EuroSTAR Software Testing Conference 2008 presentation on The Future of Testing is in New Zealand by David Hayman. See more at conferences.eurostarsoftwaretesting.com/past-presentations/

1. The Future of
Software Testing
is ………
…………in New Zealand
1

2. A bit about NZ
• Population [as at July 2008]
– New Zealand; 4,269,846
– UK; 60,776,238
• Land Mass
– New Zealand; 270,534 sq km
– UK; 242,900 sq km
• People per sq km
– New Zealand; 15.78
– UK; 250.22
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3. NZ comparison
3
M1
SH1

4. You may not know…
• A J Hackett [Bungee jumping]
• Hamilton Jet Boat
• Richard Pierce – first man to fly - 1903
• William Pickering – Rocket man [NASA]
• Sir Edmund Hillary
4

5. Main Centres
• Wellington – capital city
– Central Government
– Some Banks
• Auckland
– Most Banks
– Utilities
– Insurance
– Telecom
• Christchurch
– Tourism
– Agriculture
5
Hectors Dolphin: 3-4000
Maui Dolphin: 110 only

6. Industry Sectors and Companies
• Finance/Banking - ASB, ANZ, BNZ, Westpac, National Bank, ING,
Sovereign
• Insurance - Tower, State, AA, QBE, PGG Wrightson
• Power/Utilities - Vector, Meridian, Genesis, Contact, Mercury
• Telecom/TV/News - Telecom, Vodafone, TelstraClear, TVNZ,
Fairfax, RNZ
• Central Government Departments - Ministry of Social
Development, Ministry of Justice, ACC
• Agriculture/Dairy - Fontera, RD1
• Retail - Warehouse, Pak ‘n Save, New World
• Lots of rural stuff, land management, cars, white goods,
building and ancillary supplies
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7. Where are we
• Advanced for a rural country
• Testing Ground for Japan
• Love technology – we try everything first
• Necessity is the mother of Invention
• Communication is essential for where we are
• Broadband is relatively slow – but we are getting there
7
KORU – A new
beginning

8. What I’ve that worked on and
the issues I’ve seen
• Innovative, more small companies per capita than
anywhere in the world
• Often have to build it as it’s expensive to import
• Probably 5 years behind Europe
– Cinderella issue
• Banks and big organisations have a willingness to learn
but we have a shortage of testing experience
• 24 x 7 Testing
8
Kiwi Invention
Pavlova or ‘Pav’

9. My Experiences
• Software Development House – a first for me!
– Multiple customer base
– Everyone was testing the same things – why?
• Large Bank – DTMF system upgrade, CRM Software and
Hardware Upgrade and a Voice based system – a first
for me!
– Everyone was testing the same things – why? [sound familiar?]
• Tools are the solution!
– ‘I have been told this will solve our testing issues’ – ahem!
• Abdication of responsibility
– ‘Not sure what testing is so we’ll get someone else to do it’
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10. 10
Testing Methodologies
• Fundamentally using the waterfall approach, but are not
aware of that fact
• V Model concepts are understood, but implementation is
an issue due in the main to a shortage of experienced
practitioners
• We don’t have the testing pedigree so are missing out
on test maturity and this is causing some consternation
• Testers are not widely read on methods, they are very
much self taught – they do what they do, they have no
‘name’ for the approach though

11. Agile Testing
• Gaining momentum, however it is being used as an
excuse to do testing ‘badly’
• It is being seen as ‘the’ solution
– Not good for Large Projects
– Not good for Infrastructure or Platform Products
• But often the basics are missed – in order to apply Agile
you need a vehicle
• Agile can be compared to a test tool, you need a process
to know where it needs help
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12. Where are our test processes
• First Testing Index is a review of organisations in
Australia – carried out by Planit
• 2008 Index to include New Zealand
– I don’t expect the results to be much different!
• Approximately half of the organisations are at TMM level
1 or 2
– Level 1 organisations, for example, report 29% of projects
complete successfully, 62% complete after significant changes,
and 9% are cancelled
– For level 5 organisations these figures are, 60%, 37% and 4%
respectively.
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13. The other side….
• Unsurprisingly…….
– Those that ‘believe’ in testing in the main have achieved TMM
levels 3 or 4
– Those that spend more on testing report a higher success rate
– Testing effort is increasing in line with training and process
improvement
– In hindsight many companies would start testing earlier
– Off-shoring is not common
– Software development is an uncertain undertaking
Source The Planit Testing Index October 2007. www.planit.net.au
13

14. 14
ISTQB and ANZTB
• Foundation, relative to Aussie and UK
• Starting to see jobs that ask for the Foundation level
• Increased 10 fold since I’ve been there – maybe because
of me 
• ANZTB 7th largest market in the world
• First to run the ATA and have piloted the ATM
• Market thoughts on:
– Foundation
– Advanced Test Analyst
– Advanced Test Manager
– Advanced Technical Tester

15. What is there for testers
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• New Zealand Computer Society - Test Professionals Network
– Every 6-8 weeks
– Auckland and Wellington
• SIGIST
– Every couple of months
– Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra
– Soon Auckland & Wellington
• ANZTB Test 2009 – w/c March 23rd
• STANZ [July/August]
– New Zealand
– Australia
KIWI
KIWI FRUIT

16. Career Opportunities
• All the usual roles and industry sectors plus a few
specialist industries like:
– Sheep, dairy and deer farming
– Forestry
– Tourism
– Innovative Engineering
– Breweries
• Graduate Programmes
– Instigated by independent companies who run training ‘boot
camps’ and incremental training programmes
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17. Further Information
• Where to look:
– www.testingconsultancy.com
– www.planit.net.au
– www.equinox.co.nz
– www.seek.co.nz
– Brochures and leaflets here at the back
– On the Testing Solutions Stand
– Catch me for a chat
– www.immigration.govt.nz
– www.immi.gov.au
17
Treble Cone Ski Resort,
Queenstown - on a busy day!

18. How to Speak Kiwi
• E becomes I e.g. Pen becomes Pin, Ten becomes Tin
• AI becomes E e.g. Chair become Cheer
• I becomes U e.g. Fish & Chips becomes Fush & Chups
• O stays as O
• A becomes AAA e.g. Mate becomes Maaate
• ‘Wh’ becomes ‘F’ e.g. Whakapapa becomes Fakapapa!!!
• Every sentence ends with a question, e.g.
– It’s a nice day today eh? [‘eh’ pronounced ‘a’]
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19. 19
Whale Watching – Kaikura, South Island

20. © The Testing Consultancy 2008 20
Testing in NZ
Contact: The Testing Consultancy
T: +64 9 948 2225
M: +64 21 802 156
E: david.hayman@testingconsultancy.com
W: www.testingconsultancy.com