karen n johnson keynote address qa or the highway 2016: how nancy drew prepared me to become a...

Karen N. Johnson

QA or The Highway 2016

How Nancy Drew prepared me to become a software tester

Who is Nancy Drew? A cultural icon, Nancy Drew has been cited as a formative influence by a number of women, from Supreme Court Justices Sandra Day O'Connor and Sonia Sotomayor to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and former First Lady Laura Bush.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nancy_Drew&oldid=703381938

How Nancy Drew Prepared Me © Karen N. Johnson, 2016

The New Nancy Drew: Reimagining a Gutsy Female Character

“Nancy Drew is renowned as one of fiction’s most enduring strong-willed female characters of the 20th century. Though not a superhero by standard definition, her character is seen as a powerful icon. She’s guided by for her intellect, known for her physical strength and portrayed as independent, capable and gutsy. When it comes to mystery and danger, Drew doesn’t play sidekick to male characters throughout the original series. Rather, she’s at the forefront of the action, spying, collecting evidence and making bold decisions. She’s applauded by male counterparts for her achievements rather than her looks, and she doesn’t shy away from adventure.” source: http://amysmartgirls.com/the-new-nancy-drew-reimagining-a-gutsy-female-character/


The Hardy Boys The Hardy Boy mysteries were designed for boys to encourage the same love of reading and build on a sense of adventure.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Hardy_Boys&oldid=703436626


“Rediscovering Nancy Drew”


Edited by

Carolyn Stewart Dyer

and

Nancy Tillman Romalov

¨  Although Nancy Drew is a favorite character, people often don’t recall the plot lines – they generally carry a more nostalgic generalized memory of her character.

¨  Nancy is shown as “conquering our worst fears, giving us a glimpse of our braver better selves”

¨  Nancy inspired girls to preserve, to achieve, to ask questions and find answers.

“Rediscovering Nancy Drew”


Edited by

Carolyn Stewart Dyer

and

Nancy Tillman Romalov

“Detection is about heightening awareness, using visual enhancers – after all look at the tools for detectives: flashlight, binoculars, telescope, magnifying class – these are the tools of the inquisitive.”


“Women in many occupations told of learning from Nancy to see adventure in problem solving and the joy of self-reliance.” -- from “Rediscovering Nancy Drew”


What is the point of today’s talk?

It is not for Karen to share nostalgia.

It is to see what we can pull from Nancy Drew to teach and

inspire both ourselves and other software testers.

“Making Thinking Visible”

By

Ron Ritchhart,

Mark Church,

&

Karin Morrison

¨  Project Zero through Harvard Graduate School of Education

¨  Devised thinking routines for students

¨  See: www.pz.harvard.edu/vt

¨  Let’s compare these routines to how Nancy Drew “worked”


See/Think/Wonder

What do you see?

What do you think about that?

What does it make you wonder?

How Nancy Drew Prepared Me © Karen N. Johnson, 2016 From “Making Thinking Visible”

Think/Pair/Share

A thinking routine designed to encourage students to think on their own, then share, compare notes and move onto explore together.


What makes you say that?

What’s going on?

What do you see that makes you say that?


I used to think… But now I think…

A thinking routine designed for reflecting on how and why our thinking has changed.


Compass points

E = Excited

W = Worrisome

N = Need to Know

S = Stance or Suggestion to move forward


“Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes”

By

Maria Konnikova

¨  Active vs. passive attention ¨  Building and cultivating a brain attic

¨  Make use of the scientific method

¨  Compare sleuthing by Holmes vs. Drew

How Nancy Drew Prepared Me © Karen N. Johnson, 2016 From “Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes”

Active thinking engagement vs. been there done that

How Nancy Drew Prepared Me © Karen N. Johnson, 2016 The Art of Asking Questions © Karen N. Johnson, 2015

From “Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes” How Nancy Drew Prepared Me © Karen N. Johnson, 2016


“We may feel we have been there, done that our attention wans this is why it is not just the skills of observation but the ongoing skill of being motivated, being engaged and that takes mindfulness, deliberate practice and discipline.”

From “Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes”

Building and cultivating a brain “attic” ¨  Imagination has a place

alongside using the scientific method

¨  Think of your brain as a storage facility

¨  Deduction and reasoning come from your brain’s “attic”

¨  Ongoing education is critical


Scientific Method

¨  Create a hypothesis to explain observations ¨  Design an experiment to test the hypothesis

¨  See if the results match the expectations

¨  Lather, rinse, repeat


The mindset of a hunter


¨  Ever-ready attention ¨  Environmental appropriateness

¨  Adaptability

¨  Acknowledging limitations

¨  Cultivating quiet

¨  Constant vigilance

Can you see how Nancy Drew and Sherlock Holmes use all of these attributes?

From “Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes”


“Nancy Drew mysteries pulled me into the stories, encouraged

my imagination, and sparked a passion for wanting to figure

things out. These same skills and attributes are needed in

software testing.” – Karen N. Johnson

Karen N. Johnson

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @karennjohnson


karen n johnson keynote address qa or the highway 2016: how nancy drew prepared me to become a...

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