The Matrix – ‘The illusion of Manual vs Automation’

If you haven’t watched this interesting movie ‘The Matrix’ at least once, let me copy/paste one of the plot summaries.

Hooked into the Matrix without even knowing it, an elaborate, omnipresent computer system designed to manipulate free will, reclusive hacker Thomas Anderson, aka Neo, is about to have an eye-opening revelation. And haunted by burning, unspoken questions, Neo crosses paths with leather-clad cyber-rebel Trinity and inspirational leader Morpheus, who claim to hold the answers to the reality of his imprisoned existence. Little by little, as Neo tumbles down the rabbit hole, the shocking truth about an artificial dreamland unfolds, catching the attention of the Agents: sentient programs guarding all the doors. But with people so hopelessly dependent on the system, what will it take to unplug and escape the Matrix?

Courtesy: Rick Nigaras @ https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0133093/plotsummary/

If you have watched ‘The Matrix’ and paid attention to those periodic and profound conversations between Morpheus, Neo, Oracle, Trinity and Agent Smith, well and good.

I dared to imagine such a ‘The Matrix’ in the software testing world. There are a handful of Morpheus, Neo, Trunk, Trinity and unfortunately there exist Cyphers and agents like Smith too.

Few important things to note is the context of this post.

Morpheus is not looking for Neo!

It is a curious, confused, concerned and somewhat manipulated Neo, who is looking for Morpheus.

But Neo probably may be ‘The One’.

Alas! very often Neo finds himself meeting Cypher and Agents. 😉. Many Morpheus know many such Neo for sure and trying to make them aware about ‘The Matrix’ in various ways.

As far as the original movie is concerned it took roughly an hour for Morpheus to convey Neo one important life lesson. The lesson was something like this.

‘I can show you the path, walking the path is your job’. 

Even when Neo went to meet Oracle and Morpheus stayed outside and repeated similar words. The ultimate message of this post is also the same.

For the moment let’s two of us (you the reader and me) play miniature versions of Neo and Morpheus of the software testing world. Who of us plays who doesn’t matter much.

Let me first try to define ‘The Matrix’ and ‘A hopefully realistic world’.

The Matrix – ‘An illusive yet so realistic world of misinformed QAs (software testers) who started believing into Manual vs Automation.’

AND

A hopeful realistic world of ‘Software testing that embraces good thinkers who choose to code and use automation to help them test smartly and wisely’.

So, the question that a curious and somewhat confused Neo asked to someone else (on LinkedIn).

So far, I am a Manual QA, how can I switch from manual QA to Automation QA?

I read the above question multiple times.

Assumptions: I made five key assumptions as far the question is concerned…

1. QA implies or means Testing.
2. Our Neo, the QA persona, seems to be working in an organization where QA is performed, and the QA may or may not be integrated within an org level QA (Quality Assurance) framework.
3. Neo seems to be in a dilemma of ‘Manual’ vs ‘Automation’. Source of the dilemma could be anything.
4. Switching could mean a permanent move or may be acquiring an ability to switch between Manual and Automation back and forth.
5. Neo knows better about her dilemma, feeling uncomfortable and unsettled and hence seeks answers.

I made many interpretations too and formed a handful of reactions and responses. Finally, coming out of analysis-synthesis paralysis zone and selecting from five different possible ways, I chose to respond in the following way.

Let me gently pull and push the questioner in a necessary process of analyzing her question first and then start constructing a set of answers for herself.

If I were Morpheus, I would have offered Neo a red pill or a blue one. The red pill can take Neo out of the matrix, and if Neo choose the blue pill, he stays in the world of manual v/s automation.

…if Neo feels like “Alice in Wonderland, falling down the rabbit hole.” He explains to Neo that they exist in the Matrix, a false reality that has been constructed for humans to hide the truth. The truth is that everyone in the world is a slave, born into bondage. Morpheus holds out two pills. In his left palm is a blue pill. If Neo takes it he will wake up in his bed and “believe whatever you want to believe.” But if he takes the red pill in Morpheus’s right hand, then “you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.” Neo takes the red pill… [Courtesy: https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0133093/plotsummary/]

Suppose you are Neo and chose to take a red pill. The act of making a choice, picking up and swallowing down a red pill indicates that Neo is willing to come out of the Matrix. Now here are a few steps to follow and before you do so, I say this to you.

‘You have to let it all go, Neo. Fear, Doubt and Disbelief. Free your mind.’

So do following activity with a free mind…

Step 1: Since you seem to declare ‘I am a Manual QA’, please first help yourself finding what is ‘Manual’ in you or your QA process.

How to do this?

Step 1.1: Narrow down your entire QA process to Test Design and Test Execution. Remember that I am talking about you and your process of performing QA (see my assumptions). Don’t confuse it with QA (Quality Assurance). 

Step 1.2: Identify, for yourself first, and label what looks like a ‘Manual’ effort or a task or a behavior to you? Do it for Test Design and Test Execution. You should further narrow down by splitting Test Design further into [Test Case Design, Test Data design, Test Scenario Design and whatever suitable to fill your current Test Design activities array].

Step 1.3: In all your honesty and with a free mind, write down for each of the activities, what you think, feel, and factually know that is Manual. e.g. Typing test cases?

Step 1.4: Also write down what you find is / can’t be ‘Manual’. e.g. Thinking of an edge case?

Go to Step 2 only IF (You have completed above step(s) AND You have written it AND You are at least 50% sure that you are right about it) ELSE (Go Back and complete Step 1) 

Step 2: Write down what is NOT the problem and what is THE problem with this ‘Manual’ in QA?

Step 2.1: Be positive and write top 5 things that make you feel happy about your Manual QA style, process and achievements so far.

Step 2.2: What are the top 3 things, in each of the categories mentioned below, that you think or firmly believe or have data to prove that something is wrong with your manual QA. When you think of Wrong, think Wrong,

1. For you in the present 
2. For your current QA process
3. For software under test
4. For your team
5. For your organization
6. For you in the near future 

Step 2.3: Write down what you think Automation is. Don’t think too much. Just what you currently know about Automation and how it can be helpful for your day-to-day testing work? Also write what ‘Manual’ work you think you should give to tools and what tools those can be?

A gentle yet firm reminder:

When you are on 2.3, you may be offered a yellow pill from the same or other Morpheus. They have a Yellow Pill of some roadmaps. 

The yellow pills can be something like ‘Here is a roadmap for switching / jumping from Manual to Automation’ Many such roadmaps lead you to the world of Web GUI Automation. This seems beautiful from outside but as long as you carry the baggage of ‘Manual vs Automation’, you will find yourself in another Matrix sooner or later. You may also find yourself asking similar vague questions of ‘switch’ from X to Y to Z to … next time too.

Remember:

Those roadmaps can be contextually useful but only after taking the red pill and walking the path and coming out of The Matrix of Manual v/s Automation.

An alert:

You may also find some Agent Smith around you either in the organization or on social media who almost always try to give you either an expired yellow pill or a shiny blue pill because they manufactured those and want to sell those pills to you without telling its long-term bad side effects. These blue pills, in many shapes and sizes, if not harmful to your body in the short run but will be very unhealthy to your overall thinking and performance in software testing.

So far so good?

The real Morpheus and oracle, know the source of the red pill and they give you the pill for free, but you need willingness and guts to swallow that down and that’s just a prerequisite.

I stop here because there was another important lesson from Morpheus. 

Knowing the path is one thing. Walking is another and that makes all the difference.

I suggested one path.

The path of questioning your own understanding of Manual QA and pen down your answers.

Take this path and see how it helps you or not!

P.S: I can give you names of a few real Morpheus, Oracle, Trinity, Trunk and others to follow on LinkedIn, Insta, YouTube but only if you ask! Looking forward to seeing a Morpheus or Neo or Trinity or even a Cypher come here and comment on my imagination and addressing a burning issue in this manner.

Image credit: Photo by ANIRUDH on Unsplash

Performance Improvement Plan – You PIP for it before they PIP it on you!

“Brother, the soil is fertile, and I see someone cultivating the seed.

It can see it is coming, and it will be here.

But I am not here asking you to help solve my problem—I only want you to listen to me and, if required, suggest something. If there is nothing to offer, it’s okay, and we can also talk later.”

I was thrilled and a bit nervous to know what would come from this man’s mouth, and I didn’t interrupt; the man continued as if he was full and wanted to get empty.

He continued…

I will be on PIP (Performance Improvement Plan) in a month or two, and I have no job offers, interviews, or freelance work. What a terrible state of feeling terrible 😦

For the past week, as I observe myself, I have had a gut feeling and a weird sense that I am ready for it. Of course, when I say it, I mean PIP and failure to meet PIP’s unreasonable demands. But at the same time, I am calm and stable to a reasonable extent, and I know where this feeling and sense of calmness and stability are coming from, and I will talk later about this! 

After spending 15+ years in the industry, why should I be afraid? What’s wrong with my understanding of my knowledge, experience, practice, capabilities, and abilities to find /crack opportunities? Why am I in self-doubt? What are my worries?

I am not afraid of all this, and this sign wave of feeling secure, then secure, then secure, then insecure is now turning into a straight line. 

At the same time, I don’t know what exactly to do. I have ideas like restarting, looking for a job, starting a business, doing this and that. Crap!

Then it was a few moments of awkward silence between us.

And as my friend said all the words in the lines I typed above, I listened to him carefully and calmly. 

I have known this man for 6-7 years now, and we have spent some good time discussing and partially solving some common and slightly tricky problems labeled as midlife crisis for a knowledge work professional(s).

This man is a critical-thinking tester and a passionate performer but still faces such performance issues. After listening to all this, I was not feeling good, but I held my horses.

Going into PIP is a painful and humiliating experience, especially when you know from the bottom of your heart and mind that it is just a trick to get you out of the door but in an ill-planned and organized manner. 

It also becomes more frustrating when you face it at a time when a large portion of the market seems to be getting into a depressed state caused by the recession.

Such conversations are not unusual these days. For example, another friend, a clean coder, and a straightforward person, was forced to leave by misusing PIP!

PIP can be a tool for getting something useful done. It shall be used as a device that a designated person in an organization decides to use when regular feedback to an employee is not yielding desired and mutually agreed upon outcomes, and there is enough reasoning and evidence to believe that it is good to initiate a PIP.

At the same time, I know that a fool with a tool is still a fool!

Nevertheless, I was there to listen, absorb, and come back to think about possible solutions for my friend.

I took his leave and started to home, guessing about a distinct PIP which looked like something below…

Prioritize and Prepare a Quick and Practical plan to avoid/handle PIP with a stable mindset. Mull your options and prioritize based on career goals, risk(s) appetite, and financial/personal responsibilities. 

Initiate – Find a trusted advisor and accountability Partner, share your  plan, kick off execution and 

Progress check is critical; stay consistent, focused, and worry-free because your first goal is to avoid and not face PIP. Suppose you are prepared enough to grab an opportunity before PIP crosses your way. 

Sandeep Garg
Student of Software Testing

I didn’t report just a bug! – A bug letter to the team.

Before anything else, I request you to open this letter with care!

And here it goes...

My dear agile development ideas-driven team,
We will together deliver a good quality product to our targeted customers,
On-time and within budget,
Wasn't this our dream! 

But yesterday, when I found that tiny but usability-critical bug,
I am not sure why do we all need to scream?

Human thinking is buggy, and thinking of a zero-bugs product is shabby.
Say with me now!
Human thinking is buggy, and the notion of a zero-bugs product is shabby.

So, yes, I found a bug, and first, I imagined giving you a virtual hug.
Do you think of sarcasm? 
Nah, it's because of acceptance and appreciation!

Instead of falling into the trap of gullibility!
Let's appreciate the fact that bugs are a reality!
Bugs give us a learning and unlearning opportunity.

So, I reported a bug.

And only if you choose to look closely,
I didn't report just a bug!

Did you see it? The clean, concise, and short title. 
Such that you look at it and quickly get what it is! 🙂

Only if you choose to look closely,
I used RIMGEN.
R - Replicate, I - Isolate, M - Maximize, G - Generalize, E - Externalize, and N - Neutral Tone
Did you feel the 'Zen'?

Only if you choose to look closely,
Did you see I mentioned clear & straightforward steps?
So that you can replicate it w/o stress?
Did you notice the black box-thinking hat that I wore?
I hypothesized an inconsistency and spotlighted a smelling code!

Only if you choose to look closely,
Did you notice the data flow traceability and testability?
I gave you a SQL code that is clean, optimized, well-formatted, and good in readability?

Only if you choose to look closely,
Did you see me helping you by giving test data references and trimmed recordings? 
and logs for targeted test execution, and observation
So, you can quickly view and evaluate without frustration?

Only if you choose to look closely,
I gave you adequate information,
So that you don't have any doubts about the targeted test environment?

Now finally, 
Only if you choose to look closely,
Did you see the bug report suggests criticality and severity?
Because I care for each other's time, relationship, and energy!

And hence,
If you haven't so and I don't think so 🙂
Please, go back!

And only if you choose to look closely,
I didn't report just a bug!

Sandeep Garg
Student of Software Testing

The adverse impact(s) of poor testing methods – A tester’s interpretation from a newspaper report.

I am unsure if you know, but Amit Trivedi (An Indian music composer, lyricist, and singer) undoubtedly has a melodious voice and excellent music-composing skills.

His song. Pashmina, from Fitoor (2016), can give any music lover a soothing pleasure.

If you are reading this post, you may want to try the song on your favorite music streaming application, and if you choose to do so, pay attention, especially to the last few seconds where the guitar is played beautifully. I loved that.

Back now? Good

So what about the Pashmina song, and what does it have to do with testing? Nothing.

It was just for your brain’s refreshment. So thank yourself now and me later.

Now, I am a vivid reader of The Hindu (One of India’s daily published newspapers). So every morning, when I pick up the newspaper and before even opening the front page, I pray that I must see at least all pages full of news on testing.

LOL! What a lunatic thinking style. And…

Trust me (in the 21st century) or not, the God of Testing almost always listens to my prayers and gives something to read on Tests, Testing, and Testers. The lucky tester I am. No?

So one day, in December 2022, I noticed an exciting news (article) on complaints about using obsolete testing methods and techniques to detect and confirm contamination of Pashmina Shwals with Shahtoosh fibre.

See the image below as I captured a click from the newspaper hardcopy.

A news clip from The Hindu (Delhi NCR), back in December 2022

While reading the news, I started imagining the following structure

1. Mission of testing and stakeholder(s)
2. Testing process and test cycles
3. Testing results and bug and product status reporting
4. Decisions based on results

And, here are my interpretations from the statements made in the newspaper report

Mission of testing:

1. Test to find evidence of no contamination
   • Establish the difference between two materials that have similar physical properties and tangibility.
2. Test quickly and reliably.
3. Report testing results as reasonably quickly as possible so that..
   • Further testing processes and the final export approval process is quick.
   • There are no additional issues on the importing side
   • Finally, traders generate sales and revenue to remain in business

After reading the report, I found it safe to talk only about the reported observations on the Testing process, methods adopted, and consequences as mentioned in the paper because commenting on the decision process, decision-making, and decisions is not my area of expertise.

From the highlighted areas, you should be able to identify some commonalities between testing software to detect bugs and testing highly loved (at least in my part of the country) pashmina shawls to detect contamination.

I am listing down those commonalities as far as I can understand…

1. Obsolete testing methods
2. Predominantly observed limitations of old testing techniques
   • e.g. Light Microscopy and / or forensic methods, in the context of above report
   • The human expertise limitations: This may be controversial for some and require a skeptical POV, but now let’s assume what is reported as ‘As is.’
     • Increased number of false positives
3. Lack of advanced test technique(s)
   • DNA testing
   • Scanning electron microscopic tests
4. Delayed testing cycles & inconclusive results (including false positives) resulting into.
   • Loss of reputation, sales and revenue
   • Financial and criminal prosecution

Note: If you read this news closely and in iterations, let me tell you this, and I am not exaggerating (at least in my mind, LOL).

You will start appreciating that this article (news) offers great insights to a curious and attentive software tester.

1. Start reflecting on his/her testing skills
2. Understand the value of a expert tester and his tools/methods
3. Realize power of learning about testing problems in domains other than software
4. Value of context driven and good testing
5. Adverse impacts of inadequate testing methods

Now as I told you that I pray and God of Testing responds, I was praying again and this popped up on April2, 2023

See the image below as I captured a click from the newspaper hardcopy.

A news clip from The Hindu (Delhi NCR), 02 April 2023

I don’t think I need to list down the commonalities once again. But,

I repeat that you will start appreciating that this article (news) offers great insights to a curious and attentive software tester.

1. Start reflecting on his/her testing skills
2. Understand the value of a expert tester and his tools/methods
3. Realize power of learning about testing problems in domains other than software
4. Value of context-driven and good testing
5. Adverse impacts of inadequate testing methods

I enjoyed typing this post and hope you have enjoyed reading it; if not, it is okay.

Stay tuned for the next post; if I would be consistent here. LOL!

Oscillations…

They asked me to Shift Left,
I shifted and trusted them to be correct
The journey was joyful, 
But the feeling of fixation was awful

They felt they got me corrected
But I felt disconnected.
Then they asked me to Shift Right
I shifted assuming that the future would be bright.

I incepted in an utter absurdity 
For a moment
If Software Testing can be thought as a Number Line
Shifting extreme right may give rise to false positives
And to extreme right may give rise to false negatives 
I did a Values At, Within, Towards Boundaries Analysis
I sensed an 'Analysis' paralysis

I argued
I may be right or wrong some day
But, that prediction doesn’t stop me to say
That, Blinded by marketing gimmick
Probably, we forgot the Dynamics, Balancing and Equilibrium magic

In shifting to the boundaries, hours are burning
Gradually we may lose momentum and agility in learning
Nevertheless
I still have positive thoughts
Shift left or shift right,
Just don’t forget to step back
backtrack and connect the dots

Let’s not forget we are sitting on the heap of assumptions and ambiguities
Beyond shifting left or right
There is a context and there are non virtual realities

Experiment, Innovate, elevate
Just don’t fixate
Give yourself a chance
Revert and continue work with common sense

The arguments went up
They asked me to shut up
I kept myself calm
And here came a noise coming from the alarm!

टैस्टिंग करना सीखो, ओ वेरीफाई करने वालो !

इस रचना से मेरा कोई उद्देश्य नहीं की मैं किसी के टैस्टिंग स्टाइल, एजुकेशन, कैरियर, सर्टिफिकेशन या किसी वैल्यू सिस्टम से जुड़े होने पर कोई व्यंग्य करूँ या ज्ञान बांटने का ढोंग करूँ| 

वो प्रयास नहीं है. 

प्रयास बस इतना सा है की अगर कोई इसे पढ़े और उसे लगे की कुछ तो सच है, तो कुछ पलों के लिए खुद के लिए सोचे, समझे और जो सही लगे वो निर्णय ले. 

इन शब्दों को लिखने के लिये मैंने सफदर हाशमी साहब के एक बहुत मशहूर गीत (https://bit.ly/SafdarKiEkNazm) को एक जरिया बनाने की हिमाक़त की है. 

मेरी जो थोड़ी बहुत समझ है उसके लिहाज़ से मैं कह सकता हूँ कि, उनका तो बहुत ही बड़ा उद्देश्य था, कोशिश थी और एक बड़े तबके को एक बहुत मानवीय और वजनदार मैसेज देने का बेहतरीन प्रयास था. 

मेरा काफी छोटा उद्देश्य है, लेकिन है. उनका ये ओरिजिनल गीत मैं बचपन में दूरदर्शन पर सुना करता था. आवाज शायद उनकी ही थी या नहीं, ये तो नहीं पता लेकिन उन्होंने जो लिखा, पढ़ा और कहा वो उम्दा है.

उनको और उनकी रचना को पूरा सम्मान देते हुए, 
ये जानते हुए की ओरिजिनल रचना की आत्मा और भाव से जानबूझ कर कोई छेड़ छाड़ नहीं करूंगा 
और ये लिखते हुए की कुछ भी गलती होगी वो मेरी होगी।
शुरू करता हूँ 

टैस्टिंग करना सीखो,
ओ वेरीफाई करने वालो !
टैस्टिंग करना सीखो, क्यू-ए / क्यू-सी करने वालो !

प्रॉब्लम और कॉन्टेक्स्ट को जानो,
यूज़र्स को पढ़ना सीखो;
एक्सप्लोरेशन को साथी बनाकर
प्रॉडक्ट लर्निंग करना सीखो!

टैस्टिंग करना सीखो, ए-आई से डरने वालो,
टैस्टिंग करना सीखो, जी-यू-आई ऑटोमेशन में रमने वालों! 

टैस्ट केस चलाने वालों, पास और फेल करने वालों 
टेम्पलेट्स भरने वालों, साइन -ऑफ को झेलने वालों 

टैस्ट डिजाईन का फैसला अगर तुम्हे करना है
फीडबैक और स्ट्रेटेजी को अगर सॉलिड करना है,
रिस्क और थिंकिंग को हथियार बनाकर लड़ना सीखो!

टैस्टिंग करना सीखो, बस चैकिंग करने वालों 
टैस्टिंग करना सीखो, इट वर्क्स से खुश होने वालों 

पूछो डॉक्युमेंट्स की खातिर 
टैस्टर्स भटकते क्यों हैं?
पूछो खुद से 
अपनी जॉब्स ये टूल्स लपकते क्यों हैं ?

स्मार्ट, प्राउड और कॉंफिडेंट टैस्टर बनना हो विज़न हमारा 
जुडो कम्युनिटीज से, होगा लक्ष्य पूरा हमारा 
सीखो टैस्टिंग जो ‘मैनुअल’ से पाना है छुटकारा 
सीखो टैस्टिंग की हर कोई दोस्त बनेगा तुम्हारा 

टैस्टिंग करना सीखो 
ओ वेरीफाई करने वालो 
टैस्टिंग करना सीखो,
ओ वेरीफाई करने वालो !
टैस्टिंग करना सीखो, क्यू-ए / क्यू-सी करने वालो !


Hinglish Version

Testing karna Seekho, 
O Verify karne walo, 
Testing karna Seekho, QA / QC karne walo. 

Problem aur Context ko jano, 
Users ko padhna seekho, 
Exploration ko saathi banakar 
Product learning karna seekho. 

Testing karna Seekho, AI se darne walo, 
Testing karna Seekho, GUI Automation me ramne walo. 

Test case chalane walo, Pass or Fail karne walo, 
Templates bharne walo, Sign off ko jhelne walo, 

Test Design ka faisla agar tumhe karna hai, 
Feedback aur Strategy ko solid agar karna hai,
Risk aur Thinking ko hathiyar banakar ladna seekho

Testing karna Seekho, bas Checking karne walo
Testing karna Seekho, ‘It works’ se khush hone walo

Poocho, Documents ki khaatir testers bhatakte kyo hai 
Poocho khud se, 
Apni jobs ye Tools lapakte kyo hai? 

Smart, Proud, aur Confident Tester banna ho vision hamara 
Judo Communities se, hoga Lakshya poora hamara 
Seekho Testing jo 'Manual ' se pana hai chutkara 
Seekho Testing ki har koi dost banega tumhara.

Testing karna Seekho, 
O Verify karne walo, 
Testing karna Seekho, QA / QC karne walo. 


==================================
पढ़नें के लिये धन्यवाद / Thank you for Reading
समझने के लिये शुक्रिया / Thank you for Understanding
एक्शन लेने के लिए बधाई / Thanks for taking Action
कुछ पूछना हो, बताना हो तो फील फ्री फॉर कमैंट्स / Feel free to comments

थैंक यू  / Thanks
संदीप गर्ग / Sandeep Garg
स्टूडेंट ऑफ़ सॉफ्टवेयर टैस्टिंग / Student of Software Testing
==================================

होली के रंग, बच्चों के संग

H-Hate O-Out, L-Love, I-In

ये होली के रंग हैं 
इस होली पर, एक नया सा रंग है
और सोने पे सुहागा ये 
कि इस समय हम बच्चों के संग हैं!

कल शाम से
ये बच्चे 
मुझ बोरिंग से इंसान को 
कर रहें है उत्साहित ,
और जबरदस्त तरीके से 
प्रोत्साहित!

कि कल पक्का चलना है तुम्हे 
हमारे संग 
निकलो इस, लाइफ इन दी रूम, वर्क फ्रॉम होम 
से बाहर
और खेलो हमारे साथ होली 
कभी तो हो लो मस्त मलंग !

बच्चों के कुछ प्यारे से दोस्त भी, आ गये है 
शिकायत का पुलिंदा लेकर 
कि आते नहीं तुम नीचे साथ खेलने 
मोटे पेट वाले अंकल 
बाँध रखी है पैरों में 
क्या आंटी ने 
कोई संकल?

उत्सुक, आनन्दित, प्रफुल्लित 
वाह रे ये बच्चे!
क्या है जो ना सीख पाऊं इनसे?

संभाल ली है 
इन्होने अपनी छोटी सी पिटारी 
जिसमे है 
पचास ग्राम गुलाल 
इतना ही एक दो रंग 
और 
बन्दूक जैसी छोटी सी पिचकारी!

छज्जे पर तैयार रहेगा 
कुछ लीटर पानी 
एक छोटी बाल्टी 
भतीजा रो रहा है 
बिना बात के 
बगल  में बैठा, मार के पालथी 

होली के आने पर 
इस बार 
कुछ राहत है 
कि 
अपने अपने घरों  से बाहर निकल पाएंगे 
रंग खेलेंगे 
गले अपने नये पुराने पड़ोसी को
खुले मन से लगा पाएंगे

जो मन कुछ उदास थे 
कुछ जीवन जो नाराज थे 
हो भी सकते हैं ठीक 
शायद कुछ उमंगों में 
इस बार की होली की रंगों में 

बच्चों  से सीखा 
वर्तमान में रहना 
उत्सुक रहना 
ध्यान से देखना, जानना 
ज्यादा नहीं मानना

तो निश्चय है अटल 
कल बनते हैं 
थोड़े से बच्चे 
अक्ल के कच्चे 
रंगों के सच्चे!

- संदीप गर्ग
-- स्टूडेंट ऑफ़ सॉफ्टवेयर टैस्टिंग 
-- स्टूडेंट ऑफ़ लाइफ 

‘I’ is present and continuous

‘I,’ ‘My,’ and ‘Myself’ are three powerful words in my view and understanding.

Since I first heard the sentence ‘Aham Brahmasmi,’ it almost always got me thinking, what does / could this sentence mean?

As I grew, I shared my interpretations of this sentence but only with myself. 🙂

The most childish one was imagining someone sitting in front of me and saying to me, ‘I am Brahma, ‘The creator of the universe (as per Hindu mythology).

The other exciting interpretations were

1. Utter self-appraisal
2. Ultimate Self-Awareness
3. Self-Knowledge
4. Conveying my existence explicitly
5. Realising self-integration with the world and recognizing individualism
6. Ahankar or more concisely Ahamkara (both, usually perceived in a negative way)
7. Ghamand (usually maps to the English equivalent ‘Arrogance’)

Nevertheless, as I became an adult (at least age-wise), I found myself a proponent of individualism and got into thinking that why this ‘I’sm is ofen taken so negatively? Is it propaganda against the individual’s awareness about oneself? Is it something else?

I still don’t know, but what I think, as of today, is this. 

• Each one of us must work on oneself to build excellent ‘I’s
• Identify and associate with different such ‘I’s and co-create amazing ‘We.’

Based on this current thinking process, here I go to write A-Z of how I see myself building a ‘I’ who becomes enabled to…

1. Appreciate life and people and their helpful contribution to other’s life
2. Apologize the moment I realize to do so
3. Bring Clarity to me, my peers, and our common goals and objectives.
4. Communicate assertively to everyone
5. Declutter my mind, in different ways, the moment I feel a need to do so
6. Embrace ambiguity to an extent
7. Feel good when my peers, friends, and community members make progress in life
8. Get the right things done in the right ways
9. Honestly, accept my mistakes
10. Inquire as much I should minimize my ignorance
11. Jeopardize things and situations as minimum as possible
12. Know better about myself and the world around me
13. Laugh loudly at my stupidity and the jokes people tell me to see me laughing
14. Learn from different people, situations, and events
15. Minimize biases, misconceptions, and miscommunication 
16. Notice what’s going on
17. Offer Help without being judgemental.
18. Practice testing, good thinking, understanding, writing, and conversing
19. Question
20. Recognize the nurturing needs of my body and mind
21. Say ‘Thank You’ to someone who helps, criticizes, brings joy to work, conversation, interaction, and helps reduce my foolishness
22. Say ‘No’ when I know it is the time to say so
23. Seek Help by surrendering my ego
24. Trust people around me
25. Understand (the best I can manage to) people around me, working with me and their situations
26. Validate my assumptions by explicating those
27. Write (type) and publish, if I should

Yes, there are no X, Y, and Z, and there are no periods.

It is not a template.

It is an experience and journey.

It is present continuous

CDT, Agile Context, Selling and some Laws…

This post is an excellent example of procrastination by choice. There is no story as such. Just an attempt to solve a puzzle in my head. This post is for all my testers friends who are choosing / moving / pushed to play different roles in Agile contexts, and the new role might be very different from that of a software testing professional.

If you are not one of those friends/connections/acquaintances, you may stop here and read something else more helpful for you. But, probably, this article, even remotely, may be beneficial.

I propose to read it, and you decide for yourself.

Let me begin…

Some of you (my friends) might haven’t read Context-Driven Testing (CDT) principles. Yet, some of you were performing testing aligned with CDT principles. So if you don’t understand what CDT is, help yourself by clicking https://bit.ly/CDTPrinciples and staying for a few minutes at the landing page.

Now, suppose that, in the past,

• You have practiced testing in alignment with Context Driven Testing principles. 
• You demonstrated decent self and people-management skills.
• You solved some problems of some size, importance, and urgency daily.
• You understood what it takes to exist in a cross-functional team. One meaning, to me, is to continue developing different skills.

Then, I guess, it might become easy for you to start gracefully and firmly in ever-growing agile contexts within the software development space.

If you have ever talked to me about this before, I would have said the following to you.

Please don’t forget Context Driven Testing principles.

I usually prefer to remember them in the order of 3-6-1-2-7-5-4

CDT

But, of course, you may have a different order or may not be. As long as your testing is aligned to those principles in your context, that’s perfectly okay.

Please read the Agile manifesto carefully, and think of a value (left over right) that you haven’t learned (directly or indirectly) from CDT principles. Please note that I am not saying to look for a direct 1o1 mapping here :).

Agile

For example, pay attention to ‘Individuals and interactions over processes and tools.’

Note: Whenever something inside you tempts you to call something a law/standard/custom in Agile, remind yourself of this statement published on the top of the manifesto stating,

‘We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others do it.’

If you become ScrumMaster, please remember that you are first and foremost a facilitator in this role. From Jerry Weinberg’s books, I got to know about three types of management. Micro mgmt., Motherly mgmt., and Masterly mgmt. So, if you ever choose to be a ScrumMaster, you would want to play a Master Facilitator role. You would want to empower and enable self-organized teams to flourish within the culture.

**I am not, by any means, an authority on ScrumMaster role’s do’s and don’t, so let me stop here, for now.

I am still looking for credible references for the Product Owner role to understand this role better. For now, I am content with https://bit.ly/PO-TA-DEEPTEST.

https://bit.ly/PO-TA-DEEPTEST

If you have become a PO/PM by now, can you help me by posting some credible references in the comments section? Please make sure that those references are at par with what I posted so far 🙂

For the Business Analyst role (if that exists in Agile contexts), I may wish to connect you with people who identified customers’ real problems, proposed reliable solutions, and helped teams deliver those solutions. I worked with some of the very humble, down to earth yet highly knowledgeable business knowing leaders. They are still focused on their new missions, as far as I know.

In parallel, you might want to read and make sense of the following laws [https://bit.ly/LawsofSD]

1. Conway’s Law – My all time favourite and I am trying to understand
2. Ziv’s Law – I recently came to know about and sounds very familiar to me. How about you?
3. Humphrey’s Law – Reading now!

The important thing: Please start / resume conversing with the people who bring money to the table. We call them salespeople. They know that the successful culmination of any job is to the outcome of collaborative work on many fronts. They know that people buy from people. They usually know more about the business while testers often focus on functional aspects of the products. You may want to spend good time with ‘Sell‘ by Subroto Bagchi.

Did I not tell you that I am just attempting to solve a puzzle in my head. I am not successful yet but you my friend should have got some ideas by now.

Signing Off for the day.

Provoked? Humiliated? or Learned?

Story behind those 15 minutes..

As I was coming out of the cabin cum test lab of a reputed medical diagnostic imaging centre in Delhi, NCR, I was scratching my head and was thinking why did I have to listen to that (approximately) 15 minutes lecture on ‘Professionalism’. ‘Diligence’, ‘Reputation’ and all from the doctor?

Afterall, to me, I just asked a question in a requesting tone and was seeking a Yes, No or at the best a thoughtful answer.

Still, I could sense that something went terribly wrong and the question probably offended her to an extent that she chose to educate me for 15 minutes straight on her professional credentials, her due diligence, her methods and a couple of other qualities. She did it just like Shankar Mahadevan’s Breathless style leaving me Speechless 😀

The professional I am talking about was a radiologist who did, twice, abdominal ultrasound on the subject, my mother-in-law. My mother-in-law is a cancer survivor now.

Those 15 minutes were humiliating yet educational. I stayed silent and observed the person taking pride in telling me how professionally she does her job and how the question greatly hurt her feelings. I observed myself too.

What was the context of the Question?

The question (delegated to me to ask)  was originally by an oncology physician (another seasoned and renowned professional) as he was going through ultrasound reports of my mother in law. 

The oncologist suspected that a key measurement was missing from the previous report while it was well mentioned on the latest one. 

I assume that the reports were read and a decision was made in this way

• Quick comparison of the texts on both the reports
  • Observing specific measurement doesn’t exist on old reports but is there on latest ones. Why on the new one?
  • Is it missing ‘somehow’? Why? How?
    • Is it important to know?
      • Yes, to the Oncologist and his assistant
    • Confirmation required?
      • Yes
    • Decision?
      • Ask the patient / attendee to go back to the radiologist and request to compare the films and confirm.

Oncologist’s assistant suspicion, as he told me, was based on the premise that…

1. Investigations may have been performed and the test report was prepared by different people all together.
2. If so, there is a chance that there is a certain level of ‘subjectivity’ in the elimination of the measurement or even insignificance of the measurement such that it was not on the verbatim report.

So, I think he convinced me that it was about the radiologist’s subjectivity in measurement and / or possibly the significance of reporting the measurement. So the Oncologist wanted to confirm which one is the valid one.

Now, I was tasked to go back to the radiologist and ask this question..

‘May you please compare the last two ultrasound films to evaluate if a key organ’s measurement is missing from the old verbatim report or was the measurement not taken or was it not significant enough to report earlier?’

And then…

I went to the radiologist after taking an appointment. I was standing in her cabin and asked the same question, in all my sincere curiosity, polite tone and a healthy respect. I am not sure what mistake I made but it appears that the question itself offended her.

She looked at me as if she was seeing a dumbo and started throwing questions..

• What caused you or the oncologist doubt – question my diagnosis and test report?
• Were the reports (film and verbatim) read carefully by the one who knows how and what to read?
• Was the report data interpreted carefully and understood by the person who knows how is it done?
• What is the intention behind demanding a comparison?
• What if the latest report is the truth?
  • Would it change the further and a superior diagnosis in such case?
    • What is the premise?

She continued by telling (Here is the most interesting and learning part for me). 

She started telling me about herself, her credentials, capabilities, recognitions and also about the structure, data, usability, reliability of the tests and ultrasound reports that her lab produces.

• The Film
  • No one else produces the long lasting quality films that her lab produces.
  • Data points on film is helpful to derive verbatim report
    • Organ
    • Parts of organ
  • The film itself is of a material that lasts long. She told me about Paper printing vs Film printing pros and cons.
  • The film images are uploaded on the Web. Patients can access from anywhere
• The Radiologist Credentials 
• The Lab’s reputation
• The Report
  • Data
  • Target Audience
  • Disclaimer
  • The well known limitation of diagnosis method called Ultrasound
  • The use of words like ‘Approximately’, ‘Variation’ and so on

She didn’t stop here and I am thankful to her. She told me the limited capabilities of the method of diagnosis and what she is doing is the best that one can do. According to her…

• My job is to perform a procedure based on the prescriptions, and take, publish recordings (measurements). 
• Once recorded then provide them in a well readable manner for the target audience with a disclaimer and measurement limitations (possible errors, biases, approximations).
• Measurements from the sample and the subject are approximate and dependent upon
  • Day/Time
  • Environment situations
  • Patient’s physical and psychological situation
  • Breathing patterns 
  • Other factors…

I was speechless but my mind was also listening to her pain as well. The pain when someone’s professional pride is hurt. 

Finally she said to me the following words…

• Sounds like you are provoked.
• No competent radiologist entertain such comparisons. Once the report is out, it is out. I am not obliged to do a comparison.
• Comparison is a different service and it is not done without premium.
• Comparison in this context is nonsense on the grounds of medical conditions and kind of treatment.
• Such demands reflect a backward thinking rather than forward in such disease cases. 
• I can, in the best possible intent and competency, indicate Risk and possible preventive actions like another diagnosis.
• The question is actually a question on my credibility, professional competency, diligence and reputation.
• You hurt my pride in my investigations and reports which are trusted by renowned doctors in India.
• And, Please do not bring such questions without questioning the demand. You seem to be an educated person so…

After all this happened, my questions to myself

The oncologist was suspecting, if the radiologist who did the diagnosis was the same at both times or different. 

• If different, there could be a subjectivity in terms of determining, seeing, measuring and interpreting/reporting the measurements itself.
  • My questions – HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE? 
    • Are there no protocols on what to report under a certain medical test for a deadly disease?
    •  Is it only about test A,B,C only and NOT about holistic observations that matter in such cases?
• Doctor’s statement about the need of a PET-SCAN in such a case? 
  • Was it not on radar earlier? 
  • What if the US reports could have missed the new findings? 
  • Shouldn’t it be on the list of What to Measure in the prescription itself?
  • What might cause a Doctor to NOT to explicitly tell ‘What to measure’ or to determine ‘What seems / could indicate abnormalities?’

In my head, after all this….

• Could these professionals be more empathetic?
• Could they connect directly and talk and get the matter resolved?
• Why did I surrender to both of these professionals?
• Was I playing pure dumb?
• Why was I behaving like a mediator?
• Was I trusting them in a way that my ability to question their demands, counter their arguments and feeling of humiliation was suppressed to a great extent?

In all, the one most important thing I think I learned from the radiologist is this..

As a professional when you do your job with excellence, diligence and integrity, you take pride in the process and the outcome. When this pride is hurt, for whatsoever reasons, you feel bad and sometimes very bad. 

This led me to another learning…

Professionals should learn how to talk to the professionals.

Professionals should also learn how to talk to the people who don’t know about their profession and work intricacies.

I was supposed to be served by both in a manner that I feel no stupid when I am with any of them.

I don’t think I am going to do this with anyone in my life. I will choose either to empathise or sympathise or behave binary in answering such question unless I have solid reasons to believe that it is a deliberate intent and action. 

That’s it.

Meaning of ‘Life’?

जीवन का अर्थ?

सुना है शब्दों  के अर्थ होतें हैं ?
या शायद नहीं?

मैं मानता हूँ कि 
शब्दों के लिये सिर्फ नये शब्द होतें हैं 

अर्थ का 
क्या अर्थ है?

जीव की यात्रा होती है 

अनुभवों की यात्रा 

मैं और तुम, सब जीव हैं
अभी सजीव 
और बस अभी 
निर्जीव 

सजीव से निर्जीव की यात्रा 
और 
निर्जीव  से सजीव की यात्रा 
कोई धर्म , कोई अवतार , कोई महापुरुष 
क्या तुम्हे बता सकता है?

हो सकता है 

लेकिन 
अनुभव की यात्रा मेरी है 
यात्रा में आनंद है 
अर्थ में बस नये शब्द!

संदीप गर्ग 
स्टूडेंट ऑफ़ सॉफ्टवेयर टेस्टिंग 
स्टूडेंट ऑफ़ लाइफ 

Would you work on a weekend?

Image Credit: https://cutetropolis.com/2020/05/23/cat-sits-on-laptop-computer/

In my work experience so far, in the IT/Software industry, the demands, urges, requests, rare necessities, instructions to work on a weekend are not new.

In fact, as an individual contributor, team lead and team manager, I have deliberately chosen, a couple of times, to work on weekends. I also planned a few working weekends for my teams as well. Sometimes it went well and sometimes it didn’t at all as far as the goal is concerned. Sometimes I regretted my poor planning decision that I made and sometimes everyone appreciated me and my team’s proactiveness.

I know that it is a delicate, debatable and controversial topic and I don’t want to write (as of now) a white paper on this subjective topic. So why this post? Let me tell you why.

Recently one of my friends threw the following question to the people on Twitter. 

How will you react when your manager asked you to #work on #weekends?

I usually don’t respond to questions / comments  / statements / polls on twitter where I do not have something reasonable to say. Above question, somehow, triggered an urge in me to respond to this question in a manner that I think that a handful of professionals may want to answer.

I first explicitly stated my interpretation, received an affirmation from her

One of my interpretations of this question is this…

‘How will I react if my manager asks (in the near future, in some situation, to achieve something) me to work on a / some weekend(s)?’. 

Then I went ahead and picked the words ‘React’ and ‘Ask’ (in the given order).

I stated my assumption that I was in a healthy mental, physical and emotional condition at that very moment when I first heard the ‘Ask’.

Here my final answer was…

My reaction to my manager’s action would be a state change, in my head, turning into the following questions to myself based on my relationship with my manager and how have we worked together so far.

1. At this moment, what does this ‘Ask’ look like? A request, demand, instruction or mere a question seeking a binary answer?
2. What is the context?
3. What situations might have caused this ask from my manager? Was I somehow unaware or ignorant of those situations?
4. Why didn’t I think of such a question popping up in my head before even the manager sees a need to ask?
5. Did I miss something while planning such that my manager is trying to point my attention towards by asking? 
6. What is special with the weekend? Is it contingency planning? Is it firefighting? Is it a proactive measurement? 
7. Is it necessary based on my experience and expert judgement?
8. Is it only me to whom the manager asked and if so why could it be?
9. Is this becoming a pattern and I am not happy with this at all?
10. Is this a pattern and I am happy to do this because of the monetary compensation, learning, opportunities, exposure?

Of-course, there were other factors and assumptions as well behind answering the question. All of those are not explicitly mentioned here. For example – assumptions around my already planned personal commitments on the weekend, assumptions around organizational culture and so on. But keeping in mind twitter’s space limits and my focus towards responding in a quicker and healthier way, I responded with above 10 points.

Finally, I wrote that I was thinking of law of conservation of energy to construct my response (or reaction).

 I also mentioned to her that I was thinking of ‘Law of conservation of energy’ while I was drafting the answer.

My friend got other answers as well and I don’t see a reason to comment on those. Everyone has an opinion and point of view, like I had and I responded the way I thought I should.

Did someone ask you a similar / same question ever before? How did / would you react?