Better Software Magazine Articles

Bridging the Gap Between Disciplines: Software Testing and UX Design

Two industry experts from very different worlds walk you through a Eureka! moment. Get their thoughts on how to build a strong, successful collaborative effort between two distinct disciplines—software testing and user experience (UX) design.

Brian Marick Jeff Patton
Asking the Right Questions and Asking Them Right

Naomi Karten shares how to ask the questions that ensure you and your customer are on the same page. Her tips include: 1) guard against conflicting interpretations; 2) don't jump to conclusions; 3) gather feedback early and often; 4) examine your rules for commenting; 5) conduct congruent questioning; and 6) find out what's important to your customers.

Naomi Karten's picture Naomi Karten
Requirements Workshops: What, Why, and How

There's no standard formula for requirements workshops. Each project, business situation, and group of people will combine to make each workshop unique. Preparing for the requirements workshop requires collaboration. It permits you to tap into the collective wisdom of all of the
project stakeholders. In your workshops, participants are active, engaged, committed and task oriented. A well-run workshop builds trust and mutual understand among all the participants. Workshops are not new, but are proven best practices in software development. They can go a
long way not only in product delivery, but also in building a "jelled" team.

Ellen Gottesdiener, EBG Consulting, Inc.
Collaboration Between Development and Testing Personnel is a Key to Success

Applications are often designed and developed with little regard for testing. Functional and Load/Configuration testing needs to be a collaborative effort between the development and testing groups for a project to be most successful. Everyone needs to "own" some of the testing responsibility. Learn how to accomplish an ongoing collaboration between application architects, designers, developers, and QA/testing personnel to identify and resolve problems (defects) in an efficient and timely manner.

Tom Igielski, Upstream Solutions, Inc
Thinking About People, Process, and Product: A Principle that Works at Work

All projects involve the three P's: people, process, and product. People includes everyone who influences the project. Process is the steps taken to produce and maintain software. Product is the final outcome of the project. To keep these three in harmony, you must observe who is trying to do what to deliver what. Usually, two of the three P's are mandated, and the third one is chosen appropriately. Although this is common sense, it is not common practice. Dwayne Phillips discusses the issues and challenges that affect us all on every project. Learn about the ideas and questions to consider to help you work through these issues.

Dwayne Phillips, U.S. Department of Defense
Facilitated Workshops in Software Development Projects

To build planning and requirements products quickly and efficiently, consider using facilitated workshops. In your workshops, participants should be active, engaged,
committed and task-oriented. A well-run workshops builds trust and mutual understand among all the participants. Workshops are not new, but are proven best practices in
software development. They can go a long way not only in product delivery, but also in building a "jelled" team.

Ellen Gottesdiener, EBG Consulting, Inc.

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