Peter Zimmerer - Establishing Testing Knowledge and Experience Sharing at Siemens
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The document discusses an annual internal conference at Siemens focused on improving software testing through knowledge sharing and collaboration among various stakeholders. It outlines the goals, history, and themes of the conference, including lessons learned from previous events. The emphasis is on fostering an environment for information exchange to enhance testing practices across the organization.
Peter Zimmerer - Establishing Testing Knowledge and Experience Sharing at Siemens
- 1. Copyright © Siemens AG 2008. All rights reserved. Corporate Technology Establishing Testing Knowledge and Experience Sharing at Siemens 16th EuroSTAR Conference 2008 The Hague, Netherlands Peter Zimmerer Principal Engineer Siemens AG, CT SE 1 Corporate Technology Corporate Research and Technologies Software & Engineering, Development Techniques 81739 Munich, Germany [email protected] http://www.siemens.com/research-and-development/ http://www.siemens.com/corporate-technology/
- 2. Page 2 November 12, 2008 © Siemens AG, Corporate TechnologyPeter Zimmerer, CT SE 1 Contents Introduction and motivation History and themes Some numbers and examples Lessons learned Summary
- 3. Page 3 November 12, 2008 © Siemens AG, Corporate TechnologyPeter Zimmerer, CT SE 1 Introduction One significant factor for a better future of software testing lies in a better knowledge sharing and exchange of our experience – but how to do it in practice? Learn from an example of how we at Siemens have effectively approached this issue over several years Remark: This is not the only thing you could / should do w.r.t. a better future of software testing
- 4. Page 4 November 12, 2008 © Siemens AG, Corporate TechnologyPeter Zimmerer, CT SE 1 Siemens Corporate Technology Technologies, competencies and services for the Groupscorporateprojects, top+innovation Customer Regions Sectors / Divisions Corporate Intellectual Property and Functions (CT I) Intellectual Property services and strategy Standardization, environmental affairs, Information research center Corporate Research and Technologies (CT T) Core technologies and competencies with multiple impact Pictures of the Future Accelerators for new business opportunities Corporate Technology (CT) Energy Industry Healthcare
- 5. Page 5 November 12, 2008 © Siemens AG, Corporate TechnologyPeter Zimmerer, CT SE 1 Start in 2001 … Survey at the Siemens business units to identify and collect requirements, needs, demands expectations proposed topics for a new, Siemens internal conference event: Exchange of Experience: Testing Areas with highest interest 1. Testing approaches and methods 2. Test automation 2. Efficiency in testing 3. Best practice sharing of experiences, problems, and solutions to testing relevant topics
- 6. Page 6 November 12, 2008 © Siemens AG, Corporate TechnologyPeter Zimmerer, CT SE 1 The Exchange of Experience: Testing Event in the context of the global Siemens Software Initiative (SWI) Enterprise-wide initiative since 1995 Strategic approach focused on the Optimization of Software Development at Siemens Structure: outsourcing, offshoring Processes: maturity, simplification, standardization, stabilization Synergies: architecture, platforms Best Practice Sharing approach Organized and presented by CT SE 1 A service for the Siemens sectors by Siemens Corporate Technology
- 7. Page 7 November 12, 2008 © Siemens AG, Corporate TechnologyPeter Zimmerer, CT SE 1 Goals and intention of this series of event Regular exchange of information and experience on the topic Testing for the Siemens business units (once per year) Best practice sharing Presentations and discussions of experiences, problems, and solutions to testing relevant topics Description of benefits of used test approaches Promoting of new test concepts, test trends (ideas, options, possibilities), and test know-how Networking within the Siemens testing community Every event has a defined theme and main focus addressing current needs, trends, and directions in testing
- 8. Page 8 November 12, 2008 © Siemens AG, Corporate TechnologyPeter Zimmerer, CT SE 1 History and themes (1) 1st Exchange of Experience: Testing on April 4, 2002 Focus on test automation 2nd Exchange of Experience: Testing on January 30, 2003 Theme: Testing – an investment with great added value Focus on Investment for testing versus benefit / added value of testing Test exit criteria – ready to release? 3rd Exchange of Experience: Testing on January 28, 2004 Theme: Testing – a critical key to success Focus on Test design methods Test tools
- 9. Page 9 November 12, 2008 © Siemens AG, Corporate TechnologyPeter Zimmerer, CT SE 1 History and themes (2) 4th Exchange of Experience: Testing on March 1, 2005 Theme: Testing in a Global World 5th Exchange of Experience: Testing on March 7, 2006 Theme: Testing Non-Functional Requirements 6th Exchange of Experience: Testing on April 17, 2007 Theme: Test Managers – Excellence in Testing and Management 7th Exchange of Experience: Testing on April 23, 2008 Theme: Testers – Collaborating with Other Stakeholders 8th Exchange of Experience: Testing, spring 2009 Theme: to be announced
- 10. Page 10 November 12, 2008 © Siemens AG, Corporate TechnologyPeter Zimmerer, CT SE 1 Theme of the 7th Exchange of Experience: Testing Testers – Collaborating with Other Stakeholders (1) Software development is a cooperative game … and it is all about people. Alistair Cockburn, 1999 Collaboration is a megatrend Agile development Tooling – collaboration software E.g.: IBM Jazz collaboration platform
- 11. Page 11 November 12, 2008 © Siemens AG, Corporate TechnologyPeter Zimmerer, CT SE 1 Theme of the 7th Exchange of Experience: Testing Testers – Collaborating with Other Stakeholders (2) There are many different disciplines and many different stakeholders and many different roles in the game of software development … Problems: “dysfunctional organization“ mindset that puts people into narrow functional silos No alignment between silo teams Rigid barriers between team members are harmful
- 12. Page 12 November 12, 2008 © Siemens AG, Corporate TechnologyPeter Zimmerer, CT SE 1 Theme of the 7th Exchange of Experience: Testing Testers – Collaborating with Other Stakeholders (3) Product lifecycle manager Software project manager Tester: test manager, test analyst, test designer, test engineer, … Software architect Software developer Head of R&D … Requirements engineer
- 13. Page 13 November 12, 2008 © Siemens AG, Corporate TechnologyPeter Zimmerer, CT SE 1 Panel discussion at the 7th Exchange of Experience: Testing Testers – Collaborating with Other Stakeholders Challenges and skills for sustainable collaboration Where do you see the challenges in the collaboration between testers and other stakeholders in your specific domain? What are the key skills a tester must have for effective and efficient collaboration with other stakeholders and vice versa? How do you handle problems like missing requirements or untestable components? Input and output (involvement / contribution) – expected and offered What input and involvement in testing actitivies do you as a tester expect from other stakeholders? What output and contribution do you as a tester offer to other stakeholders? Strategies and workflows to enhance collaboration Which strategies and workflows do you use to enhance collaboration between testers and other stakeholders?
- 14. Page 14 November 12, 2008 © Siemens AG, Corporate TechnologyPeter Zimmerer, CT SE 1 Some numbers Annual one-day event at Siemens Corporate Technology in Munich, Germany Between 80 and 110 participants from all Siemens sectors and Siemens business units from all over the world: Australia, Austria, China, France, Germany, Greece, India, Israel, Italy, Korea, Poland, Romania, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, and US Typically 6-8 Presentations per event Discussion groups Panel discussions on the specific themes with invited panel members from different Siemens business units
- 15. Page 15 November 12, 2008 © Siemens AG, Corporate TechnologyPeter Zimmerer, CT SE 1 Some examples Several of the test approaches presented by a Siemens business unit have been explicitly picked up, reused, and adapted by others, for example at the 6th event: “... presents work from a project that was inspired by a talk at the 3rd Exchange of Experience: Testing …” Exchange of experiences and data about benefits (ROI) of used test approaches, testing methods, and testing tools, e.g. in the area of model-based testing or test automation After lunch there is typically a “Surprise” presentation like a quiz a funny session about serious test related content to attract and involve the participants
- 16. Page 16 November 12, 2008 © Siemens AG, Corporate TechnologyPeter Zimmerer, CT SE 1 Lessons learned It takes time and effort to setup, plan, and organize such an event Use an explicit call for presentations to involve people We clearly reached the goals of this series of event Regular, well established conference event within Siemens Description of benefits of used test approaches Promoting of new test concepts, test trends (ideas, options, possibilities) and test know-how Networking within the Siemens testing community Because the event is (only) Siemens internal we can share confidential data as well – it is not intended to compete with external testing conferences like EuroSTAR It is really worth
- 17. Page 17 November 12, 2008 © Siemens AG, Corporate TechnologyPeter Zimmerer, CT SE 1 Summary One significant factor for a better future of software testing lies in a better knowledge sharing and exchange of our experience One example how to make this happen within Siemens is our annual Siemens internal conference event called Exchange of Experience: Testing Provide your testers a live forum to exchange experiences, to learn, and to improve collaboration and networking better visibility of testing within the company Think about doing the same kind of events in your company as well … and present your results at next EuroSTAR!
Editor's Notes
- #12: Failure to test requirements usually arises from a resource problem - there are not enough people to test. This in turn usually arises out of what I call the "dysfunctional functional organization" mindset that puts people into narrow functional silos. Developers need to test, but also analysts, users, as well as people who might have "tester" somewhere in their role description. There are specialized skills needed to deliver successful results, but there is no reason for rigid barriers between team members. Just as there is no reason to write requirements for things you're not going to test, there is no reason to develop things that you are not going to test. If you're getting behind on testing, someone is not pitching in and is potentially doing valueless work. Assuming that you have tests for every requirement, then figuring out what did or did not get implemented becomes much simpler - either the test ran and it passed, or it ran and it failed. Failure may be because the requirement was not implemented, or because it was not implemented correctly. Either way, the desired outcome behind the requirement is not being achieved.