1. www.sequentus.com ©2006 Sequentus LLC 1 Improving Test Groups a Dime at a Time Bob O’Brien Sequentus April 20, 2006

2. www.sequentus.com 2©2006 Sequentus LLC Management Response to Ideas?

3. www.sequentus.com 3©2006 Sequentus LLC Agenda Challenges of birthing a Software Test group Challenges of birthing a Software Test group Small changes that led to larger changes Small changes that led to larger changes What worked and what didn’t What worked and what didn’t What you can do What you can do How to get better How to get better

4. www.sequentus.com 4©2006 Sequentus LLC Testing is an extremely creative and intellectually challenging task. The creativity required in testing a large program exceeds the creativity required in designing that program.

5. www.sequentus.com 5©2006 Sequentus LLC One Project – No Processes Project in the ditch and burning No plan of attack Formal processes of any kind lacking Extremely unhappy end user No test group or test plan Minimal project plan

6. www.sequentus.com 6©2006 Sequentus LLC This is not the story of a project recovery but the birth of testing in the organization.

7. www.sequentus.com 7©2006 Sequentus LLC First Formal Testing – 1996 No management interest in better testing No management interest in better testing Didn’t have time Didn’t have time Too many projects Too many projects Not convinced of value Not convinced of value DOA DOA

8. www.sequentus.com 8©2006 Sequentus LLC Successful Test Group – 2002 Established best practices Start to finish project involvement Multiple successful projects Sought after test team members Two certified testers Successful implementation of automated test tool

9. www.sequentus.com 9©2006 Sequentus LLC What Took So Long? Very, very small steps Very, very small steps Education Education Low perceived value Low perceived value Many road blocks Many road blocks Changing priorities Changing priorities Changing jobs Changing jobs

10. www.sequentus.com 10©2006 Sequentus LLC What Achieved Success? Persistence Hard work by many people Persistence Many, many small changes Persistence Belief in a vision Persistence No one ever told me to stop

11. www.sequentus.com 11©2006 Sequentus LLC Where Do You Start?

12. www.sequentus.com 12©2006 Sequentus LLC Start with Any of These Testing techniques Testing techniques Standards Standards Workflow diagrams Workflow diagrams Use Cases Use Cases Formal test cases Formal test cases Status reports Status reports Timed testing Formal test plans Analytical reports Requirements testing Automated testing

13. www.sequentus.com 13©2006 Sequentus LLC Plan Your Strategy What modest changes do you want to make? What modest changes do you want to make? Develop elevator speech Develop elevator speech “I discovered this technique and it saved $300…” “I discovered this technique and it saved $300…” “I used this new technique with a customer and boy were they happy about...” “I used this new technique with a customer and boy were they happy about...” Find allies Find allies Concentrate where you have influence or control Concentrate where you have influence or control

14. www.sequentus.com 14©2006 Sequentus LLC Never make anyone else look bad!

15. www.sequentus.com 15©2006 Sequentus LLC T.A.U.N.T. Tell how you do it Tell how you do it Advise about the results Advise about the results Understand their concerns Understand their concerns Never forget company needs Never forget company needs Try again later when idea is rejected Try again later when idea is rejected

16. www.sequentus.com 16©2006 Sequentus LLC Testing Techniques K.I.S.S. K.I.S.S. Equivalent class Equivalent class Boundary value Boundary value Start with small tasks Start with small tasks Keep it low key Keep it low key Use results to ask questions Use results to ask questions Keep records of time needed and results Keep records of time needed and results Pay attention to reactions

17. www.sequentus.com 17©2006 Sequentus LLC Standards Document as you go along Document as you go along Write down procedures Write down procedures If you have allies, do it together If you have allies, do it together Reveal as interest grows Reveal as interest grows Don’t be pushy Don’t be pushy

18. www.sequentus.com 18©2006 Sequentus LLC Formal Test Cases One of the most valuable and hardest practices to get accepted One of the most valuable and hardest practices to get accepted Start with the most troublesome area of system Start with the most troublesome area of system Should be complete enough to demonstrate considerable value Should be complete enough to demonstrate considerable value Befriend a developer Befriend a developer Record time to develop, execute, analyze results, record defect and retest Record time to develop, execute, analyze results, record defect and retest

19. www.sequentus.com 19©2006 Sequentus LLC Test Case Sample

20. www.sequentus.com 20©2006 Sequentus LLC One-Page Status Reports Easiest to get accepted across the organization Easiest to get accepted across the organization Easy to do Easy to do Revealing Revealing Short Short

21. www.sequentus.com 21©2006 Sequentus LLC Test Status Report Overall status – R, Y, G Overall status – R, Y, G Overall percent complete Overall percent complete Overall estimate to complete Overall estimate to complete By functional category and risk By functional category and risk Total test cases Total test cases passed Total test cases failed Percent complete Defects found by severity Defects fixed by severity Defect corrections failed, by severity Rework percentage Average time to fix defects, by severity

22. www.sequentus.com 22©2006 Sequentus LLC Key to Being the Expert Soak up knowledge Go to seminars Read books Read articles Subscribe to Stickyminds Attend webcasts Try what you learn – quietly

23. www.sequentus.com 23©2006 Sequentus LLC Which Key – Which Door? Knowledge is power Knowledge is power Solve a sticky problem Solve a sticky problem Watch for openings Watch for openings A new role A new role A new job A new job A new company A new company

24. www.sequentus.com 24©2006 Sequentus LLC FinalThought Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning. - Rich Cook

25. www.sequentus.com 25©2006 Sequentus LLC Questions? Contact bobrien@sequentus.com