An emerging visual heuristic to help me learn the world of testing and all the related subjects.

1. PERIODIC TABLE OF
TESTING
An emerging visual heuristic
Or; How I’m working out what I don’t know
Ady Stokes
Leeds Tester Gathering
22nd June 2017
Periodic Table of Testing © Adrian Stokes 2015

2. Goals
•Hear about the Periodic Table
of Testing
•Understand why I developed it
•See how I’m using it and how I
think it could be used

3. Me in brief
• Background in Audit and designing and testing
Management Systems in manufacturing (early testing
exposure)
• Testing roles since 2004 in a financial environment
• In agile teams since 2009
• Business Intelligence
• Legacy changes
• Standalone applications
• Website testing
• The Big Test Theory blog (thebigtesttheory.com)
@CricketRulz

4. The Problems
• Learning was
by accident
• I didn’t really
have an
overall view
of testing
• I wasn’t sure
where to go
next

5. Problem: Accidental learner to…

6. Solution: Deliberate learner (but how?)
• Structure learning in some
form of plan
• Have a defined but flexible
view of the ‘world of testing’
What don’t I know?
• Have some form of aid /
heuristic for new projects so
I don’t forget stuff

7. Problem: A view of the testing universe
• I know there’s a lot going on, but how to see it?

8. I don’t know what I don’t know!
Known unknowns
Aware but not
Understood
Known unknowns
Aware but not
Understood
Unknown unknowns
Not Aware
Known knows
Aware and
Understand
Known Unknown
Known
Unknown
Knowledge
Awareness

10. Solution contributor:
Periodic Table of Data
• Way of viewing the
data we had in the
warehouse
• Visualise how new
data would align
based on it’s
properties
• Assists analysis
• Identify potential gaps

11. Periodic Table of Data Properties can
overlap
dependent on
context and use
Periodic Table of Data © Adrian Stokes 2012

12. Periodic Table of Testing v1.4

13. Periodic Table of Testing – Why?
•View of the world of testing
•Stretch my limit of understanding
•Use as a map of learning and record
results

14. Periodic Table of Testing – How
Am I using it?
Questions;
•Do I understand this ‘view’ of testing?
•For each area / tile, do I have enough or
even any understanding?
•Prompt to learn and share my findings

15. Periodic Table of Testing – How
Could it be
used?
• Scope prompt
• Career progression prompt (not guide)
• Describe relationships
• Always an expectation of change

16. Awareness
Relationships examples (brief)
Application Automated
solution

17. Potential ‘evolutions’
• Elements: Interpersonal; Non functional…
• Metacognition (thinking about thinking) to
replace the Technique Element?
• Test Data could be it’s own category as it
can be vitally important?
• Tacit knowledge could be explored
• Internet of things
and so on… no expectation of ‘everything’
Periodic Table of Testing - Evolving

18. Let me know after
or through my blog
What do you
agree / disagree
with?
What’s missing?
What should I be
learning first?
Periodic Table of Testing - Feedback

19. Goals – Met?
•You’ve now heard about the
Periodic Table of Testing
•Have some understanding of
why I developed it
•Seen how I’m using it and how
it could be used
Periodic Table of Testing © Adrian Stokes 2015

20. @CricketRulz – The Big Test Theory.com

21. References
• Software Testing Magazine – Issue 7 March 2012
• https://www.ministryoftesting.com/2012/03/march-2012-issue-7/
• The Big Test Theory blog – Ady Stokes
• https://www.thebigtesttheory.com
• Testing Wheel – Ash Winter
• http://testingisbelieving.blogspot.co.uk/
• Types of Software Testing
• http://www.guru99.com/types-of-software-testing.html