Synchronicity, Serendipity and the
Pursuit of Excellence in Testing
By Cindy Carless
14 Nov 14
What a mouthful…
• So much in fact that I thought I had bitten off more than I could
chew…
• Yet for “Tasting” LetsTest it seems very appropriate
• Some appetisers to focus on:
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Opening
Coping
Strategies
Nuance
Journeys
Curiosity
Value
Courage
Gratitude
Joy
Starter - Synchronicity and Serendipity
• Moments of meaningful coincidence when the
boundary dissolves between the inner and the
outer. Touching the heart of our being.
• Finding valuable or agreeable things not sought
for
• Personal experiences to share
– My entry into testing, NLP and coaching
– My journey into CDT and Agile
– My daily experiences – GetAbstract, Twitter, Blogs,
debrief/journal/reflection
Connection
Palette cleanser
• Take a few moments to connect with yourself
• Write down what you see, hear, feel and are saying to
yourself
• Take a few deep breaths
• Clear your senses
– Close your eyes, focus only on your breath
• Now focus selectively
– Notice everything blue, square any theme that comes to
you
• Is there a difference from when you first connected to
yourself??
Mains – NLP
• A definition by Richard Bandler
– “An attitude and methodology that leaves behind a
trail of techniques”
– Attitude – curiosity and wanton experimentation,
childlike fascination and courage
• Another definition: The pursuit of excellence
– Excellence – best you can be in relation to your
environment
• John Grinder – The art of living with grace is the
heart of NLP
NLP – the ingredients
• Neuro – brain, Linguistic – verbal & non verbal sensory
based, Programming – structure, patterns & “recipes”
• Rapport – connection, finding a shared map of the world
• Well formed outcome – what are you trying to achieve in
context and with evidence
• Modelling – identifying strategies and how they help us
learn more quickly
• Techniques for state management – context and desired
state determines the technique for change
• Pragmatism – can even use envy as a resource
• Synthesis – combining different fields of study
Mains - CDT
• A definition from
http://www.softwaretestingtricks.com testing driven
by an understanding of the environment, culture, and
intended use of software. For example, the testing
approach for space probe versus an editing tool will be
very different
• Same source quotes James Bach - “Context-driven”
means to match your solutions to your problems as
your problems change. Good practice is not a matter of
popularity. It’s a matter of skill and context.
CDT – the ingredients
• Context Driven Testing – some principles from James
Bach at LetsTest Oz
– Context is NOT just the scenery, but vital information that
informs the work
– A craft that is supported by evidence and debate and
continuous openness and learning
– Learning to live with uncertainty
– Testing is... Not just fact checking
– Tester autonomy and responsibility, thought work and how
that adds value
– Shared and social/community network
– Competence is designing and developing relevant practices
and heuristics
Mains – Combo NLP & CDT
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NLP
Attitude – curiosity, wanton
experimentation, courage
Trail of techniques
Pursuit of excellence in
context
Living with grace
Neuro
Linguistic
Programming
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CDT
Attitude – autonomy and
responsibility
Not just fact checking
A craft supported by
evidence and debate
Competence and flow
Brain engaged
Catalyst for communication
Patterns and systems
Mains – Combo NLP & CDT contd
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NLP
Rapport – finding a shared
map of the world
Well formed outcome – a
goal to work towards
Modelling based on
observation
Techniques
Ecology check
Reflection and growth
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CDT
Environment and project
synthesis
What is the problem being
solved
What else did you find or
learn
Heuristics, patterns
Adding value
Debrief journal/PROOF
Mains – Combo NLP & CDT final
NLP
• Pragmatism
CDT
• Not a quest for zero defect
• Synthesis
• Blending hard and soft skills
Dessert - Coaching
• Taking that combo of NLP and CDT on a
journey
• Opportunity to:
– Improve my observation skills
– Share and develop my knowledge
– Encourage and empower others to find their
sweet flow
Sharing the sweetness and....
My journey
TLT menu review
• I wanted to bring 3 things together – how I got
in to testing, the impact of my NLP learning on
my testing and career and my people focus
through coaching
• My aim was to share my story
• My challenge was to structure the story in a
way that allows others to gain some insight
and food for thought from it
Curiosity, self reflection