Are You Making These 7 'Testing Metric' Mistakes? Webinar - Mark Bentsen, Philip Lew

XBOSoft, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 1

Are You Making These 7 Metric Mistakes?And What to Do If You Are

with Mark Bentsen, ARGO Data

#XBOSoftWebinar

#TestingMetricMistakes

XBOSoftDedicated to software quality

improvementFounded in 2006

We speed products to market with our expert:

• Software QA consulting• Software testing

Global team with offices in San Francisco, Beijing and Amsterdam

“Thorough, accurate and fast”XBOSoft, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 2

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Event hashtags: #XBOSoftWebinar #TestingMetricMistakes

Meet Our Speakers

Philip LewCEO and Founder, XBOSoft• Relevant specialties and

passionso Software quality process,

evaluation, measurement and improvement

o Software quality in use / UX design

o Mobile User Experience and usability

o Cycling and travel


Rachel GeibigMarketing Manager, XBOSoft• Emails you about our

industry hot topic webinars

• Invites you to download our latest trends in software testing white papers

XBOSoft Team

Guest Presenter

Mark Bentsen


• Quality Assurance Manager, ARGO DataCTAL-Full, CSTE, PMP, ASQ CMQ/OE

• Leading cross-enterprise collaboration in the DFW area among Software Quality practitioners for the past seven years. Gathering corporately on a quarterly basis and on field trips to one another’s work places, the QA Trailblazers are pushing each other to expand the capabilities of the modern software testing organization.

• He is the QA Manager of ARGO Data, a software development company providing mission-critical and analytical solutions for financial services and healthcare.

• Mark & his wife Melissa are the President Couple of Better Marriages Texas and have been active in Marriage Enrichment since they said “I do” in 2001. Prior to working in technology, he worked in YWAM & Mercy Ships in Switzerland and Namibia.

• Contact: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Agenda


1. Why We’re Here2. 7 Metrics Mistakes3. What you can do about it!

Is There Ever TMI In Testing?


• No• But There Is TMD… Too Much Data• Reporting too much data and not enough

information

What do we do?


• Reduce Risk & Eliminate Waste

• Effective software testing teams:– Build confidence– Reduce “Risk & Surprises”– Detect defects early– Provide valuable information

What do we do?


• Reduce Risk & Eliminate Waste

• Effective Quality Assurance teams:– Identify risks– Prevent defects– Focus on continuous improvement of SDLC quality– Guard the company brand

STEP ZEROCommunication is what the LISTENER does


Communication Heuristics


• Misconception is that status and metrics only go out in email.

• If you depend on email, you have one “where” and one “how” in your communication tool belt. There are a lot of other tools available to the wise test manager.

METRIC MISTAKES7


1-Flash In The Pan


Too ambitious in the beginning

• Symptom: Having trouble keeping metrics current and reported when they are needed.

• Principle: Slow is fast. • Solution: Make a sustainable decision up

front.• Then: Steadily report meaningful information.

2-Heavy Lifting


Choosing to work hard instead of smart

• Symptom: Overly manual processes required to produce.

• Principle: Maintainability is a key quality attribute and a success criteria for process success.

• Solution: Build in telemetry.• Then: Automate, or automation assist.

3-Message In A Bottle


Communicating in a vacuum, throwing the bottle into the ether and expecting the best

• Symptom: No one responds to status reports from testing.

• Principle: Communication is what the listener (recipient) does.

3-Message In A Bottle


Communicating in a vacuum, throwing the bottle into the ether and expecting the best

• Solution: Know your audience. Who they are and what they care about.

• Then: Answer the questions they have, and address their concerns.

4-House on Fire


Ongoing state of emergency

• Symptom: Poor reporting and insight into QA processes through reporting.

• Principle: Reporting should be part of every testing process.

4-House on Fire


Ongoing state of emergency

• Solution: Validate you have meaningful metrics for each stage of your testing processes leading into a milestone.

• Then: Remove the mystery from what is taking place.

5-Mine Goes To Eleven


Reporting is too complicated & cumbersome

• Symptom: No one understands the metrics or the implications, including the Test Analyst sending it out.

• Principle: Keep it simple.

5-Mine Goes To Eleven


Reporting is too complicated & cumbersome

• Solution: Choose to be pragmatic over trying to be impressive.

• Then: Be consistent & crystal clear in your narratives.

6-Fish Out Of Water


Answering the wrong questions

• Symptom: Suffering from “This is the way we always do it” mentality.

• Principle: Know your audience.

6-Fish Out Of Water


Answering the wrong questions

• Solution: Answer questions that should be asked and avoid the status quo.

• Then: Follow-up in person with key stakeholders and adjust.

7-Rearview Mirror Driver


Haphazardly moving forward without knowing what to expect in the days/weeks ahead.

• Symptom: You are spending all your time trying to find defects instead of preventing them.

• Principle: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

7-Rearview Mirror Driver


Haphazardly moving forward without knowing what to expect in the days/weeks ahead.

• Solution: Predict what your metrics will be in the next two weeks. Document it.

• Then: Compare reality with predictions. Adjust until forecasting accurately.

AND NOWWhat to do about it…


Test Management Trifecta


• What have you completed?• What did you learn?• What remains?

Tactical versus Strategic


• Tactical– Standardize metrics across teams

• Strategic– Align to KPIs– YoY performance– Enterprise Quality Roadmap

BLUF


• Bottom Line Up Front• Follow with a “Headline”• Impact to the triple constraint?

Less is More


"I would have written you a shorter letter if I had more time."

- Blaise Pascal

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