EuroSTAR Software Testing Conference 2013 presentation on Autism, A Benefit For Testing by Morten Hougaard. See more at: http://conference.eurostarsoftwaretesting.com/past-presentations/

1. Morten Hougaard, PrettyGoodTesting
Autism, A Benefit For Testing?
www.eurostarconferences.com
@esconfs
#esconfs

2. 1958: Began Exploratory Testing
1976: Began Testing HW, SW and Embedded SW
2005: Became ISEB certified SW Testing Practitioner
2006: Founded PrettyGoodTesting
-Became PRINCE2 certified Project Manager
-Became ITIL certified Service Manager
-Became certified Stress Coach
2008: Became certified Scrum Master
2010: Associated with Specialisterne Denmark

3. I do NOT represent people with Autism
I do NOT represent (the company) Specialisterne
I do NOT represent any Specialist consultants
I am NOT a psychologist and have NO medical background
I might be mistaken in some of my conclusions (if you believe so, then please let me know)!
I AM a fan of Specialisterne and the Dandelion Model and I DO
(and like to) work together with the Specialist Consultants.
Specialist names in this presentation
have ALL (purposely) been altered!

4. What is this presentation all about?
What is a Specialist and what is Autism?
What does a professor mean about Software Testing?
What is Special Pedagogy (and why is it used)?
How about the Pro’s?
How about the Con’s?
How about the NB’s?
Summing up the Pro’s, the Con’s and the NB’s!

5. Not Rainmen i.e. Savants (just 15 to 20 world wide)!
Approximately 0.9 to 1.0 % (the ICD-10 scale is often used)!
Humouristic and yes (some) has even a very good sense of irony!
Most Specialists are extremely bright people!
Many Aspergers has a very high I.Q.
A lot of Aspergers are successful business people or scientists!
Michael Bolton:
“They are no different than the many ‘techies’ we see out there”

6. Keep in mind that Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosed
people are NOT identical, in fact they are ALL different!
When describing the Pro’s, Con’s and NB’s of Autism, this is
based on GENERAL observations and GENERAL assumptions!
To ease understanding, the term ‘Specialist’ is used to
describe ‘average ASD diagnosed persons’ in contrast to
‘average’ ‘NeuroTypical’ persons!
A Specialist, has
an amazing power
of concentration!

7. “…take a task Software Testing, that will make most of us crazy, because it’s very repetitive, it’s very detailed and most of us can’t devote special attention to it, but this turns out to be perfectly suited to the abilities of the people with Autism, and so we take a group of people who were unemployable and make them the best Software Testers in the World…”
Professor Robert D. Austin -Copenhagen Business School
How do you feel about this statement?

8. With respect to Software Testing, I so much wish Robert D. Austin was right, but I can (unfortunately) not agree with him.
Because not all Specialists I have met, are‘kind of born’ (expert) Software Testers. BUT I have seen many great people with amazing and fantastic abilities (far beyond those of NeuroTypicals).
What I HAVE experienced in relation to Software Testing, is that…
Specialists ARE ‘born experts’ in certain areas!
Specialists CAN be trained to be as good SoftwareTesters as (good) NeuroTypical Software Testers!
Specialists DO bring GREAT additional value to Testing!

9. It’s all about coping with persons that are different and to
appreciate ‘the difference’ as a strength (not a weakness)!
As a leader, it is all about identifying the special
needs of their employee, in order to support his:
 Ability to work
 Development
 Learning abilities
You are to base everything on ‘what works’ and support this!
You are to positively devise, not prohibit (stating wrong’s)!

10. Is to guide toward ‘what’s best to do’ by clearly…
 Describing and defining
 Showing and demonstrating
 Modelling and advicing
The devising might be related to…
 A task at work
 Conflicts that the person is ‘dealing with’
 Life as such…
I will get back to
you = No offence!

11. No (or very few) mistakes!
Very loyal employees!
Extremely dedicated toward the task!
‘Built-in’ confidentiality!
Straight and honest (some would say too honest) answers!
Happy about ‘just being there/being part of the team’!
Don’t tell!
Look at that fat man
with the funny nose!

12. Asking ‘other’ questions
Un-biased (or biased in other ways)
Paul: My old MAC shows another menu than this PC, when I…
With a memory like an Elephant…
H2R’s (How To Reproduce) –are easily remembered!
I wonder what happens, if I try to inject some code in this input field…!
Last year I did exactly like…bla. bla. bla.!

13. Manually
Paperbased schemes and surveys (by the thousands)
Electronic data in registers, databases, MS Excel etc.
Easily recognising (odd) patterns in data
Correcting the wrong’s and adding the missing’s(e.g. addresses, SSN’s, VAT nos. and all sorts of statistical data)
ALL with literally (or very close to) ZERO mistakes!
Automated or semi-automated
Most Specialist-techies ‘excels’ in Macros, SQL, ETL…

14. Testing the same thing, the same way, again and again…
Without getting tired!
Without complaining!
And most important -Without loosing focus!
Specialists ‘charge their batteries’, by Regression Testing whereas NeuroTypicals so much ‘discharge their batteries’.
Peter (a Specialist): I find
Regression Testing really boring!

15. Inconsistency in User Interface
1 flaw in say 100 webpages is (often) easily found
Formatting differences across large IT-Systems
Differences in shape/content of dialog’s, dropdown’s etc.
Susan: “Inconsistency sort of ‘sticks out/pops up’ at me”
Susan has an interest in Development work and has now worked as a
successful freelance Technical Test Consultant (for more than 2 years)!

16. Large amounts of Image Information
Egg Selection Algoritm Optimization
Professional Photos[1]
Medical Imaging (ultrasound, X-Ray, CT/MR etc.)[2]
Sudoku[3]and Kakuro is just the beginning ;0)
[1] A new assignment is awaiting
[2] Expected (not based on existing assignments)
[3] Sudoku’s btw. helps sharpen ANY Testers mind (patterns, solving issues…)

17. Although there are many Pro’s, there are also Con’s
 Workpressure and stressful situations
 Limited working hours
 Sounds and noises
 Being Team Players (in the traditional meaning)
 Working in Scrum Teams
 Sarcasm and irony
 Prioritizing e.g. defects
 Seeing the ‘bigger picture’ (focused on details)

18. Structure and Precise Guidance and the 8 Wh’s
What is to be done -Content
Why is it to be done -Reason
When is it to be done -Time
Where is it to be done -Placement
Whom is it to be done with -Persons
Which way is it to be done -Method
When is it to finish –Time perspective
What is to be done afterwards -Plan
Specialists will not be offended by Precise Guidance –because they have already accepted their limitations!

19. With a Specialist ‘on board’ you will get…
Better Usability Testing!
Much better Data Cleansing!
Better and safer Data Migration!
Much better Regression Testing! (in fact ‘Bridging the Manual/Automation Gap’)
Better Consistency Testing!
Far better Image/Pattern Recognition!
A loyal, dedicated and happy employee/consultant!
But I was paid 2 €
too much this month!

20. With a Specialist ‘on board’ you will have to…
Improve your ways of communication
Define (and be clear in) your expectations
Remove disturbances (disruptions, stress, noises etc.)
But HEY –that’s not Con’s –that’s Pro’s!
When people talkto a Specialist, he may
refuse to look at them!

21. With a Specialist ‘on board’ you will have to deal with…
Inclusion NOT Integration
Different working schemes
Structure
When work feels chaotic and impredictable, then structure and routines helps!
Guidance
Mails, Notes, Sticky Notes etc.
Be clear (choose dignity NOT commandment)
Instruct in which order things are to be done
Stick to the matter (to what’s to be done)!
You will have to assign (others) to prioritise tasks, defects…

22. By attending this presentation - You learned about…
What a Specialist is and what Autism is!
What a professor meant about Software Testing?
What Special Pedagogy is (and why it is used)?
The Pro’s?
The Con’s?
The NB’s?

23. Please DO feel free to contact me…
Morten Hougaard
CEO and Senior Test Consultant
MOHO@PGT.dk
(+45) 31 63 02 01
www.PrettyGoodTesting.com