oredev 2014 knjohnson-tester love developer

Karen N. Johnson

TESTER LOVE DEVELOPER Oredev 2014

Want tighter collaboration and better working rapport between testers and

developers? Enough of the antagonistic images and comments of the tester and

developer relationship, sure testers find code issues and point out the flaws of

developer’s work but testers are also “helpmates” to developers. Karen identifies

seven specific areas to build collaboration during development and testing of a

product. She also explains how having an empathic approach can improve a tester/

developer relationship.

About this talk …

Oredev - Tester Love Developer © Karen N. Johnson 2014

•  Software Test Consultant •  Published Author (Beautiful Testing) •  Co-founder of WREST: Workshop on Regulated Software Testing •  Website: www.karennicolejohnson.com or www.karennjohnson.com •  Twitter: @karennjohnson

Karen N. Johnson


Bringing empathy to the tester/developer relationship


Of all the people on a team, it is the tester and developer that have

the most unique relationship. Why? Because testers often have to

mentally walk down the same path as developers (in order to test)

and so, we can gain the most empathy for what work someone else on

the team must accomplish. And we can help.

The tester/developer relationship


Why empathy?


“Emphasizing is “a key skill for the practice of any

helping relationship” asserts E. A. Vastyan, a

medical educator at Pennsylvania State University.”

Source: Root-Bernstein “Sparks of Genius.”

How to develop empathy


When testers work with software developers, UI/UX

designers or product owners we begin to understand the

concerns and needs of the other people on our team. In

addition to getting answers we need for our own work, we

can empathize with the challenges each person faces.

this map may have

been built to think

through a customer’s

view but the same

map can be used to

think through other

relationships

Empathy in action


Following are seven specific opportunities in which

a tester can help a developer.

Resolve design gaps Offer to resolve missing information. When information is missing, volunteer to research.

Oredev - Tester Love Developer © Karen N. Johnson 2014 1

“Expressing requirements in different formats can help you find missing requirements.” Sourcehttp://businessanalystlearnings.com/blog/2013/10/23/how-to-discover-missing-requirements

Sometimes it is not until development that the details of design are realized as missing or not understood.

Resolve design gaps


Offer to share test equipment – from BYOD to the test lab.

Share the gear


As testers we often have a test lab and/or test

equipment that others on the team do not have. Share

your equipment so developers have access.

Share the gear


Offer to pair test.

Test together


1. More powerful pair testing @CAST 2013 - Rachel Carson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoWmfldDOs8

2. Better Story Testing through Dev-Tester Pairing – Abby Fichtner

http://www.slideshare.net/HackerChick/better-story-testing-through-devtester-pairing?qid=859c6262-f863-4b4c-878c-66eb7df0f6c0&v=qf1&b=&from_search=6

3. Sherlock Holmes and Pairing @Romanian Testing Conference 2014 - Adi Bolboaca

http://www.slideshare.net/adibolb/sherlock-holmesandpairing-adibolboaca?qid=43361e9d-e407-4c2c-90cd-1511179075d4&v=qf1&b=&from_search=5

Pair testing resources


Test ahead, test to learn and share what you learn.

Test “what if” scenarios, boundary & error conditions


In recent years, we (as an industry) have focused on pair

testing but at times, there is an advantage in working solo

as a tester to be the person who can test early, test ahead

and discover what happens when a user … We can work

with developers by working alone and ahead to discover.

Test ahead, test to learn and share what you learn.


Offer to review auxiliary bits of code: HTML, SQL, stored procedures, etc.

Review auxiliary code


Code is typically reviewed but there are often times

“auxiliary” code that may escape typical review. As

testers we can offer to review SQL, HTML, stored

procedures, triggers and more. Ask. Offer.

Review auxiliary code


Offer to build sets of data to help test both positive and negative conditions.

Build test data sets


Both you and the developer may be aware of the data as well

as the environment setup needed to test a feature in both positive

and negative approaches. You could volunteer to build test data

sets and/or the needed test environment.

Build test data sets


Share your test ideas throughout the development process.

Share test ideas


There are many opportunities to share test ideas. There are

also many opportunities to offer encouragement and

empathy to developers and to other people on the team.

Using an empathetic ear you can find opportunities for

both.

Share test ideas


Working with developers across distances


Without the convenience of working in the same office,

it is harder to be empathetic. It takes more effort to

be a helpmate from a distance. The awareness of

needing to try harder is a good start.

Working with developers across distances


Email: [email protected] Twitter: @karennjohnson

Karen N. Johnson


oredev 2014 knjohnson-tester love developer

Technology

karennjohnson karen

software developers

pair test

test lab andor test

software test consultant

helping relationship

sure testers

unique relationship