Janet Gregory, DragonFire Inc.Copyright 2015

I Don’t Want to Talk about Bugs, Let’s Change the Conversation

StarWest 2015

Twitter id: janetgregoryca

WHAT CONVERSATIONDO WE NEED TO CHANGE?

It’s usually about bugs

the conversation about quality

Or perhaps it’s about traceability – Did we test all the requirements -- What is our code coverage?

“Managers who don’t know how to measure what they want, settle for wanting what they

can measure.”

Russell Ackoff

What does all that information really tell

you?

• Value • Uncertainty • Risk • How might we really measure product quality?

Instead, let’s talk about:

• Whose job is it anyway?• The mindset of the team

And perhaps a bit about:

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VALUE TO THE BUSINESS

For your value, which is better?

Which is right?

Can something be right? But not meet a customer’s needs?

Understand the value to the business!

How to You Measure Value

Validate Your Learning

Risk and Uncertainty

14Copyright 2015 : Janet Gregory – DragonFire Inc.

Uncertainty ◦not known or definite◦not completely confident or sure of something

Cynefin Framework (pronounced Ki neh’ vin) -------a sense making model (Dave Snowden)

Complicated

Simple

Complex

Chaotic

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How can we use this model to address our feature development?

Liz Keogh – lizkeogh.com/embracing-uncertainty/

Risk

• a situation involving exposure to danger• expose someone (or something valued) to danger• possibility of something unpleasant happening

There are 2 kinds of risks

1. Project risk

2. Product risk

With permission from Dan North - a Software Faster pattern

With permission from Dan North - a Software Faster pattern

Also consider context

With permission from Dan North - a Software Faster pattern

• Project, product, organization, reputation, contractual, regulatory, legal (ex. privacy), ethical …..

In Reality – There are many risks

• ASK – Why do your customers want you to test for them?

Visualize

Involve your whole team including customers,

in the talk about risks & testing

But don’t forget the big picture

Look at the details

Risk and Uncertainty

Is it your job?

What about the Who???

If every team member took a holistic view of the product release and the risks it faces, then every person on the team would be a critical contributor to the delivery of that solution.Matt Mansell - paraphrased

Is it the tester’s jobto think about quality?

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So, do you follow behind looking for bugs? or …. are you looking ahead for the risks?

Can we really measure product

quality …..

if we don’t measure: - bugs, or - requirements or - coverage?

• Customer satisfaction?

• Customer retention?

• The type of issues found in production?

What about …..

Use analytics • Who uses your product?• Do they use it in the way you expected?

• Perhaps we start with a risk profile, and focus on a risk-based solution delivery.

Know your customers, your stakeholders

Manage your uncertaintyMitigate your risk

Understand the problemUnderstand the value

CHANGETHE

CONVERSATION

from bugs and traceability

to business value, risks and uncertainty

about product quality

CHANGETHE

CONVERSATION

From finding and counting bugs

To preventing bugs and measuring value

about measuring product quality

Copyright 2015 : Janet Gregory – DragonFire Inc.

Agile Testing: A Practical Guide for Testers and Agile Teams

More Agile Testing: Learning Journeys for the Whole Team

By Janet Gregory and Lisa Crispin www.agiletester.cawww.agiletester.com

Contact infowww.janetgregory.caEmail: janet@agiletester.caTwitter: janetgregoryca

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References• Dan North, StarEast 2015 keynote• http://lizkeogh.com/embracing-uncertainty/• Dave Snowden on Cynafin http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=N7oz366X0-8 • Matt Mansell – Risk-based testing, ANZTB 2014

http://www.anztb.org/userfiles/files/MATT_MANSELL_EffectiveRiskBasedTesting-Distribution.pdf

• Rob Lambert http://thesocialtester.co.uk/how-do-you-measure-the-effectiveness-of-a-tester-the-only-calculation-you-need/

• http://cherylquirion.com/• www.lisacrispin.com