1. Chunking

2. What is it?
Chunking (psychology), a short-term memory mechanism and techniques to exploit it
Chunking (writing), a method of splitting content into short, easily scannable elements, especially for web audiences
Chunking (computing), a memory allocation or message transmission procedure in computer programming
Pumpkin chunking, the activity of hurling pumpkins
The Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two: Some Limits on our Capacity for Processing Information
George A. Miller (1956)
The paper discusses the breaking up information into ‘chunks’ and the use of recoding to aid in memory storage and recall

3. Why use Chunking
A Means of breaking down things into manageable ‘chunks’
Simplifies elements into easier to understand parts
Easier to interpret and remember the detail
Aids concentration and focus on key parts
Helps in understanding of related items

4. Why use Chunking
By breaking things down into chunks we can group processes or functionality
Helps in organisation and management of created artefacts
Aids in identification of potential duplication
Aids in identification of potential items for re-use
Helps to differentiate between certain potential activities

5. Putting it into action A starting point
Test scripts based upon scenarios, use cases/stories
Multiple individual scripts for variances within flows
Each individual script covered an appreciable amount of the same process/functionality
Large overhead in maintenance should something change within the user case/story
Test team struggling to keep on top of workload for new items let alone existing items
Usual time constraints compounded the issues

6. Navigates to Printer Settings Modifies Printer Settings
User Logs in
Navigates to Printer Settings
Modifies Printer Settings
Navigates to Document Creation
Selects Document Template
Prints Document
Verifies Print out is as expected

7. Navigates to Printer Settings Modifies Printer Settings
User Logs in
Navigates to Printer Settings
Modifies Printer Settings
Navigates to Document Creation
Selects Document Template
Prints Document
Verifies Print out is as expected
User Logs in
Navigates to Printer Settings
Modifies Printer Settings
Navigates to Document Creation
Selects Document Template
Prints Document
Verifies Print out is as expected
User Logs in
Navigates to Printer Settings
Modifies Printer Settings
Navigates to Document Creation
Selects Document Template
Prints Document
Verifies Print out is as expected
User Logs in
Navigates to Printer Settings
Modifies Printer Settings
Navigates to Document Creation
Selects Document Template
Prints Document
Verifies Print out is as expected

8. Chunking it up
Split out the test scripts into scripts dedicated to functional chunks
In doing so it allows us to concentrate on each chunk as a distinct piece
Create sets of tests around a chunk
In doing so areas of existing duplication were identified and mitigated
Generic usage scripts identified and created for re-use
Impact assessment for change control easier to quantify
Create a library of reference scripts that can be used over and over by multiple other scripts
Reduces maintenance overheads should something change for the distinct areas
Allows a more flexible approach as scripts can be cherry picked and grouped to meet particular needs for a scenario or use case flow
Identifies inter relationships between tests

9. Navigates to Printer Settings Modifies Printer Settings
User Logs in
Navigates to Printer Settings
Modifies Printer Settings
Navigates to Document Creation
Selects Document Template
Prints Document
Verifies Print out is as expected

10. Modifies Printer Settings Navigation Scripts Document handling scripts
Login Scripts
Navigation Scripts
Modifies Printer Settings
Navigation Scripts
Document handling scripts
Verifies Print out is as expected

11. Impact within the team
Completely changed the philosophy within the team
Increased focus on smaller pieces of work
More time to devote to new tests
Less overheads on maintenance
Increased test coverage with regards to depth of functionality tested
Team able to react to changes in a more timely fashion
Beneficial side effects
Greater understanding of the intricacies involved within the software under test
Appreciation for the bigger picture with regards to related areas, config and hardware considerations
Exposed holes in communication paths within the team and other teams
Team become more flexible to the different needs of customer business units

12. Thoughts and considerations
Can be applied across multiple levels of test activities
Helps identify relationships between areas of test and the different type of test activity required
Creation of common library of tests introduces its own challenges and maintenance issues
Data Driven testing utilised to maximise script re-use
Tool utilisation can drastically effect the implementation

13. Q&A