Jeff Abshoff faced a most difficult challenge in 2015. His team size tripled, with testers of varying skill levels spread across six sites worldwide. The product was moving to a more frequent release cycle, was of poor quality, and had multiple key stakeholders. Features were incomplete, defects were not discovered until late in the cycle, and downstream stability and feature integration problems were common. Join Jeff as he shares his experience with Group Exploratory Testing, and discusses the positive impact this approach has had on his team and the ANSYS product. Jeff gives practical details on the tools used (web collaboration and a virtual lab approach) and the people involved (developers, product managers, writers, and testers). Jeff explains the many benefits that Group Exploratory Testing offers—improved collaboration, cross-team training, earlier and faster feedback, and better product quality.

1. W10
Session
10/26/2016 1:30:00 PM
Better Together:
Group Exploratory Testing
Presented by:
Jeff Abshoff
ANSYS Canada Ltd
Brought to you by:
350 Corporate Way, Suite 400, Orange Park, FL 32073
888-­‐268-­‐8770 ·∙ 904-­‐278-­‐0524 - info@techwell.com - http://www.starcanada.techwell.com/

2. Jeff Abshoff
ANSYS Canada Ltd
Jeff Abshoff is a testing manager at ANSYS, Inc., a global developer of engineering
simulation software. At ANSYS for more than eleven years, Jeff has worked on
projects ranging from small, single team features to large cross-business-unit
feature integration. With a strong emphasis on exploratory testing, he still
regularly participates in testing new features. Jeff leads an international team of
ten testers who are responsible for certification, performance, automated
regression, integration, and exploratory testing. Jeff works to empower his team
members to significantly impact product quality through early engagement in the
design process; collaboration with peers, developers and other stakeholders; and
exploration of the software under test.

3. 10/24/2016
1
Better Together:Better Together:
Group Exploratory Testing
Jeff Abshoff – ANSYS Inc
jeff.abshoff@ansys.com
STARCanada 2016STARCanada ‐ 2016
Have you ever…
• Had your team size triple?
• Had testers distributed at various sites?
• Had a team with different backgrounds/skills?
• Worked on a product with integration problems?
• Found too many defects late in the cycle?
• Sped up the product release cycle?• Sped up the product release cycle?
• Been invisible?

4. 10/24/2016
2
I have!
Bigger, distributed team
3
2 2
1
1
1
1
2

5. 10/24/2016
3
Different backgrounds and skills
Automation Interactive
Intermediate (1)
Senior (2)
‐focused ‐focused
Strong Physics
Knowledge
Weak Physics
Knowledge
TestingJunior (7) 4 Teams

6. 10/24/2016
4
Late defects, integration issues
22 %
Defect entry rate per release phase Defects found by core testers
Increased release cadence
Release 16.0 – Dec 2014
Release 16.1 – Release 16.2 – Release 17.0 –
Mar 2015 Jul 2015 Dec 2015

7. 10/24/2016
5
Testing an afterthought
How to…
• Facilitate team collaboration?
• Cross‐train team?
• Improve our contribution to quality?
• Give quicker feedback?
• Provide more value?

8. 10/24/2016
6
Group Exploratory Testing
Ideal

9. 10/24/2016
7
Virtual
1
1
3
2
2
1
Group Exploratory Testing

10. 10/24/2016
8
Schedule
• 2 hour session
• Pick a date
Schedule
• Gather 3‐6 testers
• Invite other
stakeholders
• TIP ‐ Take care to
not overload
testers

11. 10/24/2016
9
Plan
• Start with a
quick huddle
• Plan charter
• TIP ‐ Use a
template
Test
• Share screens
• TIPS:
• Use two monitors
• Limit distractions

12. 10/24/2016
10
Test
How’d you
Will this
also
Is this
already
reported?
y
do that?
also
affect…?
Does this
make
sense to
you?
Can
someone
reproduce
this?
Is there a
work‐
around?
Learn
• Testers learn
from each other

13. 10/24/2016
11
Learn
Record coverage

14. 10/24/2016
12
Record issues
Follow‐up

15. 10/24/2016
13
Record issues
• Tidy‐up loose ends
Follow‐up

16. 10/24/2016
14
Innovation over time
300
Number of GET sessions vs Time
150
200
250
Number of Sessions
0
50
100
J‐14
F‐14
M‐14
A‐14
M‐14
J‐14
J‐14
A‐14
S‐14
O‐14
N‐14
D‐14
J‐15
F‐15
M‐15
A‐15
M‐15
J‐15
J‐15
A‐15
S‐15
O‐15
N‐15
D‐15
J‐16
F‐16
M‐16
A‐16
M‐16
J‐16
J‐16
A‐16
S‐16
Other things we’ve learned
• Part of development process
• Replaces bug bash
• Doesn’t fix everything
• Beware of narrow focus
• Avoids group think
• Time ‘sink’ but quick turn around• Time sink but quick turn‐around
• Variety of uses

17. 10/24/2016
15
Further growth
• Better use test coverage
• Grow testers leading sessions
• Promote use in other
parts of ANSYSparts of ANSYS
How to…
• Facilitate team collaboration?
• Cross‐train team?
• Improve our contribution to quality?
• Give quicker feedback?
• Provide more value?

18. 10/24/2016
16
Now What?
Have you ever…
• Had your team size triple?
• Had testers distributed at various sites?
• Had a team with different backgrounds/skills?
• Worked on a product with integration problems?
• Found too many defects late in the cycle?
• Sped up the product release cycle?• Sped up the product release cycle?
• Been invisible?

19. 10/24/2016
17
How to…
• Facilitate team collaboration?
• Cross‐train team?
• Improve our contribution to quality?
• Give quicker feedback?
• Provide more value?
Group Exploratory Testing

20. 10/24/2016
18
Thanks!