Being a good tester requires a diverse skill set, including analytical, technical and social skills. While some of these skills take time to develop, others may not be immediately recognized as necessary.
In my talk, after providing some context about what testing means in a regulated environment, I invite you to analyze five 'hidden skills' that I discovered for myself over 15 years of testing, integrating and validating safety-critical railway systems.
- Train yourself to recognize and accept your biases and limitations as a tester.
- Understand your true role in a team or project.
- Grasp the essence of norms and processes in regulated environments to apply them correctly.
- Good testers ask questions that often translate to "What is the actual risk?"
- Changing perspectives and reframing situations is a powerful skill.
I will share personal experiences, both funny and serious, and provide tips on nurturing these skills. This talk offers relatable experiences filled with mistakes, successes and bloopers from the regulated and complex railway industry, which is not widely known to most conference attendees. Plus, I will be talking a lot about trains!
Key Takeaways:- Gain insights into the importance of recognizing and overcoming your human biases and limitations.
- Understand the significance of acknowledging and accepting your true role in a team or project, which may differ from your job profile. Sometimes, you might take on a "diligent bee" role, while other times, you might become the "defender."
- Realize that norms and processes are designed to assist, not create unnecessary activities or artefacts to hide behind.
