Natural Born Testers Are You one? If not, then become one! Graham Thomas Independent Software Testing Consultant October 31, 2013 Potsdam, Berlin, Germany

Abstract Some people seem to be natural born testers;  Spend your life returning faulty products  Avoid version n.0 but is a ‘fool for the promise of the new’  Are challenged by an unused feature  Invest your time seemingly out of all proportion  Are often disappointed but sometimes pleasantly surprised How to increase your skills by complimentary (non-test) activities Bears Games to play  Lemmings  RailRoad Tycoon  Angry Birds

Agenda  What is a Natural Born Tester?  Attributes of a NTB  See if you are one?  Bears  Games to Play  Conclusion, Summary & Questions?

1. What is a Natural Born Tester? Video Player Shoes Manual Version n.0 versus n.1

So how do you show something not happening? Video Player  Stereo light that did not come on  How do you show someone that not happening? Corporate Video  Wanted to make a video to show a screen that didn’t appear any more.  “We can show them a video of it not happening”  “Look, it hasn’t happened” “ There, it isn’t happening again!!!”

A Natural Born Tester Someone who tests by default. Whatever. Not destuctivly, or malicisuosly, just out of habit, or compulsion. A ‘What if’ or ‘Why not’ attitude.

As an example - Last week Three days to get to a blank screen Out of the Box it was Good Enough But as a NTB o It might have been better..... o I couldn’t stop until I had tried..... Or in this case until I had broken it ! o I have now gone back to Out of the Box and Good Enough o You don’t know until you try o Not everything people post on the internet is helpful

3. So who is a Natural Born Tester? 1.If you buy something that doesn’t work do you just throw it away (0) or take it back(3)? 2. Do you find, after evaluating all of the evidence, you have ended up in the wrong queue, yet again? (3) 3. Have you deliberately avoided a n.0 product, i.e. Windows 8.0? (3) 4. Do you; buy new items – e.g. untested (3), or only buy used items – those known to work (0)? 5. Do you feel challenged by an unused feature? (3) 6. Have you tested a feature you won’t ever use? (3) 7. Is this glass half empty (3)or half full(0)?

4. Bears

5. Games to Play Lemmings RailRoad Tycoon Angry Birds

Lemmings - Explained

Lemmings

Why Lemmings? Required Skills  Multi-tasking  Parallel processing  Problem solving  Time Management  Goal Oriented Fun Still play today - online

RailRoad Tycoon

Why RailRoad Tycoon? All about Planning All about Management Different views by context Monitoring, Measuring, Predicting Controlling Adapting to change Reacting to change Fun Can still play today on a Windows PC

Angry Birds

Why Angry Birds? Teaches you to explore your context Simple solution is not always optimal Different techniques - Birds Combine techniques Plan Think in the abstract Fun Play; anytime, anyplace, anywhere

Just imaging if? Angry‘Test’Birds EQ BVA = =

Bears (2)

Scientific American Nov 2013, pp 64

You can Learn through play Penguins PuzzleRaspberry Pi $35 Teach children to learn to program Fully functional Linux computer

My RasPi Projects Python  TimeLapse Video  USB Robotic Arm NQC (Not Quite C)  Lego MindStorms Cable Car

Skills form Game Playing Multi-tasking Parallel processing Problem solving Time Management Goal Oriented Planning Management context Monitoring, Measuring, Predicting Control Adapting to change Reacting to change Context Exploration Optimal Solution Use different techniques Combine techniques Think in the abstract Fun, Fun, Fun!

Thank you for Participating Any Questions? Please evaluate my presentation and use for this the AgileTD Mobile App which you can find at I would appreciate your feedbacks. Thank you very much!

Contact Details Graham Thomas Independent Software Testing Consultant  