Lena Nyström and Samuel Nitsche
TestScouts and QualityMinds GmbH (Sweden and Germany)
Non-atomic Operations of Builders and Breakers
The cinematic concept of technicolor applies to software and teamwork too – we build a complete picture by using layers of one single color. Without one color (perspective) the picture is not complete.
A tester and a developer enter the stage. The tester stomps towards the developer.
Tester: Everything is broken! I can’t create new users! As soon as I use emojis it crashes!
Developer: Wait what? Why would … A user would never do that. That’s a wild edge case.
Sudden dramatic music plays. Tester takes a step backwards and gasps. She turns to the audience with a dramatic gesture
Tester: Why is he always shrugging me off when I raise a problem? Am I stupid? Does he think I am? I feel like such a failure.
Developer silently watches the tester for a few seconds. He turns to the audience, sighing dramatically with a sad look on his face
Developer: Why does she keep bringing up these theoretical risks? Can’t she see that I’m focused on solving another problem right now? All of these sudden switches keep breaking my flow.
Tester and developer stand in silence, facing the audience. Soft music starts playing.
Narrator: Will our heroes find common ground or will their differences prove too much of a divide? Are emotions running too high for them to see that they share the same goal? They are standing so close, but are worlds apart. Oh woe is us! Only a miracle can save us now.
Key learning:
● The concept of “flow” and how hurtful context switching is to it
● Collaboration requires managing the other person’s (and your own) mental load
● There are different times and places for when to critique and when to encourage
● A complete picture consists of many different colors (perspectives) – without one, the picture is incomplete
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Lena Nyström
Lena has been building software since 1999, in roles across development, testing, leadership and management. It is basically all she knows – she won’t be much help when the zombie apocalypse comes.
Lena found her passion in testing a decade later and has been focusing on quality in software since then. Lately she has shifted even further left – to building organizations and people. The testing community is her home and she is especially interested in asking “should we build that” when others focus on “could we build that”. Her core drive is continuous improvement and she strongly believes we all should strive to challenge ourselves, our assumptions and the way things are done.
She is the author and creator of “Would Heu-risk it?”, a MASH (Mentor and Speaker Hub, http://mashprogram.wordpress.com) core member, an avid blogger (testing.pejgan.se), keynote speaker and facilitator.
Samuel Nitsche
Samuel Nitsche is a curiosity-driven software developer who programs, learns and collaborates in the software trade since the early 2000s.
His primary interest is in modern database development, automated testing, and code quality, topics he writes regularly about on different platforms (e.g. his blog https://developer-sam.de, Simple-Talk, and several Oracle-related print magazines).
He is an Oracle ACE, a Symposium 42 member, a MASH (Mentor and Speaker Hub, http://mashprogram.wordpress.com) core member, and one of the main contributors and maintainers of utPLSQL (http://utplsql.org).
As a workshop facilitator, speaker, and keynote speaker he loves to share his experience in an entertaining way – gladly collaborating with plush animals and using lightsabers – at meetups and conferences.
