Survival techniques for testers, beyond the T-shape tester

Survival techniques for testersBeyond the T-shaped tester

Derk-Jan de Grood & Jan Jaap Cannegieter

Survival techniques for testersBeyond the T-shaped tester

Derk-Jan de Grood@derkjandegroodderkjandegrood@valori.nl

Jan Jaap Cannegieter@jjcannegieterjcannegieter@sysqa.nl

Agenda8.30 – 9.00 Opening, introduction of the workshop9.00 – 9.30 Determination of the π profiles9.30 – 10.00 Elaboration of the chosen profiles10.00 – 10.30 Break10.30 – 11.30 Gallery and personal development plan (PDP)11.30 – 12.00 Discuss some of the PDP’s12.00 – 12.30 Your future profile and development path

Recent changes

Testers piramideTest consultancy

Test management

Team lead

Test design & execusion

T-shaped professional

Conceived by David Guest in 1991 ["The hunt is on for the Renaissance Man of computing,", The Independent, September 17, 1991. ]

What is a T-shaped professional?

Deep/specificDeep/specific

Broad/GenericBroad/GenericKnowledge

Skills

Knowledge

Skills

Skills vs knowledge

Knowledge

Knowledge

SkillsSkills

Actual level

There is not one T

Bridge builder

Super specialist

And what about someone who can test and elicitate / manage

requirements?

Combining two specialities

[Source: BRITTANY HUNTER]

ExamplesExamples

Requirement

Requirement

ss

TestingTesting

Broad/GenericBroad/Generic

The knowledge and skills vary The knowledge and skills vary with each π-shapewith each π-shape

ToolingTooling

TestingTesting

Broad/GenericBroad/GenericM

anagement

Managem

ent

TestingTesting

Broad/GenericBroad/Generic

Assingment 1: What’s in the second leg?

Identify different π-shaped profiles

15 minutes

Assingment 2: Zooming in

Assingment 2: Define knowledge and skills

• Go to the profile you want to elaborate• Determine:

• Knowledge in second vertical• Skills in second vertical• Knowledge and skills in horizontal• Knowledge and skills in testing vertical

• 30 minutes

Gallery

Gallery, walk around and view each others workAdd items using sticky notes in case you think it is incomplete

Hey YOU,Let’s get personal

Personal preferences & strategic choices

Ace

$€

Like

TestbashHacketronPilotTalk with peersDownload a toolBook readingCourseDo Utest Let the world

know what your capable of

Nothing beats the real thing

Profiling-Curve by De Grood & Cannegieter (2015)

Retweet Tweet Respond to

blogpost

Write a blog

Talk at conference

Start a SIG

Organize a session at

work

Maybe a challenge but high impact

Easy with

limited effect

Assingment 3: Personal Dev Plan• Determine what profile fits you best (in the future) • For each of the knowledge items and skills do

determine what you need to develop to meet the requirements of this profile

• Make your own personal developmentplan based on the template

• Present your plan to another delegant

From the CAT manual

Learning starts now:

Choose your sessions based on your personal goal!