MoT Masterclass: Tips to Improve Collaboration between Testers and Developers

Tips to improve collaboration between testers and developers

Franziska Sauerwein & Maaret Pyhäjärvi


Who are we?

Franzisoftware crafter

Maaretfeedback fairy


Tester vs. Developer

Need of Mastery

Focus of Modeling

Focus of Thinking

Tedium and Conflict

Domain knowledge Knowledge of product internals

Model user behavior Model system design

Sceptics Believers

Report problems Understand problems

Source: Adapted from Bret Pettichord. 2000. Testers and Developers Think Differently

We asked around…

Our adviceTips to improve collaboration between testers and

developers

Improving CultureTightened collaborationAppropriate CreditingMaking pairing cross-role comfortable


Themes of our advice

Improving CultureTips to improve collaboration between testers and

developers

Developers are not always nice to each

other


Improving culture


Blameless culture

Treating colleagues with respect


Improving culture

Unconfident testers working with

overconfident devs?


Improving culture


Improving culture

Modern ideals are not evident everywhere


Improving culture

Feeling safe to fail and safe to learn


Improving culture

Inviting feedback about testing


Improving culture

Tightened collaborationTips to improve collaboration between testers and

developers

From adversaries to co-creators to collaborators


Tightened collaboration


Tightened collaboration - Adversaries


Tightened collaboration - Co-Creators


Tightened collaboration - Collaborators

Work together at all times



Devs like about testers:

useful business info



Automation testers: better relationships

with developers



Appropriate creditingTips to improve collaboration between testers and

developers


Collaborative crediting


Collaborative crediting

“Mileva Marić Einstein was a physicist who contributed significantly to his groundbreaking science.”

https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/the-forgotten-life-of-einsteins-first-wife/

It takes a village


Appropriate crediting

Do we need to credit a single

person?



Celebrate team achievements



How can developers elevate testers’ contributions?



Making pairing cross-role comfortableTips to improve collaboration between testers and

developers

Testers remember pairing with a

developer


Making pairing cross-role comfortable

Stealth pairing even amongst developers



Go in with energy & patience



Task that leaves both successful





Leave your ego behind





How do we give value to each other?


Summary

Improving CultureTightened collaborationAppropriate CreditingMaking pairing cross-role comfortable


Summary

Questions?Your contact details

http://dojo.ministryoftesting.com/

Finding problemsHaving a good big picture of feedback they provideTeaching tech tricksLearning about testingBeing fast learnerGetting to teach them somethingClarifying specificationsBeing nice to work withDoing things togetherBeing helpfulBringing feature ideas and following through togetherOptimizing test automation suitesGiving fast feedback, in scope of changeDoing good workRunning through a hard test


Survey results: Devs will remember testers for….

Testing edge casesClarifying the specificationAsking questionsWorking on feature spanned wider than devsKnowing business requirements thoroughlyBeing always availableBringing in new perspectivesFiltering test results that need developer reactionLearning new things about agile testingTaking wider process responsibilityAutomating testing

...when asking specifically

PairingMaking themselves availableFinding good bugsTesting, differentlyReproducing difficult customer issuesGiving fast feedbackKeeping devs safe in complex worldDoing my jobTesting, wellCompleting a more significant test areaSpeaking up against “authorities”Giving feedback about processesTeaching them


Survey results: Testers remember devs appreciating….

Talking in level of codeAsking good questionsSynchronizing expectationsSaving them timeGiving them snacksAutomating testingBringing in new ideas

PairingFinding bugs through getting them thinkingBeing asked for help in testingBeing able to tell how to do thingsBeing paid attention toGetting positive feedbackFeeling usefulTeaching them somethingTesting something meaningfulTimely fixingTimely testingHaving a shared project on test automation


Survey results: Testers will remember devs for….

Seeing things from another viewSharing responsibilityFinding and understanding bugsMaking reproducing bugs easyBeing thoroughBeing team playersDoing specifications and automation collaborativelyPairingAutomating testsImproving process


Survey results: Devs enjoy working with testers for...

Software

MoT Masterclass: Tips to Improve Collaboration between Testers and Developers