GrowingacompanytestcommunityRolesandpathsfortesters

AlexSchladebeck,BREDEXGmbH

@alex_schl

Introductions

• Iam…– Atester,Headof TestConsulting,Product Owner

• Bredexis– AGermansoftware developmentcompany–With astrongfocus onquality

Training

Development

Testing

Alex’sproblems– abrieflook

Alex’sproblems– abrieflook

Alex’sproblems– abrieflook

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTwJzTsb2QQ

Agenda– howwedealwithmyproblems

• Definingrolesfortesters• Hiringtesters• Trainingtesters• Creatingandfosteringatestcommunity

Whatflavours oftesterarethere?

Functional TestConsultant

- CloserworkwithRE/PO- Userperspectiveintesting- TrainedinETandSBTM- Top-Down forautomation- MentoringandReviews

TechnicalTestConsultant

- Closerworkwithdevelopers- Technicalaspectsoftesting- TrainedinETandSBTM- Bottom-Up forautomation- MentoringandReviews

Whatdowelookforinbothflavours?

Supercommunicativeandsystematiccreative

applicant!

Whatdowelookfor?

Skills andcharacteristics

Whatdowelookfor?

Tappingintopotential

Mathematicians

BusinessInformationSystemsGraduates

Biologists

Sociologists

Chemists

Linguists

Theinterviewprocess

Aim:to findoutwhether the applicant hasthe potentialto be trained as atest consultant

Toolsfortheinterview

Exercise onexploratory testing (20m)

Exercise ontechnical reading andresumé (20m)

Conversation anddiscussion (60m)

Exploratorytesting

• What does the application do?• Whocould use it?• What would be important to test init?• How could priorities be determined?• Did you findany problems?• How doyou ratethe usability?

Exploratorytesting

I’mnotsurewhetherthisisaproblem,butI

noticed…

Thecustomercouldhelpidentifypriorities

Ididn’thavealltherequirements soIcouldn’t

reallytest

Iexpected…

Theapplicationletsotherpeoplemonitoryourtime

Icheckedthedocumentationandthe

console

Ididn’t seetheexercise

<speedyexit>

Letmecheckmynotes…We’dtestdifferentlyifitweresoftwarefora

plane.

Ididn’thavetime…

Readandsummarizeanarticle

• Germanlanguage• About test automation• Includes info ontest design,agileprocesses,component recognition,...

Conversationanddiscussion

Own ideas andinfo ontesting

Discussion of exercises

Company,Person,CV

TabulaRasaTester

• First6monthsforbothroles

Theory

Practice

Social

TabulaRasaTester

TheoryISTQBbook

ISTQBcert

Jubula

Javafor testers

Exploratory testing

Workshopsabouttest automation patterns

(CI)

Four hour tester

Codecombat

TabulaRasaTester

TheoryISTQBbook

ISTQBcert

Jubula

Javafor testers

Exploratory testing

Workshopsabouttest automation patterns

(CI)

Four hour tester

Codecombat

TabulaRasaTester

Practice

Inprojectteam

Withmentor

Testspecification

Testautomation

Exploratory testing

Reviews Developmentprocesses

TabulaRasaTester

TheoryISTQBbook

ISTQBcert

Jubula

Javafor testers

Exploratory testing

Workshopsabouttest automation patterns

(CI)

Four hour tester

Practice

Inprojectteam

Withmentor

Testspecification

Testautomation

Exploratory testing

Reviews Developmentprocesses

Social

Specialisations forfurtherdevelopment

Testmanager

Releaseengineer

SeniorConsultant

Non-functionaltester

Testmanager

Req.engineer

SeniorConsultant

Userexperience

ToolsMethods

Practices

Mentor

Trainer

Specialisations forfurtherdevelopment

Testmanager

Releaseengineer

SeniorConsultant

Non-functionaltester

Testmanager

Req.engineer

SeniorConsultant

Userexperience

ToolsMethods

Practices

Mentor

Trainer

Investment

Communication

Stickingtogether

Youcanbelongtoateamevenifyou’realone

Asenseofbelonging

Social

Welcomeevent

Weeklytestmeetup

Weekly companymeetup Co-writing

Peerreviews

Indexcheck

Teamevents

Projectteam events

Mentor

Keepingtheherdtogether– testteammeetup

• Empower learning and sharing– Newtopics e.g.books,designpatterns,tools– Projectand conference reports,discussions– Autonomousworking and variety

• Transferknowledge and who knows what–Multiplecontact people

• Createco-responsibility,practice coaching,remove fear– Peerreviews– Pairingonactivities

Keepingtheherdtogether– personalcontact

Indexcheck:oneononeconversation- Everytwoweeks/onceamonth

- Whatisyourhappinessindex?- Whatisyour“challenge”index?

- Autonomy,Mastery,Purpose(DanielPink,Drive)

Results

Commonunderstanding

Discussion encouraged Self-organisedandempowered

Results

à Requirementsengineerà Projectlead

à External consulting

à Conferencetalksà Seleniumexpertise

Commonunderstanding

Discussion encouraged Self-organisedandempowered

Takeaways

• Thinkaboutwhatskillsyouneedandwhichyouneedtotrain

• Bepreparedtoinvestcontinuously

• Neverunderestimatethepowerofcommunicationandcommunity–fosteragoodenvironment

@alex_schlalexandra.schladebeck@bredex.de