Reporting your Story: Note Taking in Software Tests' with Shmuel Gershon

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Today’s webinar is presented by Shmuel Gershon and he will discuss Recording Your Story: Note Taking Principles

Welcome to the EuroSTAR July Webinar Series

This webinar is due to start at 2pm. Make sure you stick around at the end for the Q&A session and continue the conversation with the speaker on Twitter after the show!

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Recording Your Story: Note Taking in Software Tests

Shmuel Gershon, Testing Engineer, Intel (Israel)

A testing engineer technical leader at Intel Corporation, Shmuel Gershon tests firmware and software, coaches teams and helps friends. Shmuel is convinced that the most significant

factor in our quest for quality is people, not features or technology. This observation made him pay special attention to how people read or write testing notes.

Find his writings about software testing at http://testing.gershon.info and the "Rapid Reporter" exploratory testing note-taking tool at http://testing.gershon.info/reporter

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Q&A


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Slides and all materials will be posted on the EuroSTAR website as well as emailed to you.

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Join the conversation on Twitter

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@sgershon

Continue the conversation with the speaker on Twitter after the show!

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About Shmuel – Indicators and Metrics

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About Shmuel –

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About Shmuel – Biographic Notes

• Claims more than 34 years of experience• ~15 of them employed

• His main occupation is software, and testing. Which means he deals with people.• Works in a team of ~20

at Intel in Jerusalem

• Shmuel also likes flying kites – and riding caster boards!

• An avid reader andobsessed note-taker


Good stories require good

notes!Same happens in your professional life and work routine.

Good notes reframe the question of…

“What Have You Done?”


Why taking notesOutwards• Quality/Relationship

Stories• Remember the

‘About me’ slide?• How satisfied are

you with your TV?• Software stories

• Communication devices• Cave Paintings• Birth of language

Inwards• Notes

• introspection/reflection tools

• help you understand• help you remember• keep you focused


Learning to Take NotesTeach yourself N

ote-Taking

Muscle Memory

• Observation, Feedback and

Practice!

The Process ofAdequate Note Taking is• Self-Calibrating

• Our Best ally:• consciousness and

intentionality• Be deliberate on

every note!


Learning to Take NotesThe tool is not the master!

Shmuel’s note-take mediums:• Physical Pocket Notebooks• Computer

• Rapid Reporter• Notepad• OneNote• Email• Blog

• Pulse Digital Pen• Cellphone notes• Post Its• Book Margins• Napkins!


Past

Future

Present

<Content-Type: Time Context>

Remember, notes act as• Historical Account• Evidence Records• Line of Thoughts• Preparations• Record of Path to Aim

(& Gives Aim to Aimlessness)• Communication Devices• Future Planning

Past

Present

Future

Take notes as you go

Taking notes upon eventsTaking notes after the fact

"You have to give yourself permission to write freely.“

"If you get stuck, write'I see' or 'I wonder'and fill in your own blanks."


What to include• Steps Performed• Trials Done• Problems Encountered• Questions Found• Solutions Achieved• Assumptions Inferred• Offenses Taken

• X perfect• X lacking

• > Adequate• Fit for Purpose

• Debrief?• Audit?• Drawer?

<Content-Type: Substance>


Good Note-Taking Principles!

Intrinsic Principles:• Complete Phrases• One-Liners• Intentional• Self Organizing

• == Self-Classifying

I – ImportantC - ContentA - Assessment

Setup, Note, Test, Bug,

Question...

Simple Tools

Complex tools


Note-Taking Tools

If notes are hard to take – one does not take good notes.

• Pen & Paper• Rapid Reporter• Notepad• Session Tester• OneNote• Visualization Methods

• Lists• Mind-Maps (hierarchy)• Tables (cross-relationship)• Timelines• Flow charts


Can’t we just record everything?

• Additional Pros:• You don't miss details

• Well… many details are not recorded

• And why the FOMO?• No need to work!

• Additional Cons:• Tell me what you

think, not what you did

• Poor reviewability

We can't understand

why students tape

lectures. They're not

only unreliable, they're a waste of

time.These tools do not implement “the web of

abstract concepts”

hiding behind.

Rapid Reporter is like the Pilot's log.BB Test Assistant is like the flight data recorder.

Taping encourages lazy note-taking and, therefore, lazy listening.


Note-Taking Examples

Taken as a whole, with sporadic memory flashes, the notes seem to tell the story:• Rain all night until dawn.• By noon the sun burns

through, perfect day, not even humid.

• Steadman is now worried about fire.

• I obtained copies of Yamma's first divorce petition and subsequent dismissal.

• Steele told me about Rev. Jackson and the 6000 check.

• The Boston Globe reported on LaFrance's connection with Swindall."



• 3rd Jan 1805.

• Some Buffalos came near our fort, 9 men went out but killed none of them.

• 1 of the men killed a beautiful white hare which is common in this country.

• …



?


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Credits/Sources

• Michael Bolton’s Tweets: https://twitter.com/michaelbolton/status/353113919264534529 , https://twitter.com/michaelbolton/status/353108582532792320• Napkin: http://www.samueltextor.ch/EVB-Napkin

https://twitter.com/michaelbolton/status/353113919264534529




http://www.samueltextor.ch/EVB-Napkin



Technology

Reporting your Story: Note Taking in Software Tests' with Shmuel Gershon