Testing and Ethics II

I held a common house discussion last week on this subject at my office, with help of a colleague. Alas there where a lot of no-shows, so the group was small. Fortunately the people who showed up where fanatic and did some good work on the discussion.

I had prepared, again with help of a colleague, 10 statements on which half of the group were obligated to defend this statement (pro) and the other half were obligated to take the opposition (against). This made it really fun and answers where suprising at least! I'm writing a piece (synopsis) to submit for EuroSTAR 2009 in Stockholm toghether with another colleague for a workshop because I would really like to follow up seriously on this subject.

Don't underestimate the power of the Dark side... is a famous quote among fans an is surely applicable on this subject.

Below are the statements I prepared, I you would like to contribute to this discussion please leave a comment or look for the discussion on LinkedIn - groups.
Have fun!

• You can break the law to get meet your test goals


• To protect yourself and/ or your company you may not mention (certain) results


• Manipulation of test is allowed:


• Execute only the right-paths


• Execute only cases you know will have a positive result


• Execute those cases where you want to have the answers on


• You must always tell the truth


• You must always be able to use Privacy sensitive data to test


• You can drop test cases to your own insight if necessary to be ready on time


• You must always pass on your work when your own standards and values get into a corner


• As tester you should set aside your own standards and values to test thoroughly


• As tester you shouldn’t have professional ethical code because it hinders the good execution of tests


• Testing and ethics don’t mix

A testers life for me!

I had a fantastic week this week, full of creativity, energy, ideas and good conversations. Surprises and - allthough work got tough this week on my projects and I mad tooooooo much hours- a very satisfying week worth of work. Not only this week but also the week before that was very much full of positive energy.
The world around me maybe in crisis financially, I'm determined to keep up the good faith!

Highlights:
I did a couple of 'speeddatesessions' on schools with girls who have to choose their profile this year. As a woman who has done the Bèta profile and studied something technical (resp; Chemical Technology, Food Technology and IT) I'm proud to be a 'mirrorimage' or rolemodel for VHTO (www.vhto.nl) and I hope to excite these girls (3 HAVO/VWO) to choose a 'NT' profile.

I did loads of development, research and writing on testing (some things for internal use, so sorry I can't publish them here) and I've still loads of info in my head. I did 1 entry for EuroSTAR individually and have 2 still to be entered (so it will get late this evening for I plan to finish the draft versions this evening)

I had two very good conversations these week. One was on code-reviewing and certificationlevels hereoff and the second was on ExpertGroup Development and controversial / innovative developement within the Testing profession AND - very important - the human side of the profession. With IfSq and TestValue respectively. Gentlemen: again my thanks to both of you for the very inspirational talks and compliments! I have allready ordered special extra wide shoes so I won't be able to walk besides them (of course they are 'IS SHOES' (see entry earlier).
Also I would like to mention in this light: I'm going to do research the upcoming period and rethink some topics discussed! To be continued!

I did my first NEN session today. It was an introductary session where everybody introduced himself / herself and where goals where clarified. I expect great things from this group and look forward to the upcoming timeperiod in which the sessions to develop the standard on softwaretesting are going to be held.

I got my official certificate by snailmail on 'Senior Test Engineer' (SE2) also OpenGroup certification level 1. And a beautyfull bouquet of my employer!

Last Highlight was the surprise of a colleague who suddenly appeared at work for a visit (an short meeting) since long time of sickness. I thought this the most bright moment of the week since not only I but also my colleague was involved!

and cheezeburgers was particularily funny this week... but this was not really an important highlight, but made some happy moments anyway.

Yep, a testers life for me!

Low power

December is - for me- always a month which seems to be full of activities that require al lot of energy and when my personal activity level is on low.

First there is 'Sinterklaas', the day children get their way, too much presents and have the opportunity to cry, get sick on too much sweets and 'pepernoten' and be ungreatfull. My own tradition is to make a very good swiss cheesefondue with a good bottle of white wine and afterwards a good cappuccino with Australian chocolates.


Between 'Sinterklaas' and 'Santaclaus' there are a couple of weeks with obligatory christmass drinks, receptions, 'last things before the holidays', hectic work and deadlines, mixed with overcrowded shops and supermarkets and commercials on perfume, expensive clothes and jewelry and off course my end-of-year assessment interview and the end-of-year bills of the companies who want to pay their employess a royal end-of-year bonus as well.


I resent the 'jolly' days; the people who I want to celebrate it are dead or have another mindset on those days, so I feel mostly sad those days. Normally I don't celebrate my birthday but instead our family celebrated christmass with lots of presents. My husband hates this tradition (and the whole christmass thought) so alas...

This year I won a Wii on EuroSTAR though. I decided to buy the MarioKart and wheels and bought Guitar Hero with two guitars and a microphone. Allthough I allready had the oppurtunity to find a bug in Guitar Hero (it got stuk when I won the easy level on Rock Legends) I find this very amusing and a good way to break with traditions.


of other traditions to be broken; normally I'm a real cuisine on christmass (this my husband really likes this part) this year I don't cook a luscious meal but 'saurkraut with pork and sausace' instead so I have more time for the Rock on Sock!

Happy Holidays!

btw: pic is taken from http://icanhascheezburger.com/ makes me laugh in the sad days!

Wanted: Tester

This night when reading some newsletters that had accumulated in my mailbox, I was triggered by an article about an intelligent pill (sorry, the article is in Dutch). This pill had a built in processor which is able to determine where it is located in the body and where to drop certain medication. I found it a very beautiful innovation. But I couldn’t stop wondering: Who has
done the testing? And what test cases where designed. What were the quality characteristics?
More so, because I attended a lecture by James Whittaker where a movie was shown about future appliances (also in the medical sector), and he was apparently sitting beside a group of testers widely grinning and when asked, they said ‘There’s no way this is going to work man!’ (believe me if I say it was funny when he said it). I immediately connected this movie and the given reactions to the article. Not that it will not work, it probably will, since the article states that Philips has got a prototype which is ready for mass production. But on the testing area I started to imagine the following user acceptance test, yes: in this case taken literally.

- insert pill
And this immediately is THE issue, isn’t it? How and where is this pill to be inserted exactly? Not that it matters: A good tester always tests the wrong and the right way and I don’t mean try the ear or nose. Get the picture? Still keeps me wondering who the test team is; if you see people walking funny in or near the Philips labs, please let me know, I would like to ask them about their testing infrastructural appliance and how they managed.


Philips komt met 'intelligente pil'
12 november 2008 door: Freek Blankena
Philips heeft een prototype ontwikkeld van een 'elektronische pil' met ingebouwde microprocessor. De iPill moet medicijnen kunnen afleveren op een specifieke locatie in het lichaam. Naast de processor bevat de 'intelligente pil' een batterijtje, een radiozender/ontvanger en een klein medicatiereservoir met een minipompje. Ook heeft de pil een sensor die de zuurgraad en de temperatuur van zijn omgeving meet en waarmee de pil kan 'zien' waar
hij zich in het spijsverteringskanaal bevindt. Met de iPill wordt het volgens Philips mogelijk
aandoeningen in met name het spijsverteringskanaal, zoals de ziekte van Crohn, meer lokaal te behandelen. Zo kan de hoeveelheid toegediende medicijnen beperkt blijven. Volgens Philips is het prototype klaar voor massaproductie.

Brainwave

I'm starting a new business: it's called IsShoes and it makes shoes.
Those IsShoes can be made in India at a cheap price or in EasternEurope.
Hughe IsShoes from the States and the latest IsShoes from that special designer.
Then a new hype will start and everybody will have IsShoes!
and then a magazine that is called 'D-Facts' will have a special issue on IsShoes!

Do you allready have your IsShoes?

My Testersheart is violated

My testerheart was violated today! I feel like nothing has meaning, nothing I ever accomplished, ever thought of, ever published, spoke about and learned others: nothing has meaning, seems pale.
I don't trust anybody anymore; for everything I confide somebody in, they will rip it from me, make sure I won't get the credits for work done, won't have any real say in it... Is this my punishment for the earlier mistake I made on the talk on TestNet fallevent?

What happenend?
Two years ago I joined a certain project, it was very rudimentary back then but very much fun. I participated by mail, discussed and followed all updates and progress. This year the group had something more substantial and asked participants. A certain somebody within my company send a question in our test community and a certain other colleague responded, at first not even that enthusiastic. So did I, because I wanted an official participation so much!, and I told the asking colleague that I was allready in the loop of the project. How I longed for this chance! But, today, alas I found out the true nature of my colleague! And I even did some extra work (how naive!) and got a (I'm sure really sincere, yeah right!) compliment on the action. I'm not to participate as member of the official delegation within this project...

And I am heartbroken.
Not only because I feel passed by but - more important- because of stupid reasons! The other person has 'a network' or has 'more years in the business'...what about 'personality?' what about professional enthusiasm? what about 'wanting it soooooo badly?', what about 'feel strong about it'?

I feel sick with anger, sick of grief.
I don't have the energy and enthusiasm to develop anything right now....why should I? somebody else will probably steal it from me, use it for their own use, use me, my ideas or would 'write a book quickly' because 'they are experienced' and quickly put their names on it (how about; youngster have to learn? how about: people who worked for it would also like a chance?).

I know I'm overreacting, but I'm so passionate about my work, my ideas. I feel like my little baby has been ripped out of my arms and is now to be raised by another parent and I'm allowed to debate in a group within my company to deliver ideas so this delegate can present them in the official group.... Like hell I will!

Did you hear about the Phenomenon?

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