Test Process Improvement Asking the BIG questions? Graham Thomas SOFTTEST Belfast, Dublin, Galway 30 th Nov – 2 nd Dec 2011

Photo: R. Marselis 20112

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. 3© Graham Thomas 2011

“To find fault is easy; to do better may be difficult” Plutarch (c.46 AD – c.120 AD ) Greek / Roman - historian, biographer, essayist What did they know 2000 years ago that we don’t know now? 4

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 5© Graham Thomas 2011

Necker Cube © Graham Thomas 20116

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 ! © Graham Thomas 20117

8 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 © Graham Thomas

What?  You have Quality Centre... What more can you want?  Tools, Process, Metrics, Investment, Training... To start with  Specific improvement measures, e.g. JAN Capability Level One Two Three Four Five Processes P1.1 P1.2 P1.3 P1.4 P1.5 P1.6 P1.7 P1.8 P1.9 P1.10 CapabilityAssessment 11© Graham Thomas 2011 JAN Processes Strategy Approach Planning Execution Reporting Closure People AA AB CD CH FT JT SR SS ST TH FEB Processes Strategy Approach Planning Execution Reporting Closure People AA AB CD CH FT JT SR SS ST TH MAR Processes Strategy Approach Planning Execution Reporting Closure People AA AB CD CH FT JT SR SS ST TH APR Processes Strategy Approach Planning Execution Reporting Closure People AA AB CD CH FT JT SR SS ST TH MAY Processes Strategy Approach Planning Execution Reporting Closure People AA AB CD CH FT JT SR SS ST TH JUN Processes Strategy Approach Planning Execution Reporting Closure People AA AB CD CH FT JT SR SS ST TH JUL Processes Strategy Approach Planning Execution Reporting Closure People AA AB CD CH FT JT SR SS ST TH AUG Processes Strategy Approach Planning Execution Reporting Closure People AA AB CD CH FT JT SR SS ST TH

 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 & ProcessPeople  Skills Training Tools Processes Capability (Techniques)  Knowledge Domain Context  Development Conferences Seminars  Give Back Program Internally Externally © Graham Thomas

But what improvement is right for me? © Graham Thomas

Where ? © Graham Thomas 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 ! © Graham Thomas

When ? © Graham Thomas 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 ? © Graham Thomas

Who ? “You must be the change you wish to see in the world” Mahatma Ghandi (1869 – 1948) An Agent of Change LLeadership SSkilled & Experienced UUnderstand the process of change UUnderstand and deal with how people are affected by change 18© Graham Thomas 2011

19 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 problems Or 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 © Graham Thomas

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! © Graham Thomas ManualAutomaticRoadRailLaptopNetbook 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 ! © Graham Thomas The time to be scared is before you enter the cage!

Contact Details Graham Thomas Independent Software Testing Consultant  @GrahamNThomas  © Graham Thomas 2011