Improv and Discussion exercises (for Testers)

STC Meetup Cambridge 08/09/2015by Karo Stoltzenburg | @karostol | LinkedIn

How come?

A Tester can make really good use of …

● excellent communication and collaboration skills ● thinking outside the box● a creative mindset ● flexibility and ability to adapt● taking in different angles, viewpoints● empathy, putting oneself in somebody else’s shoes

Now what?

These are rather soft skills ….

how can we train them?

Exercises, everywhere

● Puzzles (‘Spot the Difference’, Situation Puzzles, Logic Puzzles)

● Improv activities and Improv games● Lateral Thinking and problem solving strategies ● Testing Challenges / Software Testing Exercises

… train different skills, both in individual and group exercise.

Let’s look at Lateral Thinking and Improv in more detail.

Lateral Thinking

● Term coined by Edward de Bono (1967)● basic focus is on solving problems ● in an unconventional, creative way● by applying certain strategies, methods, techniques● e.g. the group discussion technique:

‘Six Thinking Hats’

Six Thinking Hats: What for?

● Look at problems from a variety of angles● Challenge and explore your brain’s distinct thinking

directions● Get some inspiration on thinking tactics● Collaborate within the group

Six Thinking Hats

● BLUE: “manage, control, order, goals, objectives”● WHITE: “the facts, just the facts.”● YELLOW: “brightness, optimism. Value & benefits.” ● BLACK: “judgement. Why might it not work?”● RED: “intuition, emotions, feelings, hunches”● GREEN: “creativity, possibilities, ideas”● BLUE: “manage, observe, order, conclusions”

Applying the ‘Six Thinking Hats’ exercise

● Group discussion exercise● Six different flavors (“hats”) of distinct thinking directions● Select a topic● All discuss applying one thinking flavor at a time● Time boxed● You’re done when you have applied all flavors

Improv exercises: What for?

● Focus on being in the moment, awareness● Train listening and communication skills● Train storytelling, empathy, imagination● Collaborate within the group● Equal out individual dynamics in groups● Create possibilities without fear of failing● “Improv is innovation”

Improv exercise (I): “Yes, and ….”

● Tell a affirmative story, as group.● First person starts with a sentence, and all following add

on to it applying “Yes, and …” to bring the story forward:○ A: “Once upon a time, there was a castle.”○ B: “Yes, and the castle was on a mountain.”○ C: “Yes, and from the mountain you had a great view.”

● … and so forth. Up until a shiny story is told.● Key is to collaborate, engage in the story

Improv exercise (II): “Conducted Story”

● Tell a coherent story, as group.● One Person starts, and halts mid-word where the next

person picks it up, seemingly seamlessly.○ A: “Once upon a time in the We--”○ B: “--lington region, there was a big, loud cr----”○ C: “--adle of filth concert taking place ar---”

● … and so forth. Up until a story is told.● Listening is key. Engage, accept and go with the flow.

Some key points

● There is no winner in (improv) exercises● Enjoy the feeling of exercising your brain● Enjoy thinking outside the box, going crazy● Are not afraid to fail● If you are stuck, feel free to say “pass”● Don’t ponder, engage

Thanks!

● Any questions?● Interested in trying it out?

Some further reading ….● Pradeep Soundararajan: Testing exercises, found everywhere● Malcolm Gladwell: Blink● Edward de Bono (Lateral Thinking, Six thinking hats, …)● Lindsay Lavine: Yes, and... improv techniques to make you a better boss ● Hugh Hart: Yes, and ... 5 more lessons in improving collaboration and

creativity from second city ● Emma Armstrong: Be deliberate about improving your testing skills● Soap UI: Testing Katas, sqa.stackexchange entry on testing katas● Software Testing Club, Forum: How to practice testing?● Karen Tilstra: Two words that can change the world: yes, and. (TEDxOrlando)

(Full links)● http://www.softwaretestingclub.com/forum/topics/how-to-practice-testing● https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1SK_qNLx5U ● http://testertested.blogspot.co.uk/2007/01/testing-exercises-found-everywhere.html● http://www.red-gate.com/blog/deliberate-improving-testing-skills● http://www.soapui.org/testing-dojo/testing-katas/what-are-testing-katas-.html● http://sqa.stackexchange.com/questions/624/developers-have-code-kata-to-practice-skills-what-test-equivalents-are-there● https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puzzle#Types_of_puzzles ● http://www.fastcompany.com/3024535/leadership-now/yes-and-improv-techniques-to-make-you-a-better-boss ● http://www.fastcocreate.com/3042080/yes-and-5-more-lessons-in-improv-ing-collaboration-and-creativity-from-second-city ● https://dschool.stanford.edu/groups/k12/wiki/3091c/Improv_activities_for_Design_Thinking.html● http://awkwardsquad.tripod.com/id15.html● https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blink_%28book%29 ● https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_de_Bono ● https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lateral_thinking● https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Problem_solving#Problem-solving_strategies● http://www.testing-challenges.org/Testing+Challenges● http://softwaretestingfundamentals.com/software-testing-exercises