Hello from PNSQC
How did it go?
A++++++++++++ Would present again.
While it may be hard to understand all of it, here's a version of the PDF slides from the presentation.
Well, the way it went exceeded my wildest expectations for my first time presenting. I got a little sweaty at first as I was scared, but once I relaxed it was great! There were about 100 people I estimate and they nodded, applauded, seemed to understand, and even laughed a few times. I felt very appreciated by all involved. I was still chatting with individuals and answering questions when the next speaker was ready to start! One person asked about my book and I cracked up. I have never written a book. My team of 4 people (including me) are testing the Creative Suites as a whole. I have had no time to write a book between that and The Worst Surgery Ever™. Gretchen told me that I have talent at speaking, but since she is my teammate, I assumed she just liked the topic and was biased. However, someone else told me I had talent at speaking that I never met before and meant so much to me! Now I believe Gretchen that it was a great start. While there are always things to improve, I'm happy my first presentation went well.
There are a few minor issues with me personally on my travels. First, I'm experiencing problems with the nerve pain, so if you see me limping around or laying on the floor today, that's why. The reason is, lots of sitting in less than ideal chairs. Because of the pain I'm nauseated, so not eating much. Gretchen is about to burst a blood vessel with my non-eating and chatting people up during meals. She and I will stop for hearty potroast on the way home at the Country Cousins (a.k.a. The Kissing Cousins). If you'd like to learn more about our journey back to Seattle, you must visit the website i5slog.com.
Regrets?
I didn't know how amazing the audience would be. I regret not leaving double the time for questions. Had I known how many SMART, awake, and cool people would be coming I'd have chattered on less and listened a bit more.
What Now?
I decided to write this paper and speak because I really am passionate about collaborative testing. If you came and saw me speak at PNSQC and want me to come chat with your team and see about starting up this type of testing, just let me know. I'll do what I can to help out.
Also, when I get back home I'll meet with Erin to discuss writing our abstract on reducing test case bloat to submit for PNSQC 2009. I feel we can't be ready for the future until we've dealt with the bloat from our past. We may be done with the past, but the past isn't always done with us. That's what this paper will be about. Reducing the bloat with an acceptable amount of risk so that products with a past can move on to their testing future.
A++++++++++++ Would present again.
While it may be hard to understand all of it, here's a version of the PDF slides from the presentation.
Well, the way it went exceeded my wildest expectations for my first time presenting. I got a little sweaty at first as I was scared, but once I relaxed it was great! There were about 100 people I estimate and they nodded, applauded, seemed to understand, and even laughed a few times. I felt very appreciated by all involved. I was still chatting with individuals and answering questions when the next speaker was ready to start! One person asked about my book and I cracked up. I have never written a book. My team of 4 people (including me) are testing the Creative Suites as a whole. I have had no time to write a book between that and The Worst Surgery Ever™. Gretchen told me that I have talent at speaking, but since she is my teammate, I assumed she just liked the topic and was biased. However, someone else told me I had talent at speaking that I never met before and meant so much to me! Now I believe Gretchen that it was a great start. While there are always things to improve, I'm happy my first presentation went well.
There are a few minor issues with me personally on my travels. First, I'm experiencing problems with the nerve pain, so if you see me limping around or laying on the floor today, that's why. The reason is, lots of sitting in less than ideal chairs. Because of the pain I'm nauseated, so not eating much. Gretchen is about to burst a blood vessel with my non-eating and chatting people up during meals. She and I will stop for hearty potroast on the way home at the Country Cousins (a.k.a. The Kissing Cousins). If you'd like to learn more about our journey back to Seattle, you must visit the website i5slog.com.
Regrets?
I didn't know how amazing the audience would be. I regret not leaving double the time for questions. Had I known how many SMART, awake, and cool people would be coming I'd have chattered on less and listened a bit more.
What Now?
I decided to write this paper and speak because I really am passionate about collaborative testing. If you came and saw me speak at PNSQC and want me to come chat with your team and see about starting up this type of testing, just let me know. I'll do what I can to help out.
Also, when I get back home I'll meet with Erin to discuss writing our abstract on reducing test case bloat to submit for PNSQC 2009. I feel we can't be ready for the future until we've dealt with the bloat from our past. We may be done with the past, but the past isn't always done with us. That's what this paper will be about. Reducing the bloat with an acceptable amount of risk so that products with a past can move on to their testing future.
Posted by Testy Redhead at 15 Oct 2008 
Categories: presenting, conference, collaborative testing, pnsqc, testing
Categories: presenting, conference, collaborative testing, pnsqc, testing
I enjoyed your paper and plan to do more workflow testing on my projects now. You are one of the people that made PNSQC such a worthwhile event.
Reply to this
Thank you! Let me know if I can help out or share my workflow experience, or if you make new discoveries as your team performs more of it. I thought the event was very useful too. I plan to go next year.
Reply to this
Lanette,
Your presentation was my favorite from the PNSQC. Congratulations on the well-deserved honor of best paper. I'll be doing a 5 minute "teaser" about workflow testing at a test team meeting this Thursday. If my peers take an interest, I'll delve deeper into the topic at a dedicated meeting (where I'll pretty much regurgitate as much as I can remember from your presentation). Keep up the great work!
-Ryan, Microsoft
Reply to this
Hi Ryan,
That is so very cool! I hope it goes well. Let me know if I can help out and how it goes in general.
If you are able to get a workflow exercise going, I'd be glad to participate if we can work out a non-disclosure/non-compete situation (of course depending on the team, but since I'm working on Suites it's not likely we are in direct competition). I'd be more than glad to go over any ideas with you that you might have for customizing your scorecard to make it apply to the workflows that you are trying to represent! Best of luck.
I've talked to 2 other people who had their first workflows with good results! I'm excited to see how the idea morphs as people adapt it to better suit their context. It was a wonderful conference and I'm already working on a paper for PNSQC 2009 where I hope to make us some nice signs.
Best of luck!
Lanette
Reply to this
Hi - I was one of the fortunate folks who got to hear you at PNSQC - And thank you!
Am relatively new to testing (only 3 years) and love hearing ideas and concepts about adding value to my work. Your presentation struck a chord - and has been one of the driving factors for a small campaign for me since I got back to work from PNSQC. It's not easy in a small company to bring in new ideas, but I persist, and place each valuable one in the category of Taoist action - 'a little drip of water can create a canyon - over time'.
Keep up the great blog - I am glad to hear of others who's opinions mirror my own.
Reply to this
Hi Becky,
Thank you so much for your kind comment! Will you be coming to PNSQC this year? I would love to meet up with you there if possible and hear about your work and how you are driving quality improvements in your org.
Lanette
Reply to this