collaboration

Finding a Middle Ground between Exploratory Testing and Total Automation

The automator wants to get rid of human exploration—they want a robot to cut down a forest and stack the wood. The explorer, on the other hand, sees tools more like a chainsaw—they allow humans to go ten times faster, but a human is still driving the process. Finding a middle ground is the best test strategy.

Matt Heusser's picture
Matt Heusser
Language Differences and the Challenge of Communication

Miscommunication happens all the time in our collocated teams, so you can imagine how much it happens when we communicate across international boundaries with people for whom English is not a first language. By understanding language differences, you'll have a better chance of communicating effectively.

Naomi Karten's picture
Naomi Karten
The Merits of a Collaborative Manual and Automation Test Team

In many organizations, the manual and automated test teams are separate. But the most successful test teams integrate manual and automation resources into a single, cohesive team. This allows them to fill in any gaps in the test case steps and to develop a more informed automation strategy.

Linda Hayes's picture
Linda Hayes
When It Comes to DevOps, You Have to Start Small

It’s never easy instituing a new methodology or practice into your team. If you want DevOps to be a major focus in order to improve communication and collaboration between development and operations, you can’t just make that happen with the wave of a wand and a couple of key buzzwords.

Josiah Renaudin's picture
Josiah Renaudin
Navigating the Culture of Global Organizations

Many companies have very strong cultures and expect employees to embrace their values and view of the world. That can be difficult enough in familiar cultures, but in today's connected world, you may interact with colleagues all over the globe. Understanding their norms and communication styles is essential.

Bob Aiello's picture
Bob Aiello
How Innovation Really Happens

We tend to seek out creative ideas that will result in innovation, thinking that will bring about success. But popular theories of how innovation happens are actually wrong; more work is required than some think. There is more to innovation than just great ideas—and there is more to success than innovation.

Steve Berczuk's picture
Steve Berczuk
The Test Expert’s Role in DevOps

If our goal as testers is to build and release code more rapidly, frequently, and reliably, we must also align and integrate our testing practices, testing tools, test cases, test data, and test environments into continuous integration, testing, and deployment. A DevOps culture yields all new opportunities.

Michael Sowers's picture
Michael Sowers
Overcoming Arguments in the Workplace

Too often when we argue in the workplace, we stop listening, and our singular goal becomes having our way. But if we can maintain control, we can rationally present our position and allow the other parties to present theirs. In the process, everyone has a chance reach an improved understanding.

Naomi Karten's picture
Naomi Karten