reporting your story: note taking in software tests' with shmuel gershon
DESCRIPTION
View webinar: http://www.eurostarconferences.com/community/member/webinar-archive/webinar-70-recording-your-story-note-taking-in-software-tests If testing is providing information, good testing includes improving the way we record and report this information. Testing notes take many forms. Some tests or testers inform a dry pass/fail, other come back with a touching story about feelings, others end up with a bug report. In this webinar, we'll try to explore what types of notes can be important for testers, and learn practical hints on how to take these notes. These hints are based on experience and observations, and also on the way professionals from different domains like journalism or education take their own notes. We will also cover some comments on how to learn and practice a skill that (for good and bad) is already ingrained and set deep into our day to day habits. Whether you feel that your notes are incomplete, or if in contrast you feel you take complete notes, this webinar will give you hints that you can take into practice right away to take it one little step forward.TRANSCRIPT
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Today’s webinar is presented by Shmuel Gershon and he will discuss Recording Your Story: Note Taking Principles
Welcome to the EuroSTAR July Webinar Series
This webinar is due to start at 2pm. Make sure you stick around at the end for the Q&A session and continue the conversation with the speaker on Twitter after the show!
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Recording Your Story: Note Taking in Software Tests
Shmuel Gershon, Testing Engineer, Intel (Israel)
A testing engineer technical leader at Intel Corporation, Shmuel Gershon tests firmware and software, coaches teams and helps friends. Shmuel is convinced that the most significant
factor in our quest for quality is people, not features or technology. This observation made him pay special attention to how people read or write testing notes.
Find his writings about software testing at http://testing.gershon.info and the "Rapid Reporter" exploratory testing note-taking tool at http://testing.gershon.info/reporter
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Q&A
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Slides and all materials will be posted on the EuroSTAR website as well as emailed to you.
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Join the conversation on Twitter
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@sgershon
Continue the conversation with the speaker on Twitter after the show!
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About Shmuel – Indicators and Metrics
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Stuff Shmuel TriesPass
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About Shmuel –
Let’s try again!
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About Shmuel – Biographic Notes
• Claims more than 34 years of experience• ~15 of them employed
• His main occupation is software, and testing. Which means he deals with people.• Works in a team of ~20
at Intel in Jerusalem
• Shmuel also likes flying kites – and riding caster boards!
• An avid reader andobsessed note-taker
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Good stories require good
notes!Same happens in your professional life and work routine.
Good notes reframe the question of…
“What Have You Done?”
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Why taking notesOutwards• Quality/Relationship
Stories• Remember the
‘About me’ slide?• How satisfied are
you with your TV?• Software stories
• Communication devices• Cave Paintings• Birth of language
Inwards• Notes
• introspection/reflection tools
• help you understand• help you remember• keep you focused
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Learning to Take NotesTeach yourself N
ote-Taking
Muscle Memory
• Observation, Feedback and
Practice!
The Process ofAdequate Note Taking is• Self-Calibrating
• Our Best ally:• consciousness and
intentionality• Be deliberate on
every note!
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Learning to Take NotesThe tool is not the master!
Shmuel’s note-take mediums:• Physical Pocket Notebooks• Computer
• Rapid Reporter• Notepad• OneNote• Email• Blog
• Pulse Digital Pen• Cellphone notes• Post Its• Book Margins• Napkins!
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Past
Future
Present
<Content-Type: Time Context>
Remember, notes act as• Historical Account• Evidence Records• Line of Thoughts• Preparations• Record of Path to Aim
(& Gives Aim to Aimlessness)• Communication Devices• Future Planning
Past
Present
Future
Take notes as you go
Taking notes upon eventsTaking notes after the fact
"You have to give yourself permission to write freely.“
"If you get stuck, write'I see' or 'I wonder'and fill in your own blanks."
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What to include• Steps Performed• Trials Done• Problems Encountered• Questions Found• Solutions Achieved• Assumptions Inferred• Offenses Taken
• X perfect• X lacking
• > Adequate• Fit for Purpose
• Debrief?• Audit?• Drawer?
<Content-Type: Substance>
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Good Note-Taking Principles!
Intrinsic Principles:• Complete Phrases• One-Liners• Intentional• Self Organizing
• == Self-Classifying
I – ImportantC - ContentA - Assessment
Setup, Note, Test, Bug,
Question...
Simple Tools
Complex tools
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Note-Taking Tools
If notes are hard to take – one does not take good notes.
• Pen & Paper• Rapid Reporter• Notepad• Session Tester• OneNote• Visualization Methods
• Lists• Mind-Maps (hierarchy)• Tables (cross-relationship)• Timelines• Flow charts
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Can’t we just record everything?
• Additional Pros:• You don't miss details
• Well… many details are not recorded
• And why the FOMO?• No need to work!
• Additional Cons:• Tell me what you
think, not what you did
• Poor reviewability
We can't understand
why students tape
lectures. They're not
only unreliable, they're a waste of
time.These tools do not implement “the web of
abstract concepts”
hiding behind.
Rapid Reporter is like the Pilot's log.BB Test Assistant is like the flight data recorder.
Taping encourages lazy note-taking and, therefore, lazy listening.
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Note-Taking Examples
Taken as a whole, with sporadic memory flashes, the notes seem to tell the story:• Rain all night until dawn.• By noon the sun burns
through, perfect day, not even humid.
• Steadman is now worried about fire.
• I obtained copies of Yamma's first divorce petition and subsequent dismissal.
• Steele told me about Rev. Jackson and the 6000 check.
• The Boston Globe reported on LaFrance's connection with Swindall."
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Note-Taking Examples
• 3rd Jan 1805.
• Some Buffalos came near our fort, 9 men went out but killed none of them.
• 1 of the men killed a beautiful white hare which is common in this country.
• …
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Note-Taking Examples
?
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Questions?
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Credits/Sources
• Michael Bolton’s Tweets: https://twitter.com/michaelbolton/status/353113919264534529 , https://twitter.com/michaelbolton/status/353108582532792320• Napkin: http://www.samueltextor.ch/EVB-Napkin