Peter Betting, Dutch Rail

You got 200 hours … really!

www.eurostarconferences.com@esconfs#esconfs

Agenda

• Introduction

• The story

• The lessons:– Do what matters!

– We are not an island!

– Are we that good?

• Questions?

Introduction

Present: Head of IT Operations Test Department for the Dutch Railway companyPast: Worked as a tester, testmanager in a.o. Banking, Telecom, Retail and Transportation. Manager of test departments.Specialized in Software and Test FactoriesOrganizes 3 times a year own test event entitled the ‘Fantestic’ Test Event (De fantestische testmiddag).

The story behind the title

Project ‘DUO’ at the Dutch Rail company

Our complaints sheet

You want to be taken seriously?

Do what matters!

We are not an island!

Are we really that good?

Do what matters: the PRA

• Focus on what can be done within the given time

• Bring the stakeholders together

• Make clear what will be the areas which will not be tested before going into production

• Make clear what the risks are, both business and technical risks

• Translate risks to the ‘Live’ environment:what will be the fixing costs and time wasted

Product risk analysis for ‘THEM’

• My voice and concerns are heard

• Now I understand what I get from testing

• I understand that I cannot get it all

• It is the first time I have the feeling that I made sensible and right decisions

Product risk analysis for ‘US’

• We can work out our test strategy andfinish our test plan

• We know what to test, the priority andwhat not to test

PRA

Software Testing

Type(s)

Test Strategy Test Techniques

Minimal test base

required

Test specification

Test Execution

TEST COVERAGE

PRA, the base for your test project

• ‘No’ techniques• Informal testing• At the end if

there is time left

• Formal techniques• Suitable test base

• Up front

Prisma Approach and Prisma tool

http://www.tass.nl/nl-nl/opdrachtgevers/cases/prisma/

When does this NOT work!• So now we have ourselves a PRA but then what?

– PRA is not linked and worked out properly in the test strategy

• I am a test manager and I know only one or two test techniques– When you have to make choices for your team you should

understand them and be able to explain them– You should be able to motivate your choice for techniques– Many test techniques can be used for the same quality

attribute but which one should I use?• Formal, informal, depending on test base

• I am a test ´manager´ and I do not need to know test techniques!

We are not an island: The Race Track

• All sofware engineering disciplines together in one Race Track

• What do we do in what fase– What are we doing

– What are they doing

– How do we depend on each other

– How can we help each other

• Quality gates when crossing each phase

• Ensure that testing is well positioned in thisRace Track

Maintenance Acceptance

Criteria

Product Risk Analysis

Are we really that good: The Test Radar

Do we just ‘talk the talk’ or can we ‘walk the walk’?

• Test radar follows how well a project applies essential principles (as in the standard IT

Operations test approach)

• Based on TMap Next

• Every project is monitored on a weekly basis

• Immediate focus on the areas which areunderperforming

• Levels are TPI based

The IT Operations Test Radar

‘Walk the walk’ ≠ ‘Produce a document’

• PRA scores 1: PRA has not been done

• PRA scores 3: PRA has been done but is a stand alone activityand is not the base of the test strategy

• PRA scores 5: PRA has been worked out correctly and is the base of the test strategy. Potential risks areas are fixed andmanaged.

Now we are taken seriously!

• Do what matters - PRA

• We are not an island – Race Track

• Are we really that good? - Test Radar

• Promote testing within your company

Test events

Test newspaper

Test meeting

Peter Bettingpeter.betting@ns.nlFind me on Linkedin