Periodic table of testing bcs northern lights oct 2017
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ºÝºÝߣs from my presentation at the British Computer Society Special Interest Group in Software Testing event Northern Lights 3 in Leeds. 18th October 2017
Periodic table of testing bcs northern lights oct 2017
- 1. PERIODIC TABLE OF TESTING A multi-use visual heuristic view of the world of testing. Or; How I’m working out what I don’t know Ady Stokes BCS SIGIST Northern Lights 3 18th Oct 2017 Periodic Table of Testing © Adrian Stokes 2015 @CricketRulz
- 2. Goals •Hear about the Periodic Table of Testing •Understand why I developed it •See how I’m using it and ways I think it could be used @CricketRulz @CricketRulz – The Big Test Theory.com – linkedin – adystokes
- 3. Me in brief • Background in Audit and designing bespoke Management Systems in manufacturing • Testing roles since 2004 in a financial environment • In agile teams since 2009 • Business Intelligence • Web • The Big Test Theory blog (thebigtesttheory.com) • @cricketrulz @CricketRulz
- 4. The Problems • Accidental learner • No overall view of testing • Didn’t want to ‘forget’ things when scoping @CricketRulz
- 5. Problem: Accidental learner to… @CricketRulz
- 6. Solution: Deliberate learner (but how?) • Structure learning in some form of plan • Have a defined but flexible view of the ‘world of testing’ so I could see what didn’t I know? @CricketRulz
- 7. How could I see the path forward? • Deliberate learning path example Session Based Testing From Exploring to SBT to Focused techniques Customer Tours/Journeys Exploratory Testing @CricketRulz
- 8. Problem: A view of the testing universe • I know there’s a lot going on, but how to see it? @CricketRulz
- 9. New idea? Pah! There’s no such thing as a new ideas. We simply take a lot of old ideas and put them into a sort of mental kaleidoscope. Mark Twain
- 10. Periodic Table of Data Properties can overlap dependent on context and use Periodic Table of Data © Adrian Stokes 2012 @CricketRulz
- 11. 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 @CricketRulz
- 12. Periodic Table of Testing v1.8 @CricketRulz
- 13. Periodic Table of Testing – Why? Did I make it? • Offers me a view of the world of testing • Helps stretch my limit of understanding • Can use as a map to deliberate learning • Helps me remember areas to consider for scope @CricketRulz
- 14. Periodic Table of Testing – How? Am I using it? • 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 @CricketRulz
- 15. Periodic Table of Testing – How? Could I use it? • Career progression prompt (not guide) • Always an expectation of change • Describe relationships • Scope conversation starter – see next @CricketRulz
- 17. Potential ‘evolutions’ • Elements: Interpersonal; Non functional… • Metacognition (thinking about thinking) • Test Approaches could move up a level or break into scope verses approach • Test Data could be it’s own category as it can be vitally important • Tacit knowledge could be explored and so on… no expectation of ‘everything’ Periodic Table of Testing - Evolving @CricketRulz
- 18. Let me know after or through my blog What do you disagree or agree with? What’s missing? Periodic Table of Testing - Feedback @CricketRulz
- 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 @CricketRulz
- 20. @CricketRulz – The Big Test Theory.com – linkedin – adystokes @CricketRulz
- 21. References • Software Testing Magazine – Periodic Table of Data • 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/ @CricketRulz
Editor's Notes
- #2: Don’t worry if you’ve never heard of it, I made it up!
- #3: Essentially a way for me to see a learning path through the vast universe of testing
- #4: Always tried to learn as I went along. Web testing meant I had to learn lots in a short period of time. Didn’t have much awareness of web site testing as up to then it wasn’t on my radar This idea goes some way to ensuring I’m better prepared for challenges in the future.
- #5: I felt a bit like being in the middle of spaghetti junction with no map, satnav or phone to help Overall view is used loosely to describe areas related to testing as we all know we’ll never know everything
- #6: Happened when it happened Twitter prompts lots of distractions and pieces of ideas Something current required it
- #7: Being an older gentleman I need help Structure learning in some form of plan, not removing accidental discovery but something when that wasn’t happening 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
- #8: Is there a way to see enough of the testing world to identify learning paths for different areas?
- #9: I didn’t find things like Guru99’s list of 100 types of software testing particularly helpful. Other long lists are available I needed to take a step back to an idea I had in 2012 I worked in Business Intelligence on a data warehouse Testing reports, updating Fitness with automated tests for the ETL (extract, transform, load) process The thing I found hardest was relating new information to existing data I agree with this quote – next
- #10: So, the Periodic Table of Data was born
- #11: Describes the relationships between data and where properties can overlap You can see on the right how litigation has a relationship with transactions So, the gap I had with testing and where to go with learning and remembering lead me to… Periodic Table of Testing
- #12: This started as an idea and only partially completed Better picture in a second Have had some positive feedback that some firms have adopted and find it useful
- #13: From one Visual heuristic to another Allows me to see the testing universe from the outside. Ash Winters testing wheel is a look from inside more focused on the individuals point of view and well worth a look. Consider where to go next to learn Helps me align elements with areas so my brain can make sense of stuff I hope to hear what many people think to create a broadly understood view and improve the content.
- #14: Remember my problems? Gives me a view in a way I’m familiar with
- #15: Remember my problems? Gives me a view in a way I’m familiar with
- #16: I can describe the relationships between the different elements If you have awareness of different techniques you could combine them or they could lead to different testing elements or approaches That could also feed into any potential technical approaches you want to use such as feature files or living documentation
- #17: Using the Testing, Technical and Technique elements to show the ‘what’ and ‘how’ Expressed in a Must Should Could format of things to consider To be used as a reminder, prompt and conversation starter Take elements for projects or even create specific version for different types of projects. An internal application will have different focus to an external website for example. So what next?
- #18: I’m not sure it will ever be ‘done’ Part of me hopes not My next accidental learning could change my view and the table Ash Winter’s Testing Wheel shows an inside out view of testing where the periodic table is an outside in view.
- #19: Feedback is great and I hope you will take the time to share your thoughts with me through Twitter or my blog.
- #20: As you can see, its an idea that could have some other useful applications Other visual heuristics are available Thank you for your patience and are there any questions