The changing face of software testing. Some scary truths for software testers, and what we can do about it.

1. THE
CHANGING FACE
OF SOFTWARE TESTING
SOME SCARY TRUTHS
FOR SOFTWARE TESTERS
AND WHAT WE CAN DO
ABOUT IT
Bruce McLeod
MANAGER, TEST AUTOMATION
NBNCo

2. DISCLAIMER The opinions and content expressed here
are my own and do not represent those of
my employer.
Any resemblance to real persons, living or
dead is purely coincidental.
Use only as directed.
Batteries not included.

3. THERES
A STORM
COMING IN

4. LEADING
INDICATORS

5. ENTRY LEVEL
TESTING ROLES
ARE BECOMING
EXTINCT
LEADING INDICATOR

6. JOB 1,739 jobs containing test management
SEARCHES 607 jobs containing test analysis
604 jobs containing test lead
297 jobs containing manual testing
11 jobs containing graduate tester
SOURCE -http://www,mycareer.com.au/ - Feburary 7, 2013

7. JOB 400
SEARCHES
300
200
100
0
$30K $40-50K $60-70K $80-100K $120-150K $200K+

8. INCREASED
OFFSHORING
LEADING INDICATOR

10. AUSTRALIAN
FINANCIAL
SERVICES
UNION

11. "[Offshoring] is part of our industry, and we
need to embrace it, understand it, and work
with it as such," he said. "But we can't allow it
to become a reason for people to not come
into the IT profession."
- Westpac CIO Clive Whincup
SOURCE - http://www.zdnet.com/ - October 9, 2012

12. CO
ST
OFFSHORING
SA
VIN
CAUSALITY
GS
CYCLE
FF SE
TA ND
S
OF
F
LA C K O
FSHORE
N
O IT
Y
JOB SECUR

13. CAN’T
PUT THE
GENIE
BACK IN
THE BOTTLE

14. THE TRADITIONAL
TESTER
ROLE IS CHANGING
LEADING INDICATOR

15. AGILE
COMBINES
BA
ROLES
DEV TEST

16. AGILE
COMBINES
ROLES
BA
DEV TEST

17. HOW IS TESTING
VIEWED ?

18. HOW DOES YOUR COMPANY
VIEW TESTING?
It’s strategically important for the organisation’s success
23%
It’s a necessary evil
18%
It’s a cost to be minimised
11%
It’s a critical element in producing reliable software It’s a low priority
44% 4%
SOURCE - PlanIT Index 2011

19. OR ANOTHER WAY
TESTING IS ...
GOOD BAD
67% 33%

20. POOR
JOB LISTINGS
DONT
HELP

21. SOME EVEN
CLAIM
TESTING IS
DEAD

22. TESTING
HAS A
REPUTATION
PROBLEM

23. HOWEVER ...

24. WE CAN
CHOOSE
OUR OWN
PATH

25. TESTING IS
NEGATIVE
THINKING

26. POSITIVE
THINKING
IS POWERFUL

27. POSITIVE
THINKING
IS POWERFUL

28. THE
CHANGING FACE
OF SOFTWARE TESTING

29. CHANGING THE FACE
OF SOFTWARE TESTING

30. REDUCE
THE
COST OF
TESTING

31. BECOME
BETTER AT
SELLING
TESTING

32. BECOME A
TESTING
MASTER

33. UNDERSTAND
AND USE
YOUR DATA

34. MAKE
RESEARCH
YOUR
SUPERPOWER

35. NEVER
STOP
LEARNING

36. BUILD
YOUR
COMMUNITY

37. BUILD
YOUR OWN
TOOLS

38. COACH

39. CHALLENGE
THE STATUS
QUO

40. AND
REMEMBER ...

41. YOU DONT
NEED
CORPORATE
APPROVAL
TO BE A
TESTING
ROCKSTAR