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DON’T WASTE YOUR MONEY ON
CERTIFICATION!An open discussion
UK Test Management Forum29th April 2015
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BACKGROUND These slides were presented as the basis to a discussion forum at the UK Test Management Forum’s annual summit meeting on Wednesday 29th April 2015. They are hopefully self-explanatory but presented ‘as is’ and may therefore lack some of the context from the discussion.
Steve Dennis [email protected] Twitter @stevedennisuk LinkedIn https://uk.linkedin.com/in/stevedennis
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ABOUT ME: A PASSION FOR TESTING AND LEARNING 20 years in IT this year Started as a mainframe developer, but on a testing training course! Kept a few planes in the air Helped companies to launch test tools, banks, credit cards, sell pet food, mobile phones, sell stocks and shares and more Helped a lot of new people get started in testing and become better testers Sold and delivered a lot of certification! Currently working to bring new graduates in to software testing And in spare time deliver training and skills validation for local Scout leaders
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FOUR QUESTIONS FOR TODAY1. What skills do testers really require and why
don’t existing schemes go far enough? 2. How do we best learn new skills, increase
our capability and gain competency?3. What benefit can formal certification bring
and how do we make best use of it?4. What changes do we need to make to take
the industry forward with the new generation of software testers?
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1. WHAT SKILLS DO TESTERS REALLY REQUIRE AND WHY DON’T EXISTING
SCHEMES GO FAR ENOUGH?
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GERRARD: NEW MODEL => NEW SKILLS The core skills of testers are somewhat different to those being promoted by many of the leaders in the testing field and, of course, the certification schemes.
Do we agree? If not what’s missing?
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2. HOW DO WE BEST LEARN NEW SKILLS, INCREASE OUR CAPABILITY
AND GAIN COMPETENCY?
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MOSHER – TRAIN, TRANSFER, SUSTAIN
Source: www.ontuitive.com
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GOTTFREDSON’S “5 MOMENTS”
Source: www.ontuitive.com
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70:20:10 MODEL Source: www.702010forum.com
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Courses Resources Social Collaboration
Personal Learning
How we learn
From instruction (scheduled classroom training or self-paced e-learning that we are required to take)
From information,supporting productivity andjob performance, e.g. job aidsthat we access on demand
As a part of daily working with others in our teams and groups, through sharing of knowledge and experiences
Individually, as part of daily experiences in the workplace, through self-improvement,and using the Web, (professional networking), keeping up to date, etc)
What this
means
Create coursesthat are essential and required to take, e.g. mandatory, regulatory and compliance courses,(in modern, relevantand meaningful ways)
Create or curate resources(in modern and relevant ways)for individuals to use as they need them, when then need them,in the way they want to use them
Encourage and support individuals to take responsibilityfor their own learning, and to build the new learning skills
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3. WHAT BENEFIT CAN FORMAL CERTIFICATION BRING AND HOW
DO WE MAKE BEST USE OF IT?
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WHAT SHOULD WE BE MEASURING? Kirkpatrick model
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KANERI used to see certifications as irrelevant (and misleading) I know more good testers who are not certified than good ones who are certified. I feel as though I’ve met a whole lot of clueless fools who carry testing certifications.
Many of the exam-review courses teach to the exam and present an oversimplified and outdated view of the field. I think that, from a what-will-you-learn perspective, taking them is a waste of time and money.
The market proved me wrong The fact that hundreds of thousands of people in our field have decided to get certified demonstrates, in and of itself, that the credential is widely perceived as relevant.
Certification was sold as a formal credential, something that demonstrates (at a minimum) that you are committed enough to the field to go through the hassle of getting certified.
If there is no stronger credential in the field, it is easy to see this as better than nothing. I think it is more useful to ask whether we can give them better value for their time and money.
Source: www.kaner.com/?p=401
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KANERBuild on existing approaches Treat any credential gained after training as a baseline Let the tester present a portfolio of evidence Only mastery of both training AND competent portfolio get advanced certificationHow does this advance us?1. Breaks ideological stranglehold of a few vendors2. Presents richer view of capability and contribution of the certified person
Do we agree? How would we do it and give credibility? Would the market support this or just continue to existing Advanced/Expert level?
Source: www.kaner.com/?p=401
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4. WHAT CHANGES DO WE NEED TO MAKE TO TAKE THE INDUSTRY
FORWARD WITH THE NEW GENERATION OF SOFTWARE TESTERS?
@STEVEDENNISUK #UKTMF APRIL 2015
SOME IDEAS FROM ME Think about how millennials learn not how the old guard did it
Empower people to learn how they want to learn
Deliver “learning interventions” differently Use the classroom more effectively, sparingly
Flip the classroom, surgery-style learning Change the way we examine, more practical Present areas for improvement in results not just a pass/fail and percentage score
“Learning Optional Validation Essential” – confirm competency/capability
Recognise and allow time for continuous learning
Dojos, MiagiDo school and other communities
Better and more frequent conferences Demand more for your money Allocate personal training budgets Audition style interviews LinkedIn style recommendations and endorsements
Killer question: who pays for this?
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REFLECTIONS
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SOME REFLECTIONS AFTER THE DISCUSSION As a group we are prepared to challenge and look past the status quo at new ways to learn.
It is pleasing to hear people using audition style interview not just accepting certs as entry criteria.
Awesome that people already give their test teams a percentage of working week to do own self learning.
We had a healthy and positive discussion, general consensus that more can and will be done.
Soft skills and emotional intelligence key and need measurement and recognition.
No need to worry about 'turning the oil tanker', accept things as they are and build around them
Many thanks to everyone who took part and contributed to a great discussion!
