In software development, regardless of what we do, we need to be learning all the time. Many times it is only the application. Sometimes it is new methods and processes. Sometimes it is new ways to analyze, develop or test an application. It may be new languages or new tools. Perhaps most importantly, we learn different ways of dealing with people. In today’s world, testers are expected to have ‘soft skills’ to collaborate as well as have more technical knowledge than ever before. Janet Gregory share ideas about how to approach this learning curve and the different influences which help us succeed.

1. Janet Gregory, DragonFire Inc.
Copyright 2015
Krakow ALE
November 15, 2015
@janetgregoryca
With input from Lisa Crispin
1

2. Agile Testing; 2009
More Agile Testing: Oct 2014
Website:
www.agiletester.com
www.agiletester.ca
DragonFire Inc.
www.janetgregory.ca
@janetgregoryca
janet@agiletester.ca

3. to show that a learning culture
is critical for agile success
3
….. with a focus from an agile testing
perspective

4. 4
• Defined by its
o Values
o Norms
o Assumptions
• Social System
• Collective Beliefs
• Visible Artifacts
o Icons
o Rituals
o Vocabulary
o Language

5. 5
• Leadership
• Design of an organization
• Decision making process
• Sub-cultures
• History of an organization
• Personal values

6. • Lack of trust
• Collaboration / communication
• Misunderstandings
6

7. …. So let’s talk a bit about things team
members are expected to learn and ways
that might help us
7
….. all this influences how we learn

8. Testing Specific Issues
Too many dependencies

9. Programming Specific Issues
Too many dependencies

10. Multi- discipline
skills
Expert
Discipline skills
Individuals - T-Shaped Skills

11. Square-shaped Team
See links for
more by Rob
Lambert and
Adam P. Knight

12. Thinking
Skills
Soft Skills
Agile
Principles
Technical
Skills
Expertise
Skill
Domain
Knowledge

13. Problem Solving
Systems Thinking

14. • Common language
• Use examples
• Question everything

15. Use tests and examples for shared
understanding and common language

16. 16

17. • Be constructive
• Focus on the problems, not the person
• Collaborative approach – “Show me”

18. Is about honouring
yourself,
the other people involved,
and
the context you are in
Based on learning from Jamie Ungerleider
Congruence – Jerry Weinberg, Virginia Satir

19. • In the past
◦ Pre Industrial
Revolution
◦ Industrial Revolution
• Now and in the Future
• Information Age
• Life-long Learning

20. Individual learning
Organizational learning
We need both

21. • Foster a learning culture
◦ Tolerate mistakes
◦ Personal safety
• Give time to experiment,
to try, to learn
21

23. • Think constantly of other
teams or team members
• Extend help to others
• Provide visibility into
current quality of the
product
23

24. Experiment!
• Pair
• Study group, book club
• Community of Practice
• Online resources
• What fits your learning
style?

25. Be Curious

26. And always, strive for quality!
photoshd.wordpress.com/2008/04/24/13/

27. Agile Testing: A Practical Guide for Testers and Agile Teams
More Agile Testing: Learning Journeys for the Whole Team
By Janet Gregory and Lisa Crispin
www.agiletester.ca
www.agiletester.com
Contact info
www.janetgregory.ca
Email: janet@agiletester.ca
Twitter: janetgregoryca
27

28. Instead of saying NO,
or being the gatekeeper
Be the information provider so
business can make the decisions
Questions?
28

29. • Karten, Naomi, "Are You Listening?",
http://www.agileconnection.com/article/are-you-listening, Agile
Connection, 2009
• Knight, Adam P., "T-shaped Tester, Square Shaped Team",
http://thesocialtester.co.uk/t-shaped-tester-square-shaped-team/,
2013
• Lambert, Rob, "T-shaped Testers and Their Role In a Team",
http://thesocialtester.co.uk/t-shaped-testers-and-their-role-in-a-
team/ , 2012
• Levison, Mark, "The Beginner's Mind - An Approach to Listening",
http://www.infoq.com/news/2008/08/beginners_mind, InfoQ,
2008
• McMillan, Darren, "Mind Mapping 101", for Testing:
http://www.bettertesting.co.uk/content/?p=956, 2011
• http://janetgregory.ca/about-learning/ and
http://janetgregory.ca/about-learning-2/