Martin Kooij discusses the evolution and future of software testing. He traces his experience in testing telecom equipment from the 1960s to present day. Testing has matured from a technical focus on defects to a more strategic, risk-based approach. Metrics now consider risks rather than just defects. Kooij believes that by 2018, testers will report directly to boards of directors on product risks translated into business risks. Testers will broaden their skills and take responsibility for cost-effective testing to estimate and mitigate risks. For testing to continue evolving, testers must be brave, independent, and politically skilled while focusing on business risks over personal agendas.

1. EuroSTAR 2008, The Hague
Testers in the
Board of Directors
Martin Kooij, martinkooij@valori.nl

2. 2
The future of testing: Agenda
A personal story starting in 1964.
The now of testing.
Trend continuation: up to the board and beyond…
Practical notes.

3. 3
My first testing of telecom equipment

4. 4
Cost reduction by using Model Based Testing

5. 5
Testing in the early ’90’s
Coffee
Jan,
Expert
#1
Hugo,
Expert
#2
Me,
Nerd #3
TTCN

6. 6
The technical world of testing
1990. RACE, ESPRIT, ETSI.
1992. Software testing
Main goal: finding errors in software code.
Reporting main metrics: # defects found, # defects
solved, # open known defects, #days to go to end of
test, sometimes: #defects to be expected.

7. 7
Testing when I returned to the profession
Projectlead
Reqts Implement TestmanagerIT
Testmanager
Testmanager

8. 8
Testing now
Next to the project lead
Surprise: Taken seriously
Reporting on the basis of Risks: metrics are the old
technical metrics (for project management) + risks left
as per weighed acceptance criteria per functionality
and per quality aspect for steering group.

9. 9
Testing now.
For example, I use SmarTEST®, PRIMA, …
 Strategic
 Man over Machine
 Adaptive
 Risk based
 Transparent.

10. 10
Testing in 2018
Assumption
 This trend continues
 Finance is not king.
 IT will be ever more important in doing business.
 Testers keep broadening their skills
Where in 2018?

11. 11
Testing in 2018
Here!

12. 12
Testing in 2018
Reporting from within the board of Directors, less focus
on financial risks only.
Responsibility on product Risks
Basic reporting on
 Old technical metrics
 Risk based metrics, acceptance criteria
 Translated product risks into business risks.
Full responsibility to arrange testing in a cost effective
matter in order to
 Be able to estimate risks
 Act on them in an early stage and avoid big risks in new and
existing products.

13. 13
Testing in 2018

14. 14
Testing in 2018
New growth path
 Technical testers
 Test coordination
 Test lead
 Test Management
 Test Officer

15. 15
Practical
Does this come by itself? No, we have to grow
 We have to be brave, take responsibility
 Work risk based and strike a visible balance between the
costs of risks vs. costs of testing in any and each Master Test
Plan. Use a Risk Matrix/Table from the start!

16. 16
Practical
 Be independent, report on business risks, be politically
skilled, but…. be the one to take the politics out! Report to the
ones really responsible: the project lead and the line manager
can have their own agenda’s
 This avoids what happens now too often: a negative advice
from testing is overruled.

17. 17
Practical
 Broaden our scope: We can learn from IT auditor community, in how
we can do risks assessment and assurance, e.g. show how testing
fits in COBIT framework and adopt part of that language. This is
where you can find a link between product risks and company risks.
 COBIT: Control Objectives
for Information and related
Technology =>
show how you are
in control w.r.t. the IT risks

18. 18
Summary
Testing is maturing, if we want and if we dare.
* More risk
* More responsibility

19. 19
Thank you for your attention
Questions? Now, here, this afternoon, or by mail
martinkooij@valori.nl