The Future of Software Testing

is ………

…………in New Zealand

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A bit about NZ

• Population [as at July 2008]

– New Zealand; 4,269,846

– UK; 60,776,238

• Land Mass

– New Zealand; 270,534 sq km

– UK; 242,900 sq km

• People per sq km

– New Zealand; 15.78

– UK; 250.22

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NZ comparison

3

M1

SH1

You may not know…

• A J Hackett [Bungee jumping]

• Hamilton Jet Boat

• Richard Pierce – first man to fly - 1903

• William Pickering – Rocket man [NASA]

• Sir Edmund Hillary

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Main Centres

• Wellington – capital city

– Central Government

– Some Banks

• Auckland

– Most Banks

– Utilities

– Insurance

– Telecom

• Christchurch

– Tourism

– Agriculture

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Hectors Dolphin: 3-4000

Maui Dolphin: 110 only

Industry Sectors and Companies

• Finance/Banking - ASB, ANZ, BNZ, Westpac, National Bank, ING,

Sovereign

• Insurance - Tower, State, AA, QBE, PGG Wrightson

• Power/Utilities - Vector, Meridian, Genesis, Contact, Mercury

• Telecom/TV/News - Telecom, Vodafone, TelstraClear, TVNZ,

Fairfax, RNZ

• Central Government Departments - Ministry of Social

Development, Ministry of Justice, ACC

• Agriculture/Dairy - Fontera, RD1

• Retail - Warehouse, Pak ‘n Save, New World

• Lots of rural stuff, land management, cars, white goods, building and ancillary supplies

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Where are we

• Advanced for a rural country

• Testing Ground for Japan

• Love technology – we try everything first

• Necessity is the mother of Invention

• Communication is essential for where we are

• Broadband is relatively slow – but we are getting there

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KORU – A new beginning

What I’ve that worked on and the issues I’ve seen

• Innovative, more small companies per capita than anywhere in the world

• Often have to build it as it’s expensive to import

• Probably 5 years behind Europe

– Cinderella issue

• Banks and big organisations have a willingness to learn but we have a shortage of testing experience

• 24 x 7 Testing

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Kiwi InventionPavlova or ‘Pav’

My Experiences

• Software Development House – a first for me!

– Multiple customer base

– Everyone was testing the same things – why?

• Large Bank – DTMF system upgrade, CRM Software and Hardware Upgrade and a Voice based system – a first for me!

– Everyone was testing the same things – why? [sound familiar?]

• Tools are the solution!

– ‘I have been told this will solve our testing issues’ – ahem!

• Abdication of responsibility

– ‘Not sure what testing is so we’ll get someone else to do it’

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Testing Methodologies

• Fundamentally using the waterfall approach, but are not aware of that fact

• V Model concepts are understood, but implementation is an issue due in the main to a shortage of experienced practitioners

• We don’t have the testing pedigree so are missing out on test maturity and this is causing some consternation

• Testers are not widely read on methods, they are very much self taught – they do what they do, they have no ‘name’ for the approach though

Agile Testing

• Gaining momentum, however it is being used as an excuse to do testing ‘badly’

• It is being seen as ‘the’ solution

– Not good for Large Projects

– Not good for Infrastructure or Platform Products

• But often the basics are missed – in order to apply Agile you need a vehicle

• Agile can be compared to a test tool, you need a process to know where it needs help

11

Where are our test processes

• First Testing Index is a review of organisations in Australia – carried out by Planit

• 2008 Index to include New Zealand

– I don’t expect the results to be much different!

• Approximately half of the organisations are at TMM level 1 or 2

– Level 1 organisations, for example, report 29% of projects complete successfully, 62% complete after significant changes, and 9% are cancelled

– For level 5 organisations these figures are, 60%, 37% and 4% respectively.

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The other side….

• Unsurprisingly…….

– Those that ‘believe’ in testing in the main have achieved TMM levels 3 or 4

– Those that spend more on testing report a higher success rate

– Testing effort is increasing in line with training and process improvement

– In hindsight many companies would start testing earlier

– Off-shoring is not common

– Software development is an uncertain undertaking

Source The Planit Testing Index October 2007. www.planit.net.au

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ISTQB and ANZTB

• Foundation, relative to Aussie and UK

• Starting to see jobs that ask for the Foundation level

• Increased 10 fold since I’ve been there – maybe because of me

• ANZTB 7th largest market in the world

• First to run the ATA and have piloted the ATM

• Market thoughts on:

– Foundation

– Advanced Test Analyst

– Advanced Test Manager

– Advanced Technical Tester

What is there for testers

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• New Zealand Computer Society - Test Professionals Network

– Every 6-8 weeks

– Auckland and Wellington

• SIGIST

– Every couple of months

– Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra

– Soon Auckland & Wellington

• ANZTB Test 2009 – w/c March 23rd

• STANZ [July/August]

– New Zealand

– Australia

KIWI

KIWI FRUIT

Career Opportunities

• All the usual roles and industry sectors plus a few specialist industries like:

– Sheep, dairy and deer farming

– Forestry

– Tourism

– Innovative Engineering

– Breweries

• Graduate Programmes

– Instigated by independent companies who run training ‘boot camps’ and incremental training programmes

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Further Information

• Where to look:

– www.testingconsultancy.com

– www.planit.net.au

– www.equinox.co.nz

– www.seek.co.nz

– Brochures and leaflets here at the back

– On the Testing Solutions Stand

– Catch me for a chat

– www.immigration.govt.nz

– www.immi.gov.au

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Treble Cone Ski Resort, Queenstown - on a busy day!

How to Speak Kiwi

• E becomes I e.g. Pen becomes Pin, Ten becomes Tin

• AI becomes E e.g. Chair become Cheer

• I becomes U e.g. Fish & Chips becomes Fush & Chups

• O stays as O

• A becomes AAA e.g. Mate becomes Maaate

• ‘Wh’ becomes ‘F’ e.g. Whakapapa becomes Fakapapa!!!

• Every sentence ends with a question, e.g.

– It’s a nice day today eh? [‘eh’ pronounced ‘a’]

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Whale Watching – Kaikura, South Island

© The Testing Consultancy 2008 20

Testing in NZ

Contact: The Testing Consultancy

T: +64 9 948 2225

M: +64 21 802 156

E: david.hayman@testingconsultancy.com

W: www.testingconsultancy.com