A presentation at Nordic Testing Days 2017 in in Tallinn, Estonia by nicola sedgwick
do testers need a thick skin? or should we be proud of our humanity?
#NTD2017 @nicolasedgwick me. Nicola Sedgwick Tester, Test Manager, Test Coach, Agile Team Member, etc.
“there’s a bug in production” bug.
“there’s a bug in production” “was this tested?” bug.
“there’s a bug in production” “was this tested?” “what did i miss?” bug.
“there’s a bug in production” “was this tested?” “what did i miss?” “how serious is this problem?” bug.
“there’s a bug in production” “was this tested?” “what did i miss?” “how serious is this problem?” “how could i have let this happen?” bug.
we KNOW no-one is placing blame we KNOW our testing process isn’t flawed we KNOW the team did everything ‘right’ rational.
who will trust my testing of the fix? it’s my fault! i’m going to get fired!!! irrational.
#NTD2017 @nicolasedgwick perceptions. playing devil’s advocate providing information questioning bug advocacy
#NTD2017 @nicolasedgwick testers. [Images from MinistryOf Testing.com ]
#NTD2017 @nicolasedgwick easy. “i found a bug by just opening a page and looking at it - i could be a tester”
#NTD2017 @nicolasedgwick value. • “now you’re just nit-picking” • “you’re too critical” • “why not ignore it this once” • “those aren’t REAL bugs” • “but you’re just a tester” • “testers always complain” • “you’re never satisfied” • “testers are just so negative”
#NTD2017 @nicolasedgwick impact. [Yerkes-Dodson law] http://haleo.co.uk/wordpress/whats-stress-got-to-do-with-it/
#NTD2017 @nicolasedgwick skin. self-esteem: a feeling of having respect for yourself and your abilities imposter syndrome: a collection of feelings of inadequacy that persist despite evident success. confidence: a feeling or belief that you can do something well or succeed at something burn out: exhaustion of physical or emotional strength or motivation usually as a result of prolonged stress or frustration
coral.
#NTD2017 @nicolasedgwick starting point. new child marriage bereavement house move
fight or flight.
#NTD2017 @nicolasedgwick fighting your corner
“Thank you for refusing to be ignored - I’d given up highlighting the issue as it just seemed to fall on deaf ears.” vindication.
#NTD2017 @nicolasedgwick caring. vocal invested involved passionate
#NTD2017 @nicolasedgwick manifesto. Individuals and interactions
over processes and tools Working software over comprehensive documentation Customer collaboration over contract negotiation Responding to change over following a plan Extract from Manifesto for Agile Software Development
guard.
#NTD2017 @nicolasedgwick self-help. • eat healthily • sleep properly • get some fresh air • relax your jaw • take regular breaks • don’t dwell on problems • get some exercise • reduce screen time
#NTD2017 @nicolasedgwick de-stress.
#NTD2017 @nicolasedgwick cope. 1. get away; get outside 2. headphones 3. mentors & peers 4. cap your workload
#NTD2017 @nicolasedgwick inspiration
observe.
observe.
observe.
observe.
observe.
observe.
#NTD2017 @nicolasedgwick realise. is one perfect no
#NTD2017 @nicolasedgwick grow. collaborate share the workload and gain appreciation of other roles heal yourself delivery of information and opinion changes based on mood or situation mirror lead by example - treat others with respect and expect same in return involved be an active team member not a passive information provider
young “i know everything” developer who knew everything and expected testers to simply validate functions on real devices improve.
became a young respected developer fully collaborating with the team, offering assistance to colleagues regardless of role differences and thinking ahead from the outset. improve.
#NTD2017 @nicolasedgwick harmony. care communicate courage collaborate
tester.
#whatkindoftesterareyou
#NTD2017 @nicolasedgwick thanks. Get in touch. Twitter: @nicolasedgwick Slack: nicola (on testers.io or MoT)
#NTD2017 @nicolasedgwick credits. testers: Ministry of Testing https://www.ministryoftesting.com impact: Haleo http://haleo.co.uk/wordpress/whats-stress-got-to-do-with-it/ coral: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Coral_reef_at_palmyra.jpg fight or flight: Flickr https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gato_emervado_pola_presencia_dun_can.jpg fighting your corner: YouTube http://mentalfloss.com/article/65889/how-rocky-turned-common-man-hero-and-sylvester-stallone-star guard: Marvel http://fr.canoe.ca/divertissement/cinema/nouvelles/archives/2014/08/20140804-111002.html
As an profession we are constantly striving to move away from the stereotypes that QA means no bugs in productions, that testing should be considered throughout the development process rather than just at the end. When a bug is found in released software we aim to look at how that bug escaped detection and improve the team's testing and coding processed going forward. However, the statement that "there's a bug in production" still drives a lightning bolt of self-doubt and blame through me. I start questioning internally whether I'm being blamed and kicking myself for missing the bug as I feel the adrenaline flow and my heart beat faster. Even in the best agile project team where blame is never mentioned - I still blame myself for letting the bug through (even though logically I know that I did no such thing). I'm sure I'm not alone.
The truth is that the adrenaline and self-doubt can be great drivers of understanding problems, finding or confirming fixes and staying alert until the situation is resolved. However, when these situations occur on a frequent basis, or in batches without sufficient recovery time then the blame and self-doubt can take hold.
It is hard to maintain a healthy and happy sense of self whilst also being the 'bad guy' pointing out the problems. Advice to deal with the situation by describing oneself as merely an "information provider" can exacerbate difficulties by separating the tester's personality and self from their role and the team that they work within. At the end of the day the information we provide is often bad news for one (or more) of our colleagues - let's acknowledge that fact.
I don't have a perfect solution but I have a few ideas to share from my own personal experience. Hopefully this talk will inspire others to share their stories and experiences about how we are all human and about how embracing our humanity can help us work better together.
The following resources were mentioned during the presentation or are useful additional information.
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