway 30...
TRANSCRIPT
Test Process Improvement
Asking the BIG questions?
Graham ThomasSOFTTESTBelfast, Dublin, Galway30th Nov – 2nd Dec 2011
Photo: R. Marselis 2011 2
Abstract
We all need to improve the testing process, but very few people actually answer the BIG questions, such as:
Why? Is it just to save money, or do it quicker?
How? Do we follow an accepted method – TPI, TMMi? What change methodologies are there that we can use?
What? Is it just automating test execution. What about planning, preparation, measurement and metrics, etc.?
Where and When? So where in our organisations, large and small, do we do this, and when is the best time?
And Who? Is this just a testing team initiative? Do we need help? Who else is involved?
It is easy to ask the BIG questions but what we really want to know are the BIG answers! This session will work through these questions to draw useful conclusions from the group’s collective experience.
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“To find fault is easy; to do better may be difficult”
Plutarch (c.46AD – c.120AD)Greek / Roman - historian, biographer, essayist
What did they know 2000 years ago that we don’t know now?
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Why ?
To save money To do testing quicker (take less time)
More Efficient More Effective Achieve Best organisational benefit Speed to Market
Improve our skills And our market value
More satisfying More rewarding
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Necker Cube
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Necker Cube
So what did you see ?
Up and down ?
Left to Right ?
Switched from one to the other ?
When did the switch happen ?
It is a simple 4 frame animation.
There is no switch !
It is all in your brain !
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Perspective:- The view will be different depending upon where you stand
How ?
TPI and TMMi Central Improvement team
Change Program
Change Models Kübler-Ross Gartner Hype Cycle There are others . . . William Bridges ,
Virginia Satir, Strickland
Continuous improvement vs. Capability Levels
Where does it end?9© Graham Thomas 2011
How to Implement
There are 3 Basic Types of Implementation Approach
Incremental
Step Change
Thin Threads
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What?
You have Quality Centre . . . What more can you want?
Tools, Process, Metrics, Investment, Training . . . To start with
Specific improvement measures, e.g.
Capability Assessment11© Graham Thomas 2011
Test Automation Load & Performance Test Code Quality Debuggers Sniffers / Scanners Analysers Process and Performance Monitors Data Generators Data Fuzzers. . . Test Process Management
Defects Test Cases Traceability
Shopping List
Tools & Process People Skills Training
Tools Processes Capability (Techniques)
Knowledge Domain Context
Development Conferences Seminars
Give Back Program Internally Externally
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But what improvement is right for me?
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Where ?
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Mercator Projection Gall-Peters Projection
Where:- Central Improvement Team
(Centre of Excellence) Top Down – Imposition Team by Team Everywhere
Where you can have greatest effect With the team effecting the change With your; Testers, Business Users
and Developers
Avoid Head Office The Management Floor Your desk – Do you even need one?
Everything you do will be in the public eye
Where ?
Wherever you need to be
Go to them, don’t ask them to come to you
It is only be meeting people that you will: See their body language Share their problems Begin to see things from their perspective Help them quickly and more easily
And they will be able to: Share in your enthusiasm Understand your passion Begin to share your mind-set Be influenced by you !
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When ?
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Doomsday Clock – 11:54pm
When thinking about timing you also need to know your approach Big Bang timing is critical Incremental timing no so much Thin Threads can be timed for best chance of success
Quick wins maintain momentum Select projects that want to change Start small and build big
Communicate, communicate, communicate Regularly Publicise your successes Be open about your failures Use measures to show benefits
When ?
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Who ?
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world”
Mahatma Ghandi (1869 – 1948)
An Agent of Change
Leadership
Skilled & Experienced
Understand the process of change
Understand and deal with how people are affected by change
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Q: How many change managers does it take to change a light bulb?
A: Just One. But, the light bulb has got to want to change !
Some thoughts to Ponder So you have improved Testing, but where do you
stop?
There is an argument that Change Programs should never end
But you run out of budget You reach a point of diminishing returns You run out of time
What you are doing now is Good Enough
Or worse still, you either realise:- Improving Testing will actually make things worse
because of all of the other problemsOr It would make sense in the first place to fix;
Requirements, Analysis, Development, and maybe Project & Program Management, before Testing Change will be really effective
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Lessons Learnt Don’t forget to change the people as well as
the processes Change can be difficult and painful Just because people say they want to
change doesn’t mean they do There are many ways to avoid change Change is often uncomfortable We look back fondly on the old ways,
remembering them as better than they actually were!
Understand your capacity for change and don’t exceed it
Remember it is often the case that the processes you are changing were designed and built by the people you are changing!
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Manual Automatic
Road Rail
Laptop Netbook
Electric ?
WAH ?
Tablet ?
My personal change journey
Conclusion
Understand how others see the world and the change they are faced with
Remember your Context is Everything
The time to start is NOW !
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The time to be scared is before you enter the cage!
Contact Details
Graham Thomas
Independent SoftwareTesting Consultant
[email protected]@GrahamNThomas
+44 7973 387 853 www.badgerscroft.com
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