TESTING IN THE PUB EPISODE 38 – MAKING BETTER TESTERS WITH KEITH KLAIN – PART 2

Welcome back to episode 38 of Testing In the Pub – Making Better Testers with Keith Klain.

In part two of a two part episode we talk to Keith about how we can help testers and the testing community to improve and keep learning. Keith spends a lot of his time promoting and educating people about better testing practices such as Context Driven Testing and the transition to better testing, particularly in the enterprise. Have a listen as we discuss this and our experiences of older and more traditional ways of working.

Listen to the whole episode HERE

TESTING IN THE PUB EPISODE 37 – MAKING BETTER TESTERS WITH KEITH KLAIN – PART 1

Welcome back to episode 37 of Testing In the Pub – Making Better Testers with Keith Klain.

In part one of a two part episode we talk to Keith about how we can help testers and the testing community to improve and keep learning. Keith spends a lot of his time promoting and educating people about better testing practices such as Context Driven Testing and the transition to better testing, particularly in the enterprise. Have a listen as we discuss this and our experiences of older and more traditional ways of working.

If you like what you hear then you’ll be pleased to know that this is only the first part of our discussion. Check back soon for part 2.

Listen to the whole episode HERE

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” George Bernard Shaw

As someone who regularly references “thought leaders” in our industry and quotes papers, presentations, and blogs about software testing published in the public view, I generally don’t have a problem with calling things as you see them.  I also don’t believe you need to write your slides defensively or worry about misinterpretation to the point of obscuring your message, but if you are going to call someone out by name, you will (and should) be held to a higher standard of communication.

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Very happy to be a part of this conference…hope to see you there!

So honored to be a part of this team…look out for more updates soon!

More info HERE

So excited for this workshop at KWSQA this year with my buddy Martin Hynie – register HERE

Martin Hynie and Keith Klain- Part 1: Talking About Testing; Part 2: STOP TALKING ABOUT TESTING!!!

Why is it so hard to talk about testing?

It feels like such a struggle every time we try to move the conversation beyond metrics, test coverage, tools and checklists… and yet management still does not get what we are doing and walks away shaking their head. The information created by skilled testing should be of immense value… how can it be so hard to describe our work? This can’t be that hard, can it? Surely it must be them… or… can it possibly be that we are the problem? Continue reading …

Here’s my keynote from Star East 2016 in case you missed it…enjoy!

Very excited to be a part of Agile Testing Days this year in Germany! See you there!

Lessons Learned in (Selling) Software Testing

In 2013, Keith Klain quit his job as Head of the Global Test Center at Barclays Investment Bank to start a test consulting business based on context-driven and agile testing principles. Since then, Keith has been wading through industry dogma, pitching new ideas about testing to clients, hiring—and firing—testers, and trying to turn context-driven testing into a viable commercial approach. Succeeding in such a setting requires a balance of practical approaches that can driving improvements against “sunk cost” bias and decades of bad behavior by some test vendors and internal test departments. Keith’s successes and failures have validated the lessons he learned during his twenty-year software testing career and have taught him some new lessons he wasn’t expecting. Join Keith as he shares what has and hasn’t worked when talking to stakeholders about what they need vs. what they want, applying context-driven testing principles on projects that haven’t had any principles, and dealing with test case allergies and the “smarty pants syndrome.” Take back new insights in how to get things done without compromising your integrity.

EDISON, NJ – Tekmark Global Solutions, one of the largest privately held providers of information technology, communications, and consulting services to companies worldwide, today announced that Keith Klain has joined the company to lead Tekmark’s Software Quality Management practice.

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Keith Klain kicked off STAREAST 2016 last week, and there was one line in his keynote that stuck with me throughout the entire conference: “If you can’t draw a straight line between your business objectives and your test approach, you’re doing it wrong.”

As I started to think of all of the little activities that make up part of my workday that do nothing to increase the happiness of Skytap’s customers or reaching our business objectives, Klain’s statement sent me into a bit of a panic.

Read more on SD Times

Join Keith Klain, Matt Heusser, Lalitkumar Bhamare and Joel Montvelisky in a discussion about:

“The Latest Trends in Software Testing”

Following the 2016 State of Testing Report, find out what will be shaping the present and future of the testing community.

Date: Wednesday , May 11 2016

Time: 10am EST / 3pm GMT

Duration: 1 Hour

Enjoy this in the April 2016 issue of Testing Trapeze!

“Find a problem you care about and focus on fixing that.” – Scott Berkun

Software testing is a strange business. It’s commoditized, devalued, misunderstood, and goes through cycles of being chopped, changed, and lives at the front lines of imminent takeover by our robot overlords. Why anyone would want to be a professional software tester is even harder to understand.

After over 20 years in this business, I’ve seen people from all stripes and walks of life wander in and out of this industry, but the ones that stick with it all have one thing in common: they are slightly nuts. Sure, they might seem sane – they are probably well read, hold a job, support a family – all the makings of normality, but inside, some part of them is just a little bit crazy.

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In this interview, Keith Klain, a software testing and quality management professional, discusses all the lessons he’s learned from selling software testing. He also explains why context-driven testing is viable, as well as how to discern between wants and needs.

Josiah Renaudin: Welcome back to another TechWell interview. Today I am joined by Keith Klain, a software testing and quality management professional, and a keynote speaker at our upcoming STAR EAST Conference. Keith, thank you very much for joining us today.

Keith Klain: Great to be here. Thank you very much.

Josiah Renaudin: Absolutely. Before we really dig into the meat of your keynote, can you tell us a bit about your experience in the industry?   Continue reading …