QA In a Box

1
QA In a Box

• Premise Sooner or later we all start new
  assignments
• Goal Start off right, be a success
• Question What tools can we bring to a new
  assignment
• To help us become productive quickly
• To help build rapport with management and peers
• To help build our professional reputation
• To help insure the success of the project
• To avoid repeating our past mistakes

2
War Stories
3
Skills and Tools

• Skills you bring
• Soft People Skills
• Engineering Skills
• Attitudes
• Endorsements

• Tools you bring
• Personal Portfolio
• Test Samples
• Metrics Samples
• Rules of Thumb
• CBOK

4
Soft Skills

• Aside from whats inside our heads, how do we
  transport our soft skills?
• Books, articles, handouts, posters, plaques, and
  templates.
• Project Artifacts
• history past projects, successes

5
Personal

• Current Resume
• detailed version, all the begin-end dates,
  contacts, etc.
• Your bookmarks and contacts
• CD of collected tools

6
Skills Tools Books

• Kiss Bow or Shake Hands by Terri Morrison
• How to Say it at work,
• Black Box Testing by Boris Beizer
• Automated Software Testing
• Practical Software Metrics
• Software Project Survival Guide by Steve
  McConnell
• Project Management for Dummies

7
Articles

• 14 points of Quality by W. Edwards Deming
• Classic Testing Mistakes by Brian Marick
• Managing Meetings by Microsoft
• www.stickyminds.com
• www.qaiworldwide.com
• www.softwaretestinginstitute.com
• www.mindtools.com

8
Computer Tools

• Never assume you will be given a good computer or
  have internet access. Be prepared to work
  offline and to have to clean enhance your
  computer.
• Norton Utilities Ad-aware
• Easy Cleaner by Laguna Zone Alarm
• Favorite browser WinZip
• Adobe Reader GHOST/PQDI
• USB Jump Drive Ergo KBD Mouse
• Screwdriver CSTE CBOK CD

9
Binder/Folder

• Sample Documents
• Test Plans
• Testable Requirements
• Requirements Matrix
• WBS
• Test Case Guidelines
• CSTE CBOK

• Sample Sheets
• Interview Questions
• Code Walkthrough
• Meeting Agenda

10
Attitudes

• Sell Your Enthusiasm for the Test Profession and
  this specific Project
• The Process Engineering Manager must actively
  develop and implement programs that create
  enthusiasm and motivation for the program. This
  includes development of
• processes, recommendations for improvement of
  processes, and personal enforcement of processes.
• must make the program work through personal
  energy, enthusiasm, and hard work
• CSTE CBOK page 157

11
Endorsements

• College Diplomas
• Not all, just the pertinent ones.
• Its not just for vanity, but for confidence
  building
• CSTE certification
• Training Classes
• Six Sigma, etc.

12
CMM Tools

• Make copies of the CMM model chart
• Frame, make a handout
• Direct Processes to be moving up the ladder
• Initial, Repeatable, Defined, Managed, Optimized
• http//www.sei.cmu.edu/pub/documents/93.reports/pd
  f/tr24.93.pdf

13
Personal Log Book

• Start project log book right away
• Names, contacts, roles responsibilities
• Tape in charts, samples, notes, etc.
• Account , log-in procedures
• HR information, Insurance info
• Charge , Project , Billing Info
• Links to stuff, topology

14
Defect Samples

• Bring a few copies of good and bad defects from
  previous projects. These will serve as examples
  for discussion with those running the tests and
  characterizing the defects
• Anthropomorphisms to avoid
• Crashed, hung, broke, died, froze, sick, ill,

15
Test Plan Samples

• Archive a copy of every test plan you write
• Sanitize as necessary for IP purposes,
• Make several CD copies, bind in clear folders
• Grab copies of other peoples test plans
• One to mark up how you would change it
• One to keep (again sanitize as necessary)
• Learn from each experience

16
Metrics Samples

• Archive samples of metrics you encounter.
• Bring them and show samples to management, ask
  which would be on use/interest if developed
• Requirements Metrics
• Test Suite Metrics
• Test Case Metrics
• Test Execution Metrics
• Defect Metrics

17
Open Defect Reports Charts
18
Test Execution Reports Charts
19
Req/Test Reports Charts
20
Defect Sources Reports Charts
21
Rules of Thumb

• Bring a few historical rule-of-thumb numbers with
  you based on your experience
• defect density ( per KLOC)
• defects found/fixed per tester per week
• defects fixed per developer week
• ???

22
Find/Fix Rate Reports Charts

• Chart conclusions
• Developers on vacation during December, few fixes
  done, thus
• Find rate was higher than fix rate at first
• As developers checked in fixes the fix rate
  overcame till all 80 defects were fixed

23
Cumulative Defects
24
Grab New Stuff

• Standards Docs
• Existing Docs
• User Guides
• Org Charts
• Functional Charts
• Project List
• IT contacts

• Committee lists
• Peer in other groups
• Benefits packages
• Business Cards
• Cell phone s
• Email addresses

25
Conclusion

• Be Prepared Bring your experiences with you.
• Box should contain more than a photo of the
  family and a coffee mug.
• While in current job, take note of what lessons
  you would like to take away good or bad.
• While you have time and access, gather stuff
  together.
• Anticipate what you will need the first few
  days/week.
• Weeks turn into months, do it now.