Deciphering alerts

If you have used software, you have likely come across messages that made you pause and think “Did a human write this?” Information, errors, warnings and other alerts can be incredibly unhelpful and sometimes even misleading. But why is it so hard to tell us what happened and what we need to correct to do what we want to do? Well, the truth is there are a lot of perspectives to balance and they often clash.

Messages tell a story. A story of choices, of compromise and of the world they live in. They leave a trail of breadcrumbs and following the clues might even show us the way to problems hiding underneath. From the often crisp and immediate messages in frontend validation to the multi-time translated notifications originating from a database or an integrated service, there are lots of hints to pick up on.

In this session we will look into how different parts of the tech stack deal with validations, errors and other types of information to the user, how to guess which part of the stack they are from and how we can use that to do better testing. We will look at examples, look into their strengths and weaknesses and why it is so hard to design the perfect message. The goal is to level up our testing by better understanding what the system is actually trying to tell us.

We will look at different perspectives that influence our choices and make this a more complicated task than you might think. We will dig into different parts of the stack, their different approaches and characteristics and why some messages are so much more confusing than others. And last but not least we will look at how to find clues in the messages to help not only figure out where they originated but also what might have caused it.

• Characteristics of error handling and validations in different parts of the stack
• How the way we write messages is a product of balancing competing requirements
• How to use clues in messages to uncover root causes
• >Using your tester mindset to explore tech and architecture choices to uncover risk

Delivering Fast and Slow

Delivering something new, better, faster than our competition can mean incredible payoff and we are constantly being asked to cut costs and deliver more, faster, cheaper. But then suddenly, you fall off the other side of the edge and wake up to 189 dead in a plane crash or having to take down and redesign your entire banking service because the architecture didn't hold up to the load. It probably wasn't your decision to push that to production but one can imagine that a long chain of people have to have made a number of small (or huge) decisions that led up to that result. So, where do we draw the line? Do we let that potential risk slip by even if we know it might potentially cause someone to lose time, money, or even health? What are we, as individuals, responsible for and how much can we hide behind the chain of command?

We will explore the ethics of software development, focusing on quality in general and testing in particular. We will look at what costs the context switching between solving a problem and finding the gaps in the solution will add to software development and why testing is so much more than automation and scripts.

We will talk about the relationship between tester and developer, how delivering feedback and embracing critique can strengthen that bond and how the right question in the right room at the right time might save you from drowning in angry customer calls further down the line.

We will delve into a number of interesting bugs and loopholes to discuss what can be learned from them and how to make sure that at the end of the day, we will sleep soundly, knowing we made our choices not because they were easy but because we believe them to be right.

Takeaways:

• Ethical considerations when balancing speed & cost vs. quality and traceability
• Potential legal implications to consider in choosing what corners to cut
• Showcases of spectacular bugs

What I thought I knew about the status of testing

The year 2010, after ten years of coding, I was more than ready to step into my new shiny career as Test Lead. In my mind this was a smart career move, where I would be able to influence more, be involved in the decisions earlier, and have a million new opportunities to grow my career. To my big surprise, I quickly realised that other people, outside of my little box, saw testing as the complete opposite.

Although I have been blessed with working with some amazing teams and organisations, over the years I have come to meet many misconceptions of testing, like “Testers are failed Developers” and “Your salary increase will drop as a tester” . I will share how I have approached them and how I have worked to change the view of skilled testing, one team at a time. And mine as well, though I only realised it once I took a break and reflected on it.

Weaved into this will also be how my developer background has helped (or not) with credibility, how my naive view of testing as a status role helped me through some rough patches, how working in a startup made me accept “Good Enough”, and how writing a book made me realise how much my own belief system has shifted over the years.

Takeaways:

• How I saw the testing role from a developer perspective.
• How my own view has shifted with experience and time.
• How I used my background to shift the power balance.
• How to influence people.

Living Fearlessly - While living with fear

On the outside, some of us seem to walk with more confidence in our steps. We do things other people are terrified of, often without hesitation. We stand up for things, we take risks, we take on challenging tasks, we throw ourselves out there. If someone asks us to do something scary, we smile and ask for more. Some people call it being fearless, others being brave.

I say us, because a lot of people have told me over the years this is how they see me. And in some respects, they are completely true. I do all of those things with a calm demeanour. I regularly joke about not having impostor syndrome. I gladly embrace the adrenaline rush of public speaking. I do not worry when trying my hands at complex, hard and high-stake work tasks.

At the same time: I am living with a constant low level of fear, with medium to high peaks on a regular basis. Why do I do this, and can other people do the same?

Let's talk about how to live a full life with few limitations without having to be free of fear. Let's explore how to push through being scared to be able to do things anyway. Let's also talk about the fact that this is no silver bullet, and when I have learned to use it and when I have (so far) failed to.

This talk will cover the difference between being scared and acting on the fear, different types of reaction to change (and how to use it to your advantage) and how to get to the core of the fear to help you overcome it.

It is possible to live a full life without limitations without being free of fear. Let's explore how to push through being scared and do things anyway (and when you shouldn't)

Takeaways:

• Key differences between being brave and fearless
• We all react differently to change, we can use that!
• Overcoming fear by identifying it and accepting it
• Impostor syndrome, Fear of Failing - differences and similarities

Structure and speed using Mind Maps

In contrast to ad hoc or “intuitive” testing, Exploratory Testing expects us as professionals to have a systematic approach to testing. Structure and processes tend to be regarded as impediments to momentum, and when time is limited we start cutting corners. Cutting corners risks leaving us with a feeling of not being in control and bugs start slipping through cracks. We say this need not be the case.

You can learn how to plan, test, adapt and report with minimal time by using visual models. We would like to invite you to a hands-on Exploratory Testing session, using mind mapping techniques for planning, executing and reporting our results. · Reviewing requirements (provided as a fictional business scenario) · Planning, prioritizing and re-prioritizing your work · Hands-on testing the actual web application and drawing conclusions · Adapting to the unexpected · Summarizing your findings and recommendations for further work in a concise and useful manner

You will be working individually or in pairs, and are required to bring a laptop. It is highly suggested that you download and install xMind (Freeware) and our Exploratory Testing template before the workshop. No previous experience with mind mapping is required. Having some familiarity with Exploratory Testing is helpful, but not a necessity.

Takeaways:

• How mind mapping can boost creativity and drive durint Exploratory testing
• Ideas and a template for planning small test sessions
• A chance to find bugs!

Would Heu-risk it?

Experiences and lessons learned from working with developing software since 1999 resulted in the “Would Heu-risk it?” concept. It all started with a workshop with Lisa Crispin but has since evolved into a card deck, blog posts, articles and a book draft in 2020.

“Would Heu-risk it?” is centered around risk analysis, heuristics, patterns/anti-patterns that affect us in designing, building, testing and running software. They are grouped into three distinct categories: Traps I see testers fall into, Tools I see testers use as super-powers and weapons testers could use to focus their work (also known as common weak spots in building software).

In this workshop we will combine classic risk analysis with gamification, using the “Would Heu-risk it?”card deck. Gamifying your classic risk analysis helps us overcome unconscious biases and think laterally as we plan our testing. Playing may also entice non-testers to join the party and learn exploratory testing skills. Tried-and-true techniques combined with a new approach mean better outcomes for our customers!

Takeaways:

• How thinking about the three categories can bring new risks to light
• Techniques to uncover hidden risks while focusing on value for customers
• How to uncover blind spots in design, solution and testing
• >How you could use games to come up with fresh testing ideas

Hacking the Juice Shop

Security testing seems to be viewed as an extremely complicated area where only experts can contribute. In this workshop, we'll demonstrate that in truth, there's plenty of things you can do being an expert in security testing.

We have worked in a number of teams where security testing was only seen as something you buy as a service from an external vendor and then you try to make sense of the report and hopefully you figure out what to change. After reading a number of those reports, we realized that not only did the same issues keep coming back; they were also things we should be able to check for ourselves on a regular basis. By introducing a few new checks into the regular testing of most web applications, we can gain confidence in ourselves and the basic security of our systems and make security a part of our regular development cycle.

The OWASP Juice Shop is an intentionally insecure web application, as an exercise and training environment for quality engineers and developers of all skill levels. In this workshop, we will use it as our lab environment as we go over the current OWASP Top 10 list of web application risks. We'll guide you through some handy tricks and tools for solving some of the Juice Shop challenges and reflect on how this can be used in your everyday situations. The focus will be on “low-hanging fruit”, i.e. things that can be done quickly and are easily applied regardless of the situation. Hopefully this will leave you with a lot of new ideas, a hunger for learning more and an itch to solve all the challenges of the Juice Shop!

The format is aimed at beginners, requires little to no previous experience and will guide participants through a number of practices as we go through the concepts.

Takeaways:

• Things you can introduce into you regular testing process
• Introduction to some security testing tools
• You don't have to be an expert to start!
• Ideas on how to delve deeper once you get comfortable with the basics

Testing techniques & Heuristics in practice

In this workshop, we will get our hands dirty learning and practicing testing techniques, heuristics, and look at some code complexities to level up our testing skills.

We will be covering breaking down assumptions, test design techniques and heuristics and exciting coding complexities and weak spots that we can use to our advantage to find cracks in solutions.

Our objectives are:

• Understanding the impact of assumptions and how to make them explicit
• Testing techniques and how to apply them
• Heuristics - what are they and how can we use them

Takeaways:

• Participants are better armed to identify and break assumptions (own and other's)
• Participants are comfortable applying testing techniques to their test design and execution
• Participants understand more about how to test for general code complexity

How to make meetings not suck

Do you look forward to your regular team meetings? Or are you just enduring it by doing “real work” at the same time and silently thinking “This could have been an email or a Slack thread”?

What if you could join a meeting that energizes you, because it clarifies and aligns the goals with your teammates. A meeting that encourages you, because what is talked about matters for your daily work. A meeting that even satisfies you, because it has an impact and deepens the relationship to your coworkers?

While we can all agree most of us are in too many meetings, there are times when a meeting is the right choice. Unfortunately, so many meetings are done so badly that they lose all, or most, value. We would like to help you change that, one meeting at a time, making them valuable and even enjoyable for the participants.

As a meeting facilitator - do you make sure to adapt so your meeting fits the objectives and attendees? As a meeting participant - do you take responsibility to do what you can, and need, to make the meeting valuable to yourself and others? In this workshop we will mix theory with discussions and practical exercises as we dive into things like: why communication is hard but important, how to make all people talk and be heard, the importance of time boxing and agendas, different meeting formats, and finding a common language. In the process we might even be able to answer the age old question of Why Do You Agile Folks Always Have To Pull Off These Childish Games!

• How to include every voice
• Types of communication and settings and how to make them work for you
• Communication theory - what is it and why does it matter
• Continuous improvement - make your meetings evolve through feedback

Meeting facilitation - from OK to great

You've mastered the basics of how to make a meeting valuable. You know how to create an agenda, pick the right participants, tailor a format to the wanted outcome. Follow up and feedback - you got this covered, but then what? How do you go from ok to great and make your meetings the best they can be?

From setting rules and getting everyone on board to managing momentum and keeping the group on track - facilitation can be a demanding role and it often doesn't get the focus it deserves. It requires bravery, diplomacy and a good sense of reading the room. As a facilitator, you need a good variety of tools as well as understanding when to use which, and how. Great facilitation skills is a value multiplier skill like few others.

In this workshop we will leave the before and after parts and focus on the role during the meeting: Guiding and controlling the actual meeting, workshop or event. We will focus on trying things in a very hands-on and interactive way. There will be theory but the lion share will be YOU getting your feet wet trying and discussing with peers.

Put on your training shoes and join us for a practical training where you get to try out different facilitation tools and techniques in a friendly setting. Let’s expand our toolbox and grow our practical skills together.

• Inclusion and diversity - why and how?
• Facilitation tools and techniques
• Making everyone an active participant

Proactive Self-Care

We made it through a pandemic! This would not have been possible without self care. As leaders, we need to set an example by putting our oxygen masks on first. You can't care for others if you are drowning yourself. But we also need to make space for, and look out for signs of lacking, self care in the people we are leading.

Self care can be described as conscious acts to boost your physical and mental health. There are some parts that are generic, we all need to breathe, sleep and eat, but there are other things that are individual and that we each need to figure out for ourselves.

How early we spot the need for self-care differs a lot as well. In the best of worlds we will set aside time and space for it to work proactively, but a lot of us wait until we notice we need it. And some crash and burn before they see it coming. Again, some signs are almost universal while others are very personal and can be hard to logically connect to the need for self-care.

Let's have some reflection time together, learn some techniques not just in self care, but also when to recognize you might need it. We will blend reflection, discussions with practical exercises that hopefully leave you better prepared for a balanced life and with your own personal self-care plan.

Among other things, we'll cover what happens when you are stressed, what gives/takes energy, how to find your signs and even learn how to hijack out amygdala, to get us to a state when we are able to think rationally and deal effectively with change.

The art of Communication

“But we agreed on X! Why can't you ever deliver what you committed to?!”

Ugh! Why are other people so BAD at saying what they mean? Right?!

Like breathing, communication is something we do constantly - whether with our words or our body language. As team members or leaders, we need to be experts at it - and yet communciation remains one of the most difficult skills out there. Why is that?

How come - even though we try to be clear, try to be explicit, try to give information - we are often misunderstood, or we misunderstand others? We need to consider that what we say, what we mean, what someone hears, and what they interpret can be four totally different things.

In this very hands on workshop, we will dive into communication models, the difference between observations and judgements, how to cut away interpretations to get to behaviours, and how being silent can be your best super weapon in conversations. Let's learn together to level up our communication skills!