Karen N Johnson Keynote address QA or the Highway 2016: How Nancy Drew prepared me to become a software tester

Karen N. Johnson
QA or The Highway 2016
How Nancy Drew prepared me to become a software tester

Who is Nancy Drew?
A cultural icon, Nancy Drew has
been cited as a formative
influence by a number of women,
from Supreme Court Justices
Sandra Day O'Connor and Sonia
Sotomayor to Secretary of State
Hillary Rodham Clinton and
former First Lady Laura Bush.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nancy_Drew&oldid=703381938
How Nancy Drew Prepared Me © Karen N. Johnson, 2016

The New Nancy Drew:
Reimagining a Gutsy Female Character
“Nancy Drew is renowned as one of fiction’s most enduring strong-willed
female characters of the 20th century. Though not a superhero by standard
definition, her character is seen as a powerful icon. She’s guided by for her
intellect, known for her physical strength and portrayed as independent,
capable and gutsy. When it comes to mystery and danger, Drew doesn’t play
sidekick to male characters throughout the original series. Rather, she’s at the
forefront of the action, spying, collecting evidence and making bold decisions.
She’s applauded by male counterparts for her achievements rather than her
looks, and she doesn’t shy away from adventure.”
source: http://amysmartgirls.com/the-new-nancy-drew-reimagining-a-gutsy-female-character/

The Hardy Boys
The Hardy Boy mysteries were
designed for boys to
encourage the same love of
reading and build on a sense
of adventure.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Hardy_Boys&oldid=703436626

“Rediscovering Nancy Drew”
Edited by
Carolyn Stewart
Dyer
and
Nancy Tillman
Romalov
¨  Although Nancy Drew is a favorite character,
people often don’t recall the plot lines – they
generally carry a more nostalgic generalized
memory of her character.
¨  Nancy is shown as “conquering our worst
fears, giving us a glimpse of our braver better
selves”
¨  Nancy inspired girls to preserve, to achieve, to
ask questions and find answers.

“Rediscovering Nancy Drew”
Edited by
Carolyn Stewart
Dyer
and
Nancy Tillman
Romalov
“Detection is about heightening
awareness, using visual enhancers – after
all look at the tools for detectives:
flashlight, binoculars, telescope,
magnifying class – these are the tools of
the inquisitive.”

“Women in many
occupations told of
learning from Nancy to
see adventure in
problem solving and the
joy of self-reliance.”
-- from “Rediscovering Nancy Drew”

What is the point of today’s talk?
It is not for Karen to share nostalgia.
It is to see what we can pull from Nancy Drew to teach and
inspire both ourselves and other software testers.

“Making Thinking Visible”
By
Ron Ritchhart,
Mark Church,
&
Karin Morrison
¨  Project Zero through Harvard Graduate School
of Education
¨  Devised thinking routines for students
¨  See: www.pz.harvard.edu/vt
¨  Let’s compare these routines to how Nancy Drew
“worked”

See/Think/Wonder
What do you
see?
What do you
think about
that?
What does it
make you
wonder?
How Nancy Drew Prepared Me © Karen N. Johnson, 2016 From “Making Thinking Visible”

Think/Pair/Share
A thinking
routine
designed to
encourage
students to
think on their
own, then
share, compare
notes and
move onto
explore
together.

What makes you say that?
What’s
going on?
What do
you see that
makes you
say that?

I used to think… But now I think…
A thinking
routine
designed for
reflecting on
how and why
our thinking
has changed.

Compass points
E = Excited
W =
Worrisome
N = Need to
Know
S = Stance or
Suggestion to
move forward

“Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes”
By
Maria
Konnikova
¨  Active vs. passive attention
¨  Building and cultivating a brain attic
¨  Make use of the scientific method
¨  Compare sleuthing by Holmes vs. Drew
How Nancy Drew Prepared Me © Karen N. Johnson, 2016 From “Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes”

Active thinking
engagement vs. been there done that
From “Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes”How Nancy Drew Prepared Me © Karen N. Johnson, 2016

“We may feel we have been there, done that
our attention wans
this is why it is not just the skills of observation
but the ongoing skill of being motivated,
being engaged
and that takes mindfulness, deliberate practice
and discipline.”
From “Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes”

Building and cultivating a brain “attic”
¨  Imagination has a place
alongside using the scientific
method
¨  Think of your brain as a storage
facility
¨  Deduction and reasoning come
from your brain’s “attic”
¨  Ongoing education is critical

Scientific Method
¨  Create a hypothesis to explain observations
¨  Design an experiment to test the hypothesis
¨  See if the results match the expectations
¨  Lather, rinse, repeat

The mindset of a hunter
¨  Ever-ready attention
¨  Environmental appropriateness
¨  Adaptability
¨  Acknowledging limitations
¨  Cultivating quiet
¨  Constant vigilance
Can you see
how
Nancy Drew
and
Sherlock Holmes
use
all of these attributes?
From “Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes”

“Nancy Drew mysteries pulled me into the stories, encouraged
my imagination, and sparked a passion for wanting to figure
things out. These same skills and attributes are needed in
software testing.” – Karen N. Johnson

Karen N. Johnson
Email: karen@karennjohnson.com
Twitter: @karennjohnson

Karen N Johnson Keynote address QA or the Highway 2016: How Nancy Drew prepared me to become a software tester

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Karen N Johnson Keynote address QA or the Highway 2016: How Nancy Drew prepared me to become a software tester