With a project that I have recently been involved in, estimates were given in ‘number of development days required’. A simple formula then worked out, based on dev days, how many testing and business related days are required.

This was all well and good for a little while (note the word little), until it was decided to change our entire testing framework, for the better I might add.

Continuous Integration and automated testing was now an integral part of our development, no way could we meet our original, time-based estimations with all this additional work which we were expected to undertake. This had a flow on effect throughout the entire team. Actually tracking our velocity in ‘Points’, as opposed to time, has obliterated this hurdle, and just instilled a lot more confidence, and productivity, within the team.

I have seen this have negative effects on teams due to poor estimates. The development team end up feeling guilty that they are not meeting the business expectations and management seem to wonder why projects are taking much longer than has been budgeted. Ultimately, this will lead to the project, or business case, not being fully delivered, or the project spending a lot more than was budgeted for by adding additional head counts to meet the expected velocity.

Trying to solve this is a constant battle between software estimation and time elapsed. Basically, estimating in units of time does not work. Estimating an activity in Points, based on the complexity of the task, will allow you to know exactly how much a task is going to cost. One point costs one point; it has the same concept as money. But it is important that you never attempt to correlate the value of time to the value of points.

These Points are just a measurement of how complex you think a given task is. If multiple tasks have the same complexity, they will be given the same number of points.

Once you have determined the number of points for all the business requirements, you need to look at the velocity. This is what the business is going to use to determine how much the team is able to deliver in a set period of time. New teams will generally have a ‘rough’ velocity that will be refined over time, but it doesn’t take too long. The velocity is just a measurement of how many Points are being completed in a set amount of time.

Once the team has sat together and assigned points to all the requirements, and once the velocity is established, you are able to confidently tell business how long the task is going to take to be completed. The benefit of this is it takes the ability of the entire team into account, regardless of experience.

In Summary

Providing estimates in points and measuring the amount of points you can complete over a period of time, increases management and development visibility into overall progress and progression.

If you seem to be having trouble estimating the number of Points required for a given task, break it down into multiple tasks. The further you break these down, the more detailed the estimates will be.

Any time that there is an addition to the requirement, increase functional or technical scope, make a note of it and increase the estimate.

Measure your velocity via burn down / burn up charts which are visible to the entire team

- By Peter Leed – Consultant – Revolution IT

The Swiss Army knife had humble beginnings in the 1890’s and was manufactured to fulfill a basic purpose and over the years has grown and grown, making it extremely versatile and a highly desirable item to own. I couldn’t imagine one of these handy tools not having a knife or a screwdriver folded away somewhere in the arsenal of tools concealed in its handle. This is not so dissimilar to being a tester. When you first move into the testing arena, whether by choice or a requirement to fill a position, you really should take time to ensure you learn the basics and perform the function required of you and then build extra skills into your repertoire.

Let’s look at some of the additions that have been made over time and how they could be used as comparisons to what you need to learn in order to be a versatile tester.

The Corkscrew is something that turns up in every version of the knife. I can only put this down to the need to socialize on the odd occasion over a bottle of wine. For a tester this compares to the ability to relate and communicate to other members of a project. Take a break, chat offline and build bonds that go beyond the project life cycle. You may be surprised at the knock on effect within the project. If you don’t have this skill then you will always encounter difficulties getting testing over the line.

The Can Opener is another common component. I have used one of these and it does the job but the results aren’t pretty. As a tester you sometimes need to make calls that not everyone agrees with. Mostly it will be exposing something that stakeholders wished did not exist but part of your job is to open up and expose the contents so those that are involved can make well informed decisions. Just be sensible and keep an eye out for the sharp edges that can cut you.

The Reamer or Hole Punch is also included on most models as it can be used for many purposes. Testers, like the reamer, can be called upon to do similar tasks at many stages of a project. That key purpose is to poke holes in the logic, processes and requirements, that when put to the test can have issues or gaps that need sewing up.

I don’t know if you have ever tried to use the Scissors but they do work in a limited fashion. As a tester it would be great to be able to cut all the red tape quickly but you will be asked to validate most things you recommend. Go back to your basics and be the knife and do it properly or utilise the corkscrew to build relationships before trying to cut through the red tape.

Like the Scissors, the Saw can do the job but it has been built to but be so versatile it can be inefficient for any real work. As a tester you need to be across so many technologies. Try not to be too like the saw; specialize in one or two areas and be efficient – Anything else is a bonus as you can’t do everything.

One of the latest additions is the USB that is detachable (so knife can be stored elsewhere during flights, etc). This is another great idea but is this really what you would purchase if you wanted external memory? As a tester it is great to pick up new skills but you should be just as prepared to discard them when the overheads of keeping up to date outweighs the benefits. I have many good memories of my time spent getting to where I am and the skills I needed but there are a number that of skills I needed, learned and used that you will not see on my CV.

I left the Pliers to last because if you have looked around recently there is a new kid on the block. The Multitool has developed over the past few years and is often chosen over the Swiss Army Knife. This has happened because the original requirements of the knife have become less important than current requirements. The MultiTool focuses on the pliers and other items that require more leverage but most, if not all, still include a knife and a screw driver.

I suppose that I am trying to say that no matter what branch you take in testing, there is still a basic requirement or minimal skill that you need to maintain and keep sharp but you also need to be able to do many tasks to remain effective. Please don’t become so versatile that you actually become somebody that is great to have around but doesn’t get used much. “The Giant” by Wegner is a prime example. With 87 tools and 141 different functions it is recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s most multifunctional penknife. It retails for about GBP 550 or USD  1,400. It can do almost anything but would you carry something like this around when all you need is a screwdriver or knife?

Each new task can make you more versatile but will anyone use you if you are so big and heavy that you sit on a shelf at home rather than being used? Hone your skills; the skills that users require and be their tool of choice.

The whole concept of the Swiss Army knife reminds me of one of my TV favourite characters, MacGyver. He was known to use one of these knives on the odd occasion. I have posted a blog about him and how he is a good example of a great tester. See http://www.blog.revolutionit.com.au/the-macgyver-method-2/ and while you are there check out some of our other entries. You might find them helpful.

As a side bar, here is an example of left brain thinking that illustrates the possibilities of something being more than it should be. It only includes one of the many items it tried to be but other purposes included a blender, a knife sharpener and a drill. Good ideas but would you pull over a cyclist for any of these tasks? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5dLE8lVovI

Happy testing
Peter B

We have strengthened our existing client relationships and engagements, while pursuing new opportunities and creating an awareness of our Project Management offerings in the marketplace.  We continue to expand our team, and look forward to an exciting period of growth over the next 12 months.

I am proud to share our achievements to date, and allow some insight into the Project Management Practice.

Revolution IT Project Management Framework, Methodology & Assessment

The team has developed a comprehensive Project Management Framework and Methodology that brings together over 100 years of Project Management experience.  This includes processes, standard templates and tools that enable our consultants to “hit the road running” when we commence a client engagement.  This work provides a foundation for successful delivery of various client initiatives to ensure that our Project and Program Managers reach targeted business outcomes to our clients.

Another area we have been developing is an Assessment process, whereby we can provide an independent assessment of an organisation’s Project Management maturity (at an individual project level or program level).  This assessment process can also be configured to assess the organisation’s Project Management Office capability.

The team will continue to refine and develop these processes, templates and tools to ensure we provide quality solutions to our clients/partners.

Revolution IT Project Management Practice goes International!!!

We are very excited to announce that the Project Management Practice has just secured our first Project Management engagement in Singapore.  We will have a fulltime Revolution IT Project Manager in Singapore. This appointment now takes our team to 5 Project Management consultants (3 in Melbourne, 1 in Sydney and 1 in Singapore).  Our Melbourne team includes Lachlan James, Mohan Gunatilake and Paul Larn, while we have David Lynch in Sydney and now, Sinclair Hurtis in Singapore.

The Secrets to Successful Project Management

The PM Practice is currently preparing to conduct a seminar presentation titled “The Secrets to Successful Project Management”.  This initiative is being jointly sponsored by HP.  The seminar will be presented in Canberra and Sydney to a wide range of clients, and potential clients from both the government and private sectors.  Keynote speakers will be PM Practice Principal, Gennadiy Belobrov, and PPM tools Practice Principal, Gary Rubinstein.

This seminar will focus upon the following topics:

·        Projects – why do they fail?

·        Delivering Successful Projects – what does this actually mean?

·        Secrets to mitigating the top six reasons for project failure

·        The importance of Governance and Assessment

·        Successfully delivering business benefits through quality Project Management

·        Unlocking the value of Project and Portfolio Management software in your organisation

The objective is to demonstrate the offerings of the PM Practice and generate some momentum with our clients to show we can add value to their organisations through Project & Portfolio Management services.

When Quality Matters

We all know Revolution IT’s strength is our people. To quote our website, “Revolution IT employees are industry leaders who constantly strive to improve methodology, tools and techniques to maximise the return on our client’s investment.”

The Project Management Practice is focused on aligning with the other Practices within the company – Requirements Management/BA and QA/Testing, and ensuring that we work together to strengthen the overall offerings for our clients.

Until next time, I wish you all success, happiness and all the best.

Gennadiy Belobrov - Project and Portfolio Management Practice Principal