My first TestBash (and blog post)

Wow, what an impact TestBash2015 has had on me. It appears that I set up this blog in 2009, with the intention of blogging my test thoughts. Where have I been the last 6 years? I know. I've been learning new things to help my job, concentrating how I can work my way up the ladder, pleasing my managers, the usual stuff.

Fast forward to now, and here I am writing my very first blog which is based on the last 3 days of my life. That's the kind of impact Testbash has had on me.

Realisation 1
Working is just a thing we do. Before you shout, being a Tester doesn't just mean physically testing. I am a "Tester in Life" first, and a "Principal Test Engineer" second. Hey it's Saturday, what am I doing. Its not a work day!?!

So Day 1, I was nervous, like I usually am. I tend not to like meeting new people, stick to my comfort zone, hide in the corner. I was on Matt Heusser's Lean testing course, which had great content, but I gained more. If I compare myself from the beginning of the day to the end, I had a different outlook on things, and enjoyed talking about testing when it wasn't just based around a narrow minded test qualification. I also had the chance to ask a question to one of the top gurus that's been bugging me for years, that I thought would never be answered.

Realisation 2
Sometimes the content isn't the only thing that's important. Its also important to refresh and confirm that the ideas you already have are backed up other people that know what they are talking about.

There were also evening events in the pub. Don't worry I thought, my work colleagues will be my safety net in a social situation. I had only spoken to testers that I have worked with, but here I felt suddenly at home. There were lots of mini conversations going on, and I felt that I could join any of them, feel welcome, relate to them and actually contribute!

Realisation 3
Don't talk to your colleagues. You can do that when you get home, so take the opportunity to speak to someone you don't know. Make the most of it.

Michael Bolton was in the pub too. I'd actually met him before as he came to our work to do the RST course about 3 years ago. I have to publically apologise for allowing his wonderful course to take second place because ironically "work got in the way", and I didn't have enough testers to bounce off. I stayed out until the end with him and around 10 others. These are the people that inspire me.

Realisation 4
If you don't speak to other people with the same passion, it is possible to lose it.  If the colleagues you work with don't like talking about testing, they possibly shouldn't be there, so talk to us.

Here's a first. I joined Twitter that night. I have to stress "For test community only". Since then (after 4 days) I'm following 25 Testers, have 6 followers and have tweeted 15 times with a with a couple of mine re-tweeted. Not bad for an introvert who doesn't make many new friends. It feels ok because I know them and have a connection. That's also down to the power of TestBash. I can truly say I had a great time.

Day 2. I went down to breakfast thinking how I could make my journey time more efficient and how I could improve it further the next day. Applied knowledge is a beautiful thing. This was a pick and mix day where there were 3 rooms with different workshops going on. I wont go too much into detail but many thanks to all for wonderful presentations.

To be honest I was suspicious of what some of the workshops could offer me, which actually turned out to be quite a lot!

I especially have to thank one presenter called Nicola, as she had the most impact on me of all. No offence but I thought her workshop would offer me the least, due to the way my work operates. But it opened my eyes on one major area that interests me, which is motivation.

I want to blog again. This is because of Nicola, and it framed the remainder of my time at TestBash. Thank you.

Realisation 5
Step away from something that you might think doesn't offer any value, and think again. Break it down, evaluate it and find a different angle to how it can be of some use. It is such an important thing to do because you learn just as much from what you perceive as negative as you do for the positive. Hey that sounds like testing!

I enjoyed the fact that some of the guys and girls from the day before were in the same workshops as me. It was like being back at Uni again going back the next day and catching up. Remember these are people I'd only known for one day! Building those bonds with like-minded people is so important.

I went to the pub again that evening for another late finish, including more of those pioneers of testing. I was tapping on peoples shoulders, shaking their hands, giving eye contact, and motor-mouthing my way though the night dropping brain dumps of all the ideas I've had. Some of the guys that had been around the block were doing puzzles, although at one point I was thinking "If I jam this pen in your eye, will it still be a pen?" because I was frustrated that I couldn't get the answer. Very interesting and good company and I really came out of my shell.

Day 3 was a buzz from the beginning. This was the day when most people visit - from actually everywhere in the world. The 10 speakers were all inspirational and all are recommended to follow on twitter. The breaks during the day were amazing. I was in my element now asking questions and giving advice to complete strangers, and bumping into the growing number of my new friends.

I have to be proud of this, but one of the slides changed on Michael Bolton's presentation because of a chat I had with him the night before. He actually mentioned me during his presentation! I'm a no-one, and I had an impact (small to him, large to me). That's the power of TestBash, and that's the kind of thing that inspires me.

One of the speakers upgraded from a 99 second speak he did in a previous bash to be a main speaker this year. That could be you. Damn, that could be me!!

Realisation 6
Testers that want to go to Test Bash, care about each other. You can inspire others by being there just as much as the speakers inspire you. You may not realise know how much you can contribute, but  speaking to one person will provoke thought and a new idea that they can apply to their own life and their own goals.

Conclusion
So please go to TestBash and tap people on the shoulder. Ignore the ones that have their head buried in their phones (unless they are taking pics or contributing on twitter) because they probably don't care as much as you. I wish I had the balls to ask "Were you sent here, or did you ask?" That would have told me so much.

If your work wont pay for tickets next year, ask for time. That's paraphrased from one of the 99 second speakers. Honestly, book a cheap B&B for a few nights, go to the evening and morning events, they are really worth it, and pay for the last day yourself if you must. It really is a buzz.

As long as you are a motivated Tester, I guarantee that you will going home feeling like its your last day at work. A mixture of feeling sad for leaving your friends behind, but excited about what the future holds. If you are anything like me at the beginning of this blog, you wont be by the end of the TestBash. You get out what you put in. I'm definitely going next year.

I hardly spoke to my wife and kids for 3 days, but I weighed up the risk and knew they would forgive me.

Realisation 7 and counting...
Its the kind of people that want to go to TestBash that make you a better Tester.

http://www.ministryoftesting.com/