Inspiring Testers

Stephen Blower

Test Bash 2014

@badbud65Sheffield Test Gathering Organiser

Boredom

can be an

Inspiring State

of

Mind

My Journey

from a

Factory Schooled Tester

to a

Context Driven Tester

Feature: How to stop being bored and

underutilised

In order to not get bored

As a tester

I want to do something interesting and

worthwhile with my time at work

Scenario: Stop being bored

Given I’m bored

And doing the same thing day in day out

When outside of work

Then I’m going to look for a new job

I Know how to Test to Realising I Know Little

Anyone can Test to Testing Requires Skill

Test Scripts to Check Lists to Exploration

Estimation to Guesstimation to Negotiation

Automated Testing to Automated Checking

ISTQB to BBST and RST

What are some of the challenges facing software testers

James Bach, Software Testing Naturalist

How Do I Inspire Others?

Basically: Do as I say, not what I Do

Whisky Priest

Integrity

With Oneself and Others

When in Rome, do as the Romans do

Pragmatism

Use Facts not Assumptions

FACTS are objective, observable, and verifiable

ASSUMPTIONS refer to things we believe to be true, but may not be

Use Oracles

Stephen Blower:

“Oracles are powerful heuristics used during testing

that can help us determine if a thing is a problem or

not.”Work In Progress

Michael Bolton:

“An oracle is a heuristic principle or mechanism by

which we recognize a problem.”

Positivity & Solutions

Stop Moaning and Complaining

and do Something About it

Paired Testing

Two Minds are Better Than One

Trust

Without Trust You’re

Doomed to Failure

Praise

Praise where praise is due

not where expected

Testing Games

Take up Challenges and

Dare to Fail

Questions?

He must be very ignorant for he answers every question he is asked

- Voltaire -