Bangalore Weekend Testers: Fun, Learn & Contribute

Let me brag a little bit and then get to the core. I don't believe in feedback forms that are asked to be filled by participants at the end of a training program. That's not a time to fill the feedback form because the value of the training can be determined only when participants get back to their work and apply the ideas they gained.

However, I ask all participants to fill it because the client who hired me wants it, so I don't necessarily change myself per se after looking at the feedback forms unless someone takes time to talk to me about it. As Mohan Panguluri says, "Pradeep, you are like Himesh Reshamaya. Either people fall in love with your music or they hate you at core" and its so true. My feedback forms hardly have an average rating. I am hoping that you saw this feedback report that I bet with all trainers of the world as hard to achieve. I either get a -30,000 rating or a 6 on a scale of 1 to 5. So, you see, how much they hate me?

Now, the actual feedback for me is when people go back and perform better at work. Of course you know about Sharath's great story that fetched him several awards at Mindtree. That's history now.

So, let's look at present. Quoting Jon Bach, "I prefer testers who are more curious than technical. Being technical does not make you more curious, but curiosity can make you more technical."

I mentor a few testers who are as curious or maybe even more curious than me. A co-incidence that these people also attended my workshops on Exploratory Testing and Rapid Software Testing. Among several good things they have done so far, I am starting to like their initiative of - Bangalore Weekend Testing


So, here is the deal of Bangalore Weekend Testing

They ( Ajay Balamurugadas , Manoj Nair, Parimala, Sharath Byregowda ) get together online, pick a product ( preferably open source ) and test together. At the end they publish a report that is helpful to the organization, team or open source project owners. Most important of all they have great fun and learn together.

I dont think you should be deprived of such fun and learning especially when it comes for free.

• It can happen from wherever you are and is a great way to have fun during weekend if you claim that testing is your passion.
• You will always have something to take back to your office on Monday and try out new things to help your organization.
• You would get to meet a lot of other testers online and network.
• You would learn from each other and better your ideas in testing.
• You could end up meeting them and doing more testing together.
• These people will also help you set up a blog and help you publish your experiences and could even mentor you.
• You help the community of software testers by demonstrating your skills and or through your reports.
• You help open source projects better their next release or plan for a next release.
  

Structure:

• Once you are subscribed to weekendtesting@gmail.com you will receive updates on time and projects that is planned for the weekend or it may happen as you find the registrants online
• A chat group is created on Gtalk by a facilitator ( say Ajay ) and invite all registered testers to it. ( Registration means sending an e-mail to weekendtesting@gmail.com saying "hey, I am curious" )
  
• With the help of a Session Tester, testing for a product would go on for about 2 - 3 hours or even more as the excitement goes on.
• Participants then spend time preparing their reports and share it across e-mail, get it reviewed and then publish it on their blogs ( if they want to ) or in a website that is coming up.
• Will be so much fun as you are in direct control of your tests. No manager or Lead watching you and no time pressure and no customer waiting for your report. Just do it!
• You wait for the next weekend.

Examples from the past:

Date:

01st August 2009.

Software:

www.vischeck.com

Testers:

Ajay, Parimala.

Blogs posts:

http://enjoytesting.blogspot.com/2009/08/paired-testing-at-distance-part-1.html

http://curioustester.blogspot.com/2009/08/paired-testing-at-distance-part-1.html

Reports:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/18007763/Testing-of-VischeckReport

http://www.scribd.com/doc/18008266/Experience-Report-for-Vischeck-1st-Aug-2009

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Date:

09th August 2009.

Software:

www.tinyurl.com

Testers:

Ajay, Manoj, Sharath.

Blogs posts:

http://enjoytesting.blogspot.com/2009/08/trio-testing-at-distance-part-1.html

http://testingredefined.blogspot.com/2009/08/here-comes-bwt-learn-test-and-have-fun.html

http://testtotester.blogspot.com/2009/08/weekend-testing.html

Reports:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/18321870/List-of-IssuesTesting-of-TinyURL

Note : These people are doing thing to bring the community together. It does not matter who you are, what certifications you have, what school you belong to, whether you like our ideas or hate them. All it matters here is - do you have the curiosity and passion to have fun through testing and yet be valuable to the open source community. Only fun and learning can unite us all - that's their motto.

Curious? Wanna have fun and learn to test better? Shoot an e-mail to weekendtesting@gmail.com

Join Facebook group of Bangalore Weekend Testers

or Test Republic group to get updates about it or to keep a tab on their reports and activities.

To all those who were concerned that community was constantly being divided, here is what could make us all one - fun while testing together. Here are the guys who are doing it. Be a part of it and have fun.

Update: Aug 18th, 2009

Check out how Bangalore Weekend Testers - 3 went and see if you are fine missing the 4th?

Parimala's Report : http://curioustester.blogspot.com/2009/08/bangalore-weekend-testing-3-bwt-3.html
Ajay's Report: http://enjoytesting.blogspot.com/2009/08/weekend-testing-session-report.html