exampler.com/testing-com > Test Patterns > Workshop 1 > Summary [an error occurred while processing this directive] [an error occurred while processing this directive] [an error occurred while processing this directive]

Summary notes

(From Paul Szymkowiak)

• Brian discussed why he liked patterns, focusing on what he considered important, useful and appealing. This lead into a general discussion of concerns, clarification of terminology, and shared experiences from attendees.
• Attendees with prior experience "Demo'd" a pattern writers workshop in which a group of peers/ authors read a pattern submitted by an author for review. A pattern entitled "Rolling Averages" by Robert Hanmer of Lucent Technologies was used. Other attendees observed how this format works.
• The attendees actively participated in a pattern writers workshop in two or three groups of ~six people. A single pattern entitled "Category-Partition" by Bob Binder was work-shopped by all groups.
• The group brainstormed about challenges and problems that might be useful to address using patterns. Each idea was written up on a flipchart. After time-limit, charts were posted and attendees wandered around and marked problems of personal interest. Working groups were formed.
• For each working group, the selected problem was posted on a separate chart for all attendees to "Museum Tour", adding additional post-it note ideas to. Some attendees preferred to take an observational role rather than actively being involved in pattern writing.
• Each working group began pattern writing: typically two to four attendees in each group. Each group outlined a first-draft of one or more patterns.
• As a group reached first-draft completion, patterns were work-shopped in the pattern writers workshop format. This activity and the preceding pattern writing consumed most of the remaining time.
• A "sweet-spot" discussion was facilitated that reviewed attendees experiences of the meeting. Plans were discussed for the next engagement.

Outcomes

• A transcript of the ideas from the brainstorming session.
• Various patterns were created that will (for the most part) be further refined by individual author "teams". Patterns/Topic areas included:

"Force Default Values", "Select Input Combinations"

"Automating Test Oracles and Decomposability"

"Data-Driven Test Automation"

"Scenario Testing"

"Achilles Heel" (Testing Architecture)

• A transcript of the Sweet Spot discussion: Pro's & Con's of Test Patterns, future rules of engagement were discussed, logistics were discussed for next meeting.

Notes from brainstorm of pattern ideas

(From Bret Pettichord)

Plunge in and quit
analyze the architecuture to look for arch weaknesses.
action words
user simulation
diverse half measures
develop tests early
look for communication problems
train leaves in one minute
guerilla testing
tour the menus
identify underlying data
cause effect analysis
model based testing
discuss forever (anti-pattern)
regression testing
data driven testing
cross-checking the testing effort - when to have someone else look at it.
scenario testing
followup testing of minor bugs
stop the test/fix cycle and redesign
state based testing
input constraint attack
reality steam roller
resource starvation attacks
don't believe development assurances
definitional cross-based testing (nonsense suggestion)
all oracles are heuristic
use debug mode
blank page test plan
team day
bug bash
beta banging
output constraint attacks
maintain a reasonable test data set
edit before writing (bugs-training)
smoke testing
self-verifying data
old bugs regression testing
use a test harness
monkey testing
feature integration testing
pair testing
combinatorial testing
bug fix regression testing

Partial transcript of ending discussion

(Back to Paul Szymkowiak)

James: Workshopping a pattern was "Gold"

Elisabeth: This was really cool.

Paul: As an author, I now really see the value in the reading workshop: Harder to see as "just a reader".


Cem: Patterns should be written and submitted before workshop.

Cem: Don't want to review patterns where the author isn't present.

Bret: Feedback is full and detailed in this setting. Email is harder.

Sam: Gained a much better understanding of topic. This might be useful format for other "novices" in the future.


Bret: Separate patterns (detail) and pattern catalog/ language.

Keith: Are we really ready to start catalogs at this stage?

Paul: I'd encourage sharing ideas for catalogs to help improve your pattern work - Gain insights into where your own work can be extended based on the work of others.

Paul: But I Agree with Keith: not prematurely trying to define a complete catalogue/ language.

Brian: Some folks have had success working on catalogues/ languages early.

Sam: Sharing ideas together in language format should be done.


Grant: The format for reviewing is useful for the reuse work I'm doing.


Johanna: Disappointed that not all attendants stayed for the full time.

Cem: Three work days "hard" for many, so we should expect that.

Brian: Depending on How much submitted work there is, that dramatically effects format.


Grant: Is their a Mayor, Chief Judge, Police Chief etc? Do we need to specify/ define that?

Johanna: Cem is the Governor/ Godfather: Brian is the Mayor.

Elisabeth: I don't think there is one Mayor etc.

Cem: I'd rather see myself as a donor.

Sam, Cem etc: There is a LAWST handbook that kind of governs LAWST - Should it govern us here?

Brian: We are not a continuation of LAWST, although there is a loose similarity of culture. I intend that we belong to the patterns community.

James: Are we part of the patterns community yet?

Paul: I see value in learning more by interacting with the patterns community.

Brian: There is no membership.

Cem: I think we are by default involved in that community and I agree with Brian we should be actively interacting.

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