EuroSTAR Software Testing Conference 2008 presentation on Personal Test Improvement - Dealing with the Future by Ruud Teunissen. See more at conferences.eurostarsoftwaretesting.com/past-presentations/

1. © 2008 Polteq IT Services B.V. slide nr. 1
Ruud Teunissen
Polteq IT Services BV – The Netherlands
The Hague – November 2008

2. © 2008 Polteq IT Services B.V. slide nr. 2
Objectives for this track
• Share experiences in finding, selecting and shaping the
good / excellent testers we need
• Key points
- What defines a good tester
- How do you help testers grow
- Testers do have an attitude, but that’s not a problem (at
least not always)

3. © 2008 Polteq IT Services B.V. slide nr. 3
Software and Test Process Improvement
• Optimize the quality, costs and lead time of the total
software development process
- SPI, CMM(I), Spider, Bootstrap, RUP, ……
• (Continuously) optimizing the quality, costs and lead time
of the test process, in relation to the total information
services
- Quality:
• Timeliness, Coverage, Insight, Control
- Costs and lead time:
• Risk-based, Early detection, Reuse,
Collaboration, Automation
Efficiency
Effectivity

4. © 2008 Polteq IT Services B.V. slide nr. 4
Key Area / Scale 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
1 Test strategy A B C D
2 Life-cycle model A B
3 Moment of involvement A B C D
4 Estimating and planning A B
5 Test specification techniques A B
6 Static test techniques A B
7 Metrics A B C D
8 Test automation A B C
9 Test environment A B C
10 Office environment A
11 Commitment and motivation A B C
12 Test functions and training A B C
13 Scope of methodology A B C
14 Communication A B C
15 Reporting A B C D
16 Defect management A B C
17 Testware management A B C D
18 Test process management A B C
19 Evaluation A B
20 Low-level testing A B C
Controlled Efficient Optimizing
TPI® maturitymatrix
Project Organization

5. © 2008 Polteq IT Services B.V. slide nr. 5
“Testers” within TPI
11.A.4 In the team there is enough knowledge and experience in the
field of testing.
11.C.7 Test jobs are described at an organization level, including
career possibilities and reward structures.
12.A.2 The tasks and responsibilities have been defined (Review Job
Responsibilities document)
12.A.3 The test personnel has had specific test training (e.g. test
management, test techniques, etc.) or has sufficient
experience in the field of testing (Evidence- document
containing test personnel training)
12.A.4 The test personnel is trained in the subject matter
…

6. © 2008 Polteq IT Services B.V. slide nr. 6
TMM Key Process Areas
Level 2 Phase Definition
•Institutionalize basic testing techniques
and methods
•Initiate a test planning process
•Develop testing and debugging goals
Level 3 Integration
•Control and monitor the test process
•Integrate testing into the lifecycle
•Establish a technical training program
•Establish a software test organisation
Initial
Level 4 Management & Measurement
•Software quality evaluation
•Establish a test measurement program
•Establish an organisation-wide review program
Level 5 Optimization, Defect
Prevention & QC
•Test process optimization
•Quality Control
•Application of process data for
defect prevention
Testing Maturity Model and TMM are service marks of Illinois Institute of Technology

7. © 2008 Polteq IT Services B.V. slide nr. 7
“Testers” within TMM
2.2 Initiate a test planning process
2.2.3 Technical training is available for using templates
2.3 Institutionalize basic testing techniques and methods
2.3.2 Technical training and basic tools for using techniques/methods are
available
2.3.4 Interaction between developers/testers on testability issues is promoted.
3.1 Establish a software test organization
3.1.1 A structural framework for test organization/group, with leadership,
funding, support, + roles, responsibilities, career paths is developed
3.1.2 An organization wide test group is established, with well-trained and
motivated members, and several communication links
OR High-level tests are performed by dedicated test teams, with well-trained
and motivated members, and several communication links (non-TMM)
3.1.3 Training is available for required technical expertise
3.2 Establish a technical training program
3.2.1 Organizational training policy document is developed
3.2.2 In-house training group is established, that develops the training program
and materials
…

8. © 2008 Polteq IT Services B.V. slide nr. 8
Question that remains
What defines a good tester?

9. © 2008 Polteq IT Services B.V. slide nr. 9
What defines a good tester?
• Test skills
- can be improved, trained, gathered by experience, …
• Soft skills
- have to be there from the start
- can be improved, trained, gathered by experience, …
• IT knowledge
- can be improved, trained, gathered by experience, …
• Domain knowledge
- depend on the application / role / industry / …
- can be improved, trained, gathered by experience, …

10. © 2008 Polteq IT Services B.V. slide nr. 10
Test Skills
• Test execution
- execute test cases, log defects, report results, …
- static testing, reviews, …
• Test preparation & specification
- test design techniques
- testability review
• Test tools and environments
• Test approach
- process, life cycle, planning, management, …
- test strategy – when to apply which techniques (coverage)
- how to apply test techniques
- how to use tools and environments effectively

11. © 2008 Polteq IT Services B.V. slide nr. 11
Soft skills
• Social
- enable others to add quality
- focus on resolution not blame
• Persistent
- goal focused
- rowing against the current
• Reporting
- factual
- honest
• “Being ignored”
- able to deal with unfinished and unheard
- swallow the “I told you so”s again and again

12. © 2008 Polteq IT Services B.V. slide nr. 12
IT Knowledge
• General IT knowledge
- information services, policy, planning
- organization of information services
• Software Development
- DSDM, RUP, SDM II, Agile Development, …
- CASE, OO, CBD, …
• System Management
- Configuration / Change Management
- JCL, Security, …
• Infrastructure
- hardware, network, …
- system software, middleware, DBMS, …
• Requirements
- Use Cases, Business Spec, System Spec, …

13. © 2008 Polteq IT Services B.V. slide nr. 13
Domain Knowledge
• Industry knowledge
- standards and regulations
- terminology
• Business knowledge
- objectives
- processes and procedures
• Application knowledge
- look and feel, “how it works” (or should work)
- functional and non-functional requirements

14. © 2008 Polteq IT Services B.V. slide nr. 14
What defines a good tester?
IT Knowledge
Soft Skills
Domain
Knowledge
Test Skills
“Tester”

15. © 2008 Polteq IT Services B.V. slide nr. 15
What defines a good tester?
• Character
- has to be there from the start
- cannot be improved, trained, gathered by experience, …

16. © 2008 Polteq IT Services B.V. slide nr. 16
Basic skills - Character
• Analytical
- quick insight in what and how to test
• Creative
- able to create test cases, “out of thin air”
• Critical
- seeing is believing, “check, check, double-check”
• Curious
- every good tester is an explorer
“to boldly go where no man has gone before”
• The “nose”
- if I touch it, it will break

17. © 2008 Polteq IT Services B.V. slide nr. 17
What defines a good tester?
IT Knowledge
Soft Skills
Domain
Knowledge
Test Skills
Character
“Tester”

18. © 2008 Polteq IT Services B.V. slide nr. 18
analytical
creative
critical
curious
"nose"
execution
logging
static testing
tools & environments
test process
test strategy
"how to"
socialpersistent
reporting
"being ignored"
general IT
software development
system management
infrastructure
requirements
industry
objectives
process
application

19. © 2008 Polteq IT Services B.V. slide nr. 19
Help your testers grow by offering…
growth and differentiation
Test design & execution
Team lead Test expert Infra&tool expert
Test coordination Test specialist Infra&tool specialist
Test management Test consultant Infra&tool consultant
Test guru

20. © 2008 Polteq IT Services B.V. slide nr. 20
… and playing to their strengths…
knowledge and skills
Training
Social skills
Experience
Coaching & support

21. © 2008 Polteq IT Services B.V. slide nr. 21
Ruud Teunissen
Polteq IT Services BV – The Netherlands
ruud.teunissen@polteq.com
http://www.polteq.com
The Hague - November 2008

22. © 2008 Polteq IT Services B.V. slide nr. 22
The Hague - November 2008
Ruud Teunissen
Polteq IT Services BV – The Netherlands
ruud.teunissen@polteq.com
http://www.polteq.com

23. © 2008 Polteq IT Services B.V. slide nr. 23
Become test leader
Don’t stay behind as test manager
The manager administers, the leader innovates
The manager maintains, the leader develops
The manager relies on systems and tools, the leader on people
The manager counts on control, the leader counts on trust
The manager does things right, the leader does the right thing

24. © 2008 Polteq IT Services B.V. slide nr. 24
About the speaker
Ruud Teunissen
Polteq IT Services, The Netherlands
In the testing world since 1989, Ruud Teunissen has held
numerous test functions in different organizations and
projects: tester, test specialist, test consultant, test
manager, etcetera. Ruud is co-author of Software Testing
- A Guide to the TMap®
Approach and is a frequent
speaker at (inter)national conferences and workshops.
He was a member of the program committee for Quality
Week Europe and EuroSTAR. Ruud is currently
International Test Consultant at Polteq IT Services BV.
TMap®
is a registered trademarks of Sogeti Nederland BV