RBCS Podcast

Stupid Metrics Tricks and How To Avoid Them

If you have been in software engineering for a while—or in fact just in the working world in general for a while—you’ve probably seen someone do something stupid with metrics. Such mistakes raise a whole bunch of interesting questions. What are the most common metrics mistakes? Why are they mistakes? Why do people make these mistakes? Are you making these mistakes? Why use metrics at all, when there are so many mistakes? In this talk, Rex will give real-world examples of these mistakes, explain the management and economic theories behind metrics, and help you find ways to implement metrics that aren’t stupid.

Agile V Model: Oxymoron or Best Practice?

Is the V model dead, crushed by the onset of agile methods?  In the age of agile, are those who talk about the V model anachronistic dinosaurs?  Or was the V model actually ahead of its time, illuminating best practices that now form the core of agile testing?  In this talk, Rex will show how the fundamental principles of the V model can be successfully applied in the context of an agile development effort, and how the application of those principles make agile software development even more agile.  Sure to stir some controversy, attend Rex’s webinar, submit questions and comments, and make up your own mind.

Agile Risk-based Testing: A How-to Guide

Perhaps you, like many software testers and test managers, are enjoying the benefits of incorporating a lightweight analytical risk-based testing strategy such as RBCS’ Pragmatic Risk Analysis and Management (PRAM) technique into your test approach.  What if your organization is adopting an agile methodology?  Can you still use PRAM and other similar analytical risk-based testing strategies?  Absolutely.  In this webinar, Rex will explain the process for integrating quality risk identification and assessment into the release and iteration planning processes, and for integrating quality risk mitigation into each iteration.  You’ll return to work with a proven method for injecting risk-based testing into your agile processes.

Skynet Has Arrived!

What would John Connor, son of Sarah Connor, hero of the resistance in the “Terminator” movie series, say about the Internet of things, the ubiquity of mobile devices, the fact that we almost ran out of IP addresses, software that updates itself, and other signs of the coming computer apocalypse? He’d probably tell us to pull the plug, quickly! Beyond the nightmare scenario of the “Terminator” films, what are the implications of quality, and lack of quality, for the now-real situation that everything is connected to everything else? Will it be Neuromancer, “Terminator,” androids dreaming of electric sheep, or something more benign? Join us for some fun and interesting speculation and prediction on the future of limitless connectivity.

Leading a Test Team

In many ways, leading a test team is like leading any other team. After all, people are people, no matter what work they do or where they live. Of course, there are some aspects that are specific to managing technical teams. And there are a few aspects that are specific to managing a test team. Given a good team, which you’ve developed carefully, how can you get the best work from them and keep them engaged and motivated? Rex will explore some ideas, and take your questions, in this free webinar.