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New Zealand | Australia
Duration:
3 days
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including in-house delivery.
Software Testing

Rapid Software Testing


This is a MasterClass delivered by an international presenter. Currently this course is not scheduled, however we are hoping to schedule it again soon. If you would like to express your interest please click on the 'Enquire' button below.

                  

Comprehensive software testing that is fast, inexpensive and credible

Personally delivered by the creator of this MasterClass James Bach.

Unlike industry 'best practice' approaches to testing, this MasterClass presents an approach to testing that begins with personal skill development.

Rapid Software Testing is mission-focussed testing that eliminates unnecessary work, ensures everything necessary gets done, and constantly asks what testing can do to speed up the project.

One important tool that James will cover is the discipline of exploratory testing - essentially a testing martial art.

"What a wonderful experience to be taught by THE MASTER James Bach. Also worthy of note are the great course notes and the references throughout to other useful resources."

   Beverly Kelly, Redland Shire Council.

 

Intended For

This MasterClass is useful to all levels of testers, but seems to be most appreciated by experienced testers who want to become expert testers.

This course is designed to challenge and will encourage open debate throughout the three days. Come prepared to interact, discuss and be vocal! We try to make the class the most stimulating intellectual experience you can handle.

Prerequisites

Nil

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course participants will be able to:

  • Apply concise, universal heuristics and models for instant test design
  • Tackle any product or product idea instantly
  • Analyse a test heuristic or practice
  • Test despite ambiguous or missing specifications
  • Deal with overwhelming complexity or confusion
  • Know when to stop or suspend the test process
  • Prepare and deliver an impromptu test report.

Content

The Themes of Rapid Testing

  • Put the tester's mind at the center of testing
  • Learn to deal with complexity and ambiguity
  • Develop testing skills through practice, not just talk
  • Use heuristics to guide and structure your process.
  • Be a service to the project community, not an obstacle
  • Consider cost vs. value in all your testing activity
  • Diversify your team and your tactics
  • Dynamically manage the focus of your work
  • Your context should drive your choices, both of which evolve over time

Rapid Testing Starts With You

  • Identifying your context
  • Testing under time pressure
  • Excellent rapid technical work begins with you…
  • …but you don't have to be good at everything
  • Skills vs. alternatives

Scientific Thinking

  • How do we know what we know?
  • Confronting complexity with general systems thinking
  • Linking observations and inference
  • Testing magic tricks and sufficiently advanced technology
  • Introducing heuristics

Finding and Recognizing Bugs

  • Know your oracles
  • Consistency as a theme for oracles
  • Coping with difficult oracle problems
  • Know your coverage
  • Handling coverage disputes
  • Addressing coverage problems with testability
  • Reporting and coverage

Exploratory Strategies and Procedures

  • Focusing and defocusing
  • Exploiting variation
  • Telling the testing story
  • The process of test design
  • Testing to search vs. testing to learn
  • Blending scripted and exploratory approaches

Diversifying Your Strategy and Your Tactics

  • Considering cost vs. value
  • Quick tests vs. careful tests
  • Focusing on risk
  • The role of repetition

Rapid Recording and Reporting

  • Session based test management for high accountability
  • Rapid estimation
  • Reporting progress in a test cycle

 Selected Exercises (throughout the class)

  • Test the famous triangle
  • Find the bug in a calendar program
  • Test the mysterious sphere
  • The wason selection task
  • The simplest possible user interface
  • Testing a wine glass
  • A critique of a test report
  • What does it mean to save a file?
  • Use exploratory modeling on a small app
  • Breaking your confirmation bias
  • Discover the role of repetition in test strategy
  • Report on the completeness of testing
  • Exploratory testing with playing cards
  • Exploratory testing with dice 

 

Method Used

This course relies heavily upon discussion and exercises. Participants will have shared use of laptops for the hands-on exercises.

Testimonials

"James is an excellent presenter. World class, very inspirational, thought provoking."

   Rick Van Kuyk, National Australia Bank.

 

 

Software Education Associates Limited
Freecall: 0800 268 773
Software Education Australia Pty Ltd
Freecall: 1800 145 152