STAREAST 2011 - Software Testing Conference

PRESENTATIONS

The Estimate Is Nothing, The Estimating Is Everything

In many software projects, estimation is consistently troublesome, contentious, and unreliable. A big part of the problem is that we fantasize that estimates tell us about the future; and so management wants "accurate" estimates that we can "commit" to. In fact, estimates tell you nothing about the future. Estimates are entirely about the present. Estimates express our expectations, based on what we believed when we made the estimate.
Dale Emery, DHE
The Miracle of Change: Transforming a Testing Organization

Change is the catalyst that sparks creativity and innovation–it's invigorating, inspiring, and synergistic. Just as businesses react, test organizations also must react quickly and successfully with innovative solutions to changing demands in the marketplace. Is your test organization prepared to meet these challenges? Do you embrace an innovative culture where change is welcomed?
Audrey Garner, AmerisourceBergen Corporation - Lash Group
The Net Promoter Score: Measure and Enhance Software Quality

Would you like to know–prior to release–how your customers will perceive product quality? Employing the Net Promoter Score (NPS) technique, Anu Kak shares a strategy he has successfully used to provide this information and, at the same time, help improve actual product quality. Today, many organizations are using NPS for their production products to identify customers who are most likely to be either promoters or detractors. This measurement tool provides the information needed to prioritize product fixes and enhancements.
Anu Kak, PayPal, Inc.
The Right Stuff: Testers in the Agile World

Agile is a major paradigm shift for software development teams–and especially for testers. Some testers struggle to find their identity, may feel like victims of the new agile process, and wonder if they have “the right stuff” to succeed in the agile world. Vinod Malhotra shares his insight on what the right stuff is. First, testers need to customize their processes to fit agile practices.
Vinod Malhotra, Microsoft Corporation
The Tester's Role in Identifying, Managing, and Eliminating Technical Debt

Technical debt is a metaphor that refers to the eventual consequences of taking well-meaning shortcuts during software development. This debt attacks organizations in ways such as unachievable schedules, excessive unscheduled backlog, overwhelming defects, and poorly designed code and architecture. When organizations try to get out of debt, testers can be especially impacted. This does not have to be the case. Lee Henson explains the principles of technical debt as it affects testers.
V. Lee Henson, AgileDad
Thread-based Exploratory Testing

Although most of us begin our day with a prioritized plan–our To Do list–almost instantly we are plagued by distractions and interruptions. When your exploratory testing work faces the same challenges, thread-based test management (TBTM) is just what the doctor ordered. TBTM is non-committal and not time boxed–embracing start-stop interruptions and even longer delays in your testing. Jon Bach explains and demonstrates TBTM in which the unit of work is a thread–a flow of activities to solve a specific problem.
Jon Bach, eBay Inc
Top Testing Challenges We Face Today

Some people thrive on challenges; others struggle daily to deal with them. Handled well, challenges can make us stronger, more passionate, and more determined to succeed. Lloyd Roden describes the top software testing challenges facing many of us today and explores how we can respond in a positive, constructive way. One challenge Lloyd often sees is identifying and eliminating metrics that deceive.
Lloyd Roden, Grove Consultants
Usability Testing in a Nutshell

Because systems are now more complex and competition is extreme, testing for usability is crucial for ensuring our products not only stand out from the crowd but even exceed our customer's expectations. As testers, we often encounter requirements such as "The system must be user-friendly." What does this mean? And, more importantly, how do we test against this vague notion? Join Julie Gardiner as she presents usability testing techniques to help evaluate system efficiency, effectiveness, and user satisfaction.
Julie Gardiner, Grove Consultants
When Testing Becomes a Risk

We test software to prevent bad things from happening when the software is deployed into production. We assess the quality of the software and give well-founded advice on its readiness for release. However, in some cases, the mere act of testing can cause significant problems. Bart Knaack analyzes real-life testing “accidents” that had serious consequences to the business. For example, although most companies spend a lot of money to secure their production environments, many leave their test environments only partially protected.
Bart Knaack, Logica

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