Testing under Pressure
Geoff Loken · AUSpace (Athabasca University) · 2014
The CAST conference is an annual conference hosted by the Association for Software Testing, out of the United States. The theme this year was on experiences, with an intention to draw many new speakers. I submitted an application, trying to apply lessons learned in the emergency services to the test industry. In the end, much of the presentation focused on the role of Best Practices, a term stolen from the business world, and how they impact the work we do. I advocated instead for an approach tailored on our own context and situation, and discussed methods of minimizing risk when dealing with limited information and high pressure situations. The format is critical to understanding the outcomes of the conference. 45 minutes speaking, followed by a 30 minute question period. The audience was highly engaged and the room near full. It’s a very open setting, which shaped the format and content of the talk in what I think were positive ways.