Developing Testers What Can We Learn from Athletes?

1. Developing TestersWhat Can We Learn from Athletes? Paul GerrardGerrard Consulting1 Old Forge CloseMaidenheadBerkshireSL6 2RD UK e: paul@gerrardconsulting.comw: http://gerrardconsulting.comt: 01628 639173 Assurance with Intelligence

2. Agenda • Why did I put this talk together? • Athlete Development • 2 Minute Introduction to Rowing • A (Development) Squad Training Plan • Tester Development • A Tester Development Plan • Coaching/Mentoring • Close Assurance with Intelligence

3. Why did I put this talk together? • Good question! • Well… I coach and train testers and rowers • Similarities? • Me, being a know-all, telling other people stuff so they can meet an objective (or two) • Mainly about human interaction, trial and error, trial and success, behaviour changes driven by feedback • Differences • One mainly ‘physical’, the other completely mental. Assurance with Intelligence

4. Why did I put this talk together? 2 • I believe that there enough similarities in overall objective, that some of the methods used in one, could be used in the other • By looking at another discipline, we might obtain insights to how we might improve the way we develop as testers • It seemed like a good idea at the time. Assurance with Intelligence

5. Introduction to Rowing Assurance with Intelligence

6. Rowing 101 • Sculling • Each sculler has two sculls (oars) • Single, double, quads (coxed/coxless), octuples (coxed) • Rowing • Each rower/oarsman/woman has one oar or blade • Pair, Four (coxed/coxless) or Eights (coxed) • Cox – the little guy who steers and gives orders • Basic movement in rowing and sculling is the same. Assurance with Intelligence

7. From the power of eights… Assurance with Intelligence

8. …to the grace of a single sculler ;-)

9. Something more graceful than me Womens’ Head of the River 2006 Assurance with Intelligence

10. A (Development) SquadTraining Plan Assurance with Intelligence

11. 1 Year Goals • Squad goals • To represent MRC in three head races and three summer regattas at Novice level • To improve crew endurance to achieve target time for 2000m on Dorney Lake in IV and/or VIII – March • To improve crew technique to match Women’s squad • Personal goals • To improve specific points of rowing technique for each individual • To achieve an agreed level of skill in a single sculling boat • To improve PBs on Ergometer for 500m, 2000m, 5000m by agreed targets • To be capable of rowing in Womens squad next season. Assurance with Intelligence

12. Ambition • Achieve one novice head event win in IV or VIII for all squad members • Achieve one novice summer regatta win in any boat for all squad members • Win a pot at Maidenhead Regatta? Assurance with Intelligence

13. Training Principles • Overload - athletes subjected to progressively higher stresses to develop strength and endurance • Recovery - adaptation takes place during recovery, not the training session itself • Specificity – training sessions will aim to develop a specific area of technique or physiology • Reversibility – the body can reverse any of the adaptations (i.e. stop training – lose speed, strength etc.) • Evaluation – constant monitoring to plan training, recovery and improve the plan itself. Assurance with Intelligence

14. Overall Training Strategy • Five key areas • Rowing technique • Flexibility/mobility • Strength • Power • Endurance Assurance with Intelligence

15. Ergometer – instrument of torture Assurance with Intelligence

16. Training Plan Structure • Four core sessions per week • Typical winter session in gym/Ergos will last maximum 90 minutes • On-water sessions will typically last 60-80 minutes • Sessions to start and finish promptly • On occasion, two sessions may occur on Saturdays/Sundays • Training will taper off towards competition days. Assurance with Intelligence

17. Training Approach • Basic rowing movement and land fitness training on ergometers and in gym • Rowing technique in boat, technical drills/exercises • Technical paddling will be done at low intensity • Basic sculling and rowing technique will be taught • Video will be used as a training tool, on water and on Ergos • Squad members will get CDs containing all footage of crews and individuals. Assurance with Intelligence

18. Testing • Critical part of training and development is the ability to monitor progress towards goals • One of the following tests will be performed monthly • 20 minute test on Ergo • 1000m, 2000m test on Dorney Lake (still water) • 1500m (approx) test on Thames at Maidenhead • Occasional, informal sculling “heads”. Assurance with Intelligence

19. Other stuff • Terminology • Standard ARA terminology will be used, except for exercise names which are often non-standard – a glossary will be provided • Squad are expected to be “fluent” • Crew Selection • Selection for boat places for competitions may be necessary • Main Criteria will be commitment. Assurance with Intelligence

20. Training Periods • Plans covering the three main training periods will exist: • September-December (created/agreed August) • January-April (created/agreed December) • May-July (created/agreed April) • The period mid August to Mid September will be a ‘rest period’. Assurance with Intelligence

21. Start-Up • Paul will present the overall Training Strategy to the squad (end July/early August) • Commitment is sought from each squad member to the plan to establish the need for equipment and whether IV or VIII (or quad) will be the primary training and competition boat. Assurance with Intelligence

22. Training bands Assurance with Intelligence

23. A Tester Development Plan Assurance with Intelligence

24. Tester development plan - Principles • Overload – testers need to be subjected to progressively more demanding training to develop a broader skill-set • Recovery/Adaptation - adaptation takes place during debrief, reflection, implementation – post-training • Specificity – training sessions should aim to develop a specific area of technique or skill • Reversibility – the tester can reverse any of the adaptations (i.e. stop training/using skills – lose those skills/capability) • Evaluation – constant monitoring to plan training, adaptation and to improve the plan itself. Assurance with Intelligence

25. (1 Year) Goals • Team goals • To apply new methods/approaches consistently across the team, to the next project • To make the team more flexible by acquiring new skills and making team members interchangeable • Personal goals • To improve technical, planning, managerial skills in specific areas • To improve interpersonal skills in specific areas • To improve self-evaluation or independent evaluation scores • To be capable of taking responsibility for e.g. test planning, team supervision, test reporting Goals need to be related to capability,SMART* and RELEVANT * specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and tangible Assurance with Intelligence

26. Ambition (planned achievements) • Examples: • Prepare tests for a new application, unsupervised • Manage product risks from requirements through to implementation • Be recognised as a Centre of Excellence for test automation Ambitions should reflect desirable achievements, scheduled to occur in less than a yearSMART* and RELEVANT Assurance with Intelligence

27. Overall Training Strategy • Testing theory: terminology, ideal process, underlying principles, standards… • Testing skills: verbal reasoning, numerical/abstract reasoning, fault diagnosis, accuracy… • http://www.criticalthinking.org/resources/TRK12-strategy-list.shtml • Testing practice: practical hands-on – planning, designing, running, exploring, incident logging… • Interpersonal skills: awareness of self and others, listening, questioning, presenting, helping, influencing, negotiating, teamworking, managing relationships… Assurance with Intelligence

28. Development Plan Structure • Personal development plan • 360 degree feedback – colleagues, managers, direct reports, customers, others… • Agreed budget for off-the-job training • Agreed time allowance for on-the-job training Regular review of the development plan as it’s a living document. Assurance with Intelligence

29. Training Approach example • Testing theory: standard classroom or self-study courses (ISEB for basics; focused, specialist courses on testing) • Testing skills: critical thinking skills, 35 of them – brief 1-2 hour focus every two weeks • Testing practice: organisational process, standards, templates coached by peers; regular practical hands-on refreshers: test programs, exploring, incident logging • Interpersonal skills: micro-skills can be taught and practiced in work and classroom situations; scenario-based case-studies, role-playing etc. cover higher-level skills. Assurance with Intelligence

30. Testing and feedback • Test design quiz to measure/hone techniques skills • Testing/critical thinking practicals (Testing Case Studies) : • Reviews of documents with known issues • Hands-on tests of software with known bugs • Incident reporting and independent assessment • 360 feedback to review IP skills • Post-project reviews. Testing needs to be competitive, non-threatening, informative and relevant. Assurance with Intelligence

31. Other stuff • Terminology: team need to be “fluent” • Team selection linked to development attainment • Promotion linked to development progress. Testers need to regard ‘being selected’ for a team as a key objective. Promotion comes from being a “first team” regular. Assurance with Intelligence

32. Training “Periods” • There is no ‘season’ for testers, but development activities can be synchronised to projects • Between projects: post-project reviews, 360 feedback, classroom training, testing, development plan review, goal setting • Early in projects: review participation, test design refresher courses • Mid-project: Testing Case-Studies • Late-project: let the testers do their job; managers should monitor performance at peak times • Project end-game: personal self-assessments, prepare for 360 feedback Assurance with Intelligence

33. Start-Up • Team and individual development plans agreed and communicated early in ‘the season’ • Commitment is sought from each individual to the team and individual development plans to establish the need for additional resources, budget, time, equipment etc. • Development plans can by synchronised with overall resource plans with effort allocated to development activities. Assurance with Intelligence

34. Training types Assurance with Intelligence

35. Coaching/Mentoring Assurance with Intelligence

36. Coach-Tester Relationship • In sport – coaches are fundamental to success – why don’t test teams have a coach? • Testers must trust the coach to observe, guide, advise, motivate • Coach competences – to be effective, some very specific competences are required. Assurance with Intelligence

37. Coach competencies • Don’t need to be a current or ex-Olympic medallist to coach Olympians • Don’t need to be a champion tester to coach testers • Fluency in the skills to be taught is required • Enthusiastic and ability to enthuse others. Assurance with Intelligence

38. Competencies 2 • Communication skills are paramount • How to communicate a vision • How to listen, observe, interpret • How to advise, cajole, convince, influence • Observation, observation, observation! • Once the plan is set, all technical coaching input starts with observation • Ability to identify, observe and communicate the indicators of success. Assurance with Intelligence

39. Indicators of success • Wins of course, but competitions are infrequent! • Need to coach the tester to recognise the signs of success, to self-motivate and wish to improve • Signs of mastery (personal) • Independent work, ability to consult/advise, scores in tests, confidence, comfort in their role, enjoyment • Signs of achievement (in the eyes of peers) • Work rate, capacity, regarded as a master, peer role model (“the one to copy/beat”). Assurance with Intelligence

40. communicationcommunicationcommunication! • Communication in terms of analogies, metaphors, comparisons, examples, stories • Often, people don’t understand straightforward technical descriptions • Need to make the message accessible by using real-life stories or metaphors • Interpersonal classes often use related, not directly comparable examples to illustrate points • Don’t underestimate the value of humour. Assurance with Intelligence

41. Feedback • Feedback to the tester is critical: • Technical faults (with care and consideration) • Test results and interpretation • Feedback from the coach • Does the tester understand, appreciate the point being made by the coach? • Does the tester believe/commit to the implicit, explicit changes in behaviour being sought? Assurance with Intelligence

42. Motivation - Sport • Motivation is more important in training than in competition • Training lasts much longer, is costly in effort and much more draining than competition • No instant reward – that’s months away • In competition, athletes shouldn’t need motivating – competition is WHY we train • Competition is PAYBACK time for all those long hours, effort, boredom, pain, injury. Assurance with Intelligence

43. Motivation - Testing • Motivation is more important on projects • The job is continuous, lasts longer, costly in effort, more demanding, unrewarding perhaps • Coach should be prominent in the team, asking questions, giving guidance, open to suggestion • Coach should treat the project as an opportunity to learn, to witness the training being applied, to refine the training itself • In training, testers shouldn’t need motivating • Training is often regarded as a REWARD in itself • But to train hard requires discipline and commitment. Assurance with Intelligence

44. Close • There are obvious parallels between the athlete and tester’s training, coaching and development • Personal and team development goals and plans agreed and committed to • More attention on critical thinking, interpersonal and practical (+ some theory) skills is required • Opportunities exist for training and evaluation on the job itself • Coaches/coaching are underused (if used at all). Assurance with Intelligence

45. Developing TestersWhat Can We Learn from Athletes? Thank-You! gerrardconsulting.comuktmf.com Assurance with Intelligence