Inside The Outer Loop

Welcome to episode 24 of Inside The Outer Loop. In this episode, Rich Jordan and Huw Price are joined by Marcel Mersie, Technical Lead - Test, and Executive Advisor to the Dutch Tax Administration. Together, they discuss how effective communication and collaboration are crucial for managing knowledge transfer.

Organisations face significant challenges when employees retire, as this often leads to knowledge leakage. To mitigate this, modelling and documentation can effectively capture and transfer critical knowledge before it’s lost. Effective communication and collaboration between teams are also crucial for seamless knowledge sharing and addressing these challenges systematically is essential.

In government organisations, implementing AI and modernising technology can be particularly difficult due to the fear of making large decisions and the complexity of legacy systems. Additionally, a lack of resources and skilled personnel often poses significant obstacles. Resistance to change and comfort with existing processes further hinder progress. Therefore, improving communication and collaboration between teams is vital for the successful implementation of new technologies.

Also, refactoring and addressing technical debt are important strategies to maintain efficiency and prevent future problems. Intelligent use of technology can enhance testing processes and overall organisational efficiency. At which point it's the visionary leaders who can drive essential changes for successful transformation.

By adopting a systematic approach and fostering an environment of open communication and collaboration, organisations can better manage knowledge transfer and technological advancement. This ensures that critical knowledge is retained, efficiency is maintained, and future challenges are proactively addressed.

Listen to the full episode to learn more!

 Inside the outer loop – brought to you by the Curiosity Software team! Together with industry leaders and experts, we uncover actionable strategies to navigate the outer loop of software delivery, streamline test data management, and elevate software quality. Tune in to transform the way you think about software delivery, quality, and productivity!

Welcome to episode 23 of Inside The Outer Loop. In this episode, Rich Jordan and Huw Price are joined by Adam Sandman, CEO & Founder of Inflectra. Together, they explore the continuous evolution of quality engineering, highlighting critical aspects like traceability, auditability, risk-based testing and regulatory compliance.

The conversation stars with Adam Sandman tracing the evolution of Inflectra, which he founded to offer affordable quality assurance and test management solutions. Continuing on, Adam highlights how merely investing in cybersecurity solutions is insufficient, and only robust software development practices and thorough testing can prevent breaches. While, compliance and traceability can play key roles in verifying security measures and demonstrating adherence to regulators and stakeholders.

Huw Price states that organisations should be mapping their entire software ecosystem, identifying critical failure points, and adopting best practices in software development and quality assurance in order to mitigate data breach risks. This kind of proactive approach should also involve regular audits and continuous monitoring to protect sensitive information.

Rounding out the discussion, Huw, Rich and Adam discuss the challenges of system integrations and migrations, with Huw highlighting the importance of understanding legacy systems and maintaining integrity during transitions.

 Listen to the full episode to learn more! 

Inside the outer loop – brought to you by the Curiosity Software team! Together with industry leaders and experts, we uncover actionable strategies to navigate the outer loop of software delivery, streamline test data management, and elevate software quality. Tune in to transform the way you think about software delivery, quality, and productivity!

Welcome to episode 22 of Inside The Outer Loop. In this episode, the Curiosity team, Ben Riley, James Walker and Paul Wright, talk about the importance of decoding the software development life cycle and how to foster a holistic approach to quality. 

James Walker describes his approach to holistic quality, through the inner and outer loop concept. The inner loop encompasses developer activity, and the outer loop focuses on the essential organisational processes. This approach helps address root causes of inefficiencies rather than quick fixes. Quick fixes like automation can exacerbate issues if not coupled with a deep understanding of root causes.

James Walker refers back to his well received LinkedIn blog post related to requirements not being good enough. The team also touches on why automation receives a bad rep, why it’s better to make early actions over reactive measures to shore up quality and to avoid silver bullet fixes.

Referring to their training for a marathon, James and Ben talk about the need to overcome challenges and pain points, and liken this to success in software development. Assuring quality is not about speed just to look productive, but about laying the foundation for long-term success. Committing to the challenge in the software development journey is about aligning your core developer activity with essential organisations processes.

Listen to the full episode to learn more! 

Inside the outer loop – brought to you by the Curiosity Software team! Together with industry leaders and experts, we uncover actionable strategies to navigate the outer loop of software delivery, streamline test data management, and elevate software quality. Tune in to transform the way you think about software delivery, quality, and productivity!

Welcome to episode 21 of Inside The Outer Loop. In this episode, the Curiosity team, Ben Riley, Rich Jordan, and Mantas Dvareckas, discuss the value of different methods of testing, community-driven quality and continuous learning. 

Ben Riley starts the conversation on the “early access” model which many game developers have started to increasingly use, and how it can help improve the quality of software. Early access allows developers to gather feedback, identify issues early and reduce costly post-release fixes, by getting the end user in front of the product as early as possible. Mantas Dvareckas highlights how getting in front of your end user, gathering feedback, and providing software that they actually want, is key to success.

As someone new to the software testing and quality space, Mantas shares some of his insights on how skills from other fields, like marketing, can be transferable. These transferable skills can bring fresh perspectives and innovative approaches to testing, enhancing the overall quality. The recommendation to new testers is to look for existing best practices and resources. This continuous learning helps testers stay updated with the latest techniques, improving their effectiveness.

The conversation rounds out to discuss various methods of testing software, comparing the structured approaches in traditional industries with the more community-driven methods in gaming. Community-driven feedback ensures the software meets user expectations and improves satisfaction. Mantas mentions Tekken 8, and how he participated in their alpha and beta testing, which asked players worldwide to provide feedback by playing the game and filling in surveys on their experience, which helped refine the product and improve quality. 

The team concludes with encouragement for listeners to be curious and proactive in their testing approaches, while not forgetting to apply continuous development principles to our own learning. Oh, and is a muffin a cake?

Listen to the full episode to learn more! 

Inside the outer loop – brought to you by the Curiosity Software team! Together with industry leaders and experts, we uncover actionable strategies to navigate the outer loop of software delivery, streamline test data management, and elevate software quality. Tune in to transform the way you think about software delivery, quality, and productivity!

Welcome to episode 20 of Inside The Outer Loop. In this episode, Curiosity Software's Rich Jordan and James Walker, are joined by Tom Riglar, Co-Founder & CEO at Moropo. Together, they discuss the quality, automation and artificial intelligence challenges enterprises are facing, and their potential solutions.

To kick off the conversation, our guest, Tom Riglar, highlights one major pain point, the complexity of mobile app testing and automation. Tom and James share their frustrations with tools like Appium and UI Automation, which often lead to high complexity and frequent failures. To address this, they advocate for a more streamlined and user-friendly approach to mobile automation tools. Additionally, they stress the importance of having clear requirements, good test cases, and robust regression test packs.

Rich Jordan points out another significant pain point is organizational resistance to change, with many teams reluctant to adopt new testing methodologies. The suggested solution involves fostering a culture that embraces change and emphasizes the importance of quality assurance from the start. This includes educating teams on the benefits of early quality activities, such as static code checking and snapshot testing, which can catch issues earlier in the development cycle. 

Our hosts also discuss the evolving role of developers, who are increasingly required to balance coding with quality assurance tasks. The proposed solution is to redefine the developers' role to focus more on orchestrating quality activities. This shift can be facilitated by hiring quality engineers who specialize in complex testing tasks, allowing developers to concentrate on delivering business value.

Lastly, James highlights the impact of AI on software quality, with the fear that the focus on productivity might compromise standards. To mitigate this, James and Tom propose a balanced approach that incorporates AI tools without neglecting essential quality assurance, ensuring that software meets high standards of reliability and performance.

Listen to the full episode to learn more! 

Inside the outer loop – brought to you by the Curiosity Software team! Together with industry leaders and experts, we uncover actionable strategies to navigate the outer loop of software delivery, streamline test data management, and elevate software quality. Tune in to transform the way you think about software delivery, quality, and productivity!

Welcome to episode 19 of Inside The Outer Loop. In this episode, Curiosity Software's Rich Jordan and Huw Price are joined by John Matthews, a leading purchasing consultant and director at Arish Consulting Together they discuss the impact of quality, speed, and cost in software delivery and the organisational challenges of IT procurement.

John Matthews opens the conversation with a focus on the use of open-ended questions in RFP processes, and how they're a great way for organisations to consider smaller innovative vendors who provide more focused solutions than the behemoth-sized providers.

Matthews further emphasizes the need for procurement to add value and be influential, while also recognizing that they are not in control of the budget. Matthews also highlights the importance of identifying strategic stakeholders, high impact stakeholders, and core stakeholders in IT projects.

One big issue is that people think procurement controls decisions. Matthews says that's not quite right. Instead, procurement should influence decisions positively by showing its value. When this isn't understood, it can slow down projects and make them lower quality.

Another problem is identifying and talking to the important people who make big decisions. Huw Price says it's crucial to understand their needs clearly and talk to them in simple terms. This helps everyone be on the same page and work towards the same goals.

Huw continues by describing the vague requests for IT services that often cause delays and extra costs. Matthews suggests having clear talks about all the costs involved from the start. This way, everyone knows what to expect and can plan better.

Additionally, performance-based fees are proposed as an alternative payment model to incentivize timely and efficient project delivery. This approach shifts the focus from time and materials to outcomes, encouraging vendors to prioritize performance and value creation.

To sum up, by fixing these issues through better communication, talking to the right people, and trying new buying methods, companies can make buying IT services for software smoother and more effective.

Inside the outer loop – brought to you by the Curiosity Software team! Together with industry leaders and experts, we uncover actionable strategies to navigate the outer loop of software delivery, streamline test data management, and elevate software quality. Tune in to transform the way you think about software delivery, quality, and productivity!

Welcome to episode 18 of Inside The Outer Loop. In this episode, Curiosity Software's Rich Jordan and CEO James Walker are joined by Chris Harbert, an industry executive and host of the Developers Who Test but also founder and CEO of Testery. Together they discuss the organizational challenges in defining quality.

So, quality is essential in software delivery. But, who actually owns quality? if that’s a reasonable question to ask. Collaboration between developers and testers is crucial for achieving quality and a mutual respect and involvement in bug fixes can bridge the gap between the two roles and improve overall product quality. But can this lead to the ‘bystander effect’? in which no one seems to be responsible for quality.

Increasingly due to legacy systems organizations need to address their technical debt and complexity to improve quality, so saving a clear plan, architectural overview, and leveraging test automation can help untangle legacy systems and pave the way for better quality practices. This can enhance testability and reduce toil during sprints.

And what of metrics which play a crucial role in measuring quality? Key metrics include bug discovery rates, test coverage, customer satisfaction scores, and support team efforts. These metrics provide insights into the effectiveness of quality initiatives and highlight areas for improvement.

Finally, as with any episode of Why Didn’t You Test That? we consider AIs impact your testing effort. Generative AI and non-deterministic behaviour may complicate testing, so requiring skilled testers is paramount to ensure you’re leveraging in line with organizational quality objectives in meeting customer expectations, but also providing a good user experience.

Inside the outer loop – brought to you by the Curiosity Software team! Together with industry leaders and experts, we uncover actionable strategies to navigate the outer loop of software delivery, streamline test data management, and elevate software quality. Tune in to transform the way you think about software delivery, quality, and productivity!

Welcome to episode 17 of Inside The Outer Loop. In this episode, Curiosity Software's Rich Jordan and CEO James Walker are joined by Colin Hammond, CEO of ScopeMaster who discusses the importance of how requirements analysis and sizing lends well to predicting project schedules and assessment of scope in software development.

The neglect of skills and training in requirements elicitation and documentation leads to poor requirements quality and project issues. Hammond emphasises how sizing software using functional points allows for accurate estimation, better resource planning, and early identification of project issues. This early detection is crucial avoid budget overruns or ultimately to prevent a project from failing. 

Agile development should not neglect the importance of high-level requirements and architecture to avoid costly changes later. Functional sizing provides a reliable predictor of effort, aiding in project estimation and scope management. 

AI advancements can automate requirements analysis, generate test scenarios, and offer suggestions, but human supervision and context are essential. Organizations are starting to challenge the ownership of quality, recognizing the need for a holistic approach beyond testing. 

The shift towards a quality engineering role and new quality-focused positions shows an increasing awareness of requirements and quality in software development.

Inside the outer loop – brought to you by the Curiosity Software team! Together with industry leaders and experts, we uncover actionable strategies to navigate the outer loop of software delivery, streamline test data management, and elevate software quality. Tune in to transform the way you think about software delivery, quality, and productivity!

Welcome to episode 16 of Inside The Outer Loop! In this episode, the Curiosity team, Rich Jordan, Ben Riley and Lina Deatherage, discuss their latest webinar and share tips for public speaking and preparing for live presentations.

The hosts provide insights, personal experiences, and practical advice, making for an informative and enjoyable listen. In this conversation, the teams get to debating the merits of a hot dog being a sandwich. But beyond such pop culture controversies, there’s also insight and tips about public speaking and a focus on how testers are seeking out more formalised test data education.

Keep calm and carry on is the tip from Curiosity’s Ben Riley, who shares his enjoyment of chaotic situations, recalling instances where he faced unforeseen technical issues. Tips being to of course remain calm, but also think on your feet, and adapt during any public speaking engagements.

During a recent webinar, Lina shared her experience of presenting a software demo focused on test data strategies. She touches on the importance of preparation, finding a comfortable pace, and being adaptable in case of any unexpected issues or challenges. Lina also emphasized the importance of realizing that the audience is there to learn and support the speaker, rather than finding faults or errors.

During the webinar, the audience expressed interest in the new certificated Test Data Fundamentals Course.  Ensure data isn’t a blocker to improving your quality efforts today, by completing Curiosity's Test Data Fundamentals & Key Questions course. In this certified course, you’ll explore key questions that you should be able to answer when setting up your test data capability and as part of a good Test Data Strategy.

Check out Ben's and Lina's recent webinar, Perfect Your Test Data Strategy: How to Achieve Software Quality and Compliance at Speed. Watch now to learn how you can deliver complete and compliant data on demand, developing quality software at speed.

Inside the outer loop – brought to you by the Curiosity Software team! Together with industry leaders and experts, we uncover actionable strategies to navigate the outer loop of software delivery, streamline test data management, and elevate software quality. Tune in to transform the way you think about software delivery, quality, and productivity!

Welcome to episode 15 of Inside The Outer Loop! In this episode, Curiosity Software's Rich Jordan and James Walker, are joined by Mark Winteringham, author of AI-Assisted Testing. Together they reflect on their experience with AI, the effect it has had on software quality and testing, and the future of AI Co-Pilots. 

LLMs, namely ChatGPT, Gemini and Llama are cool, but what do they offer in terms of delivering software quality? What leaps have you taken in using generative AI technology? How will you future-proof your AI-Assisted testing efforts? By now you really should be considering these questions at a strategic organisational level.

 

Guest Mark Winteringham unravels a collage of challenges as he reflects on his new book "AI Assisted Testing” with our hosts. Providing a balanced perspective in understanding the progress, plateaus, and benefits of using artificial intelligence and co-pilots for delivering quality software.

James follows up by exploring the value of AI Co-Pilots in testing and the importance of context in prompt engineering, emphasising the need for experimentation to determine what actually makes a good prompt. Seen with a healthy scepticism, prompts can be used as aids to extend quality testing abilities. But to yield better results, rather than prompting AI with a broad question, the advice is to target specific parts of the system or problem.

But what does implementing AI technology in to your SDLC actually mean, and how does it work? The possibilities seem endless, and large language model’s keep growing, but has there been an impact, is true transformational change still a while away?

Use Curiosity's code at checkout for a discount on Mark Winteringham's book, AI-Assisted Testing!

Get the Book Here: https://bit.ly/ai-testing

Use this code: podcuriosity24

Inside the outer loop – brought to you by the Curiosity Software team! Together with industry leaders and experts, we uncover actionable strategies to navigate the outer loop of software delivery, streamline test data management, and elevate software quality. Tune in to transform the way you think about software delivery, quality, and productivity!