How many bugs have you missed that were obvious to others? We all approach testing hampered by our own biases. Understanding our biases—preconceived notions and the ability to focus our attention—is key to effective test design, test execution, and defect detection. Gerie Owen and Peter Varhol share an understanding of how the testers’ mindsets and cognitive biases influence their testing. Using principles from the social sciences, Gerie and Peter demonstrate that you aren’t as smart as you think you are. They show how to use knowledge of biases—Inattentional Blindness, Representative Bias, the Curse of Knowledge, and others—not only to understand the impact of cognitive bias on testing but also to improve your individual and test team results. Finally, Gerie and Peter provide tips for managing your biases and focusing your attention in the right places throughout the test process so you won’t miss that obvious bug.
Gerie Owen
Northeast Utilities, Inc.
QA Consultant Gerie Owen specializes in developing and managing offshore test teams. Gerie has implemented the offshore model—developing, training, and mentoring new teams from their inception. She manages large, complex projects involving multiple applications; coordinates test teams across multiple time zones; and delivers high quality products. Gerie’s most successful project team wrote, automated, and executed more than 80,000 test cases for two suites of web applications, allowing only one defect to escape into production. In her everyday life, Gerie enjoys mentoring new test leads and brings a cohesive team approach to testing.
Speaker Presentations
Tuesday, April 8, 2014 - 2:00pm
Special Topics
How Did I Miss That Bug? Managing Cognitive Bias in Testing
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