Summary: <div> <div>Guest:</div> <div> <div><a target="_blank" href="http://www.developsense.com/blog/">Michael Bolton</a></div> <div><a target="_blank" href="http://twitter.com/michaelbolton">@michaelbolton</a></div> </div> </div> <div class="podcast-episode"> <div class="subtitle">Michael Bolton talks with Dave Rael about testing, roles, philosophy, and the ways technology shapes society</div> <div class="podcast-summary"> <p>Michael Bolton has over 20 years of experience in the computer industry testing, developing, managing, and writing about software. He's been teaching software testing and presenting at conferences around the world for nine years. He's a co-author (with James Bach) of Rapid Software Testing, a course that presents a methodology and mindset for testing software expertly in uncertain conditions and under extreme time pressure. In the 90s, he was with Quarterdeck Corporation for eight years, delivering the company’s flagship products and directing project and testing teams worldwide. Since then, he's been principal of DevelopSense, a Toronto-based consultancy specializing testing and software quality. Michael is a leader in the context-driven testing community. He's been Program Chair for the Toronto Association of System and Software Quality and for the Conference for the Association for Software Testing 2008. He's also co-founder (with Fiona Charles) of the Toronto Workshops on Software Testing. He wrote a regular column in Better Software Magazine from 2005 through 2009, and produces his own extremely sporadic newsletter. He lives in Toronto, Canada, with his wife Mary Alton (a user interaction designer) and two children.</p> </div> <div class="podcast-chapters"> <h6>Chapters:</h6> <ul> <li><a href="#!"> - Dave introduces the show and Michael Bolton</a></li> <li><a href="#!"> - The draw of testing</a></li> <li><a href="#!"> - The person that is both programmer and tester and the importance of the tester role</a></li> <li><a href="#!"> - Michael's definition of value and how it relates to testing</a></li> <li><a href="#!"> - Mediating the delivery of what we want - the media we use change us</a></li> <li><a href="#!"> - Software and machines as "social prostheses"</a></li> <li><a href="#!"> - Overemphasis on tools</a></li> <li><a href="#!"> - Consequences of leaning on technology</a></li> <li><a href="#!"> - Michael's story of failure - distraction due to confirmation bias without focusing on problems</a></li> <li><a href="#!"> - The importance of focusing on problems - finding opportunities - realizing things can be better</a></li> <li><a href="#!"> - The things that have Michael most excited</a></li> <li><a href="#!"> - Michael's top 3 tips for delivering more value</a></li> <li><a href="#!"> - Keeping up with Michael</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="podcast-resources"> <h6>Resources:</h6> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.developsense.com/" target="_blank">Michael's website - DevelopSense</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.developsense.com/blog/" target="_blank">Michael's Blog</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.satisfice.com/" target="_blank">James Bach</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.satisfice.com/info_rst.shtml" target="_blank">Rapid Software Testing</a></li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folk_music_of_Ireland" target="_blank">Irish Traditional Music</a></li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Collins" target="_blank">Harry Collins</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.wecravecoffee.com/temperature-controlled-electric-kettles/" target="_blank">Temperature Regulated Kettles</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000GXZ2GS/?tag=devonfir-20" target="_blank">AeroPress Coffee Maker</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.marshallmcluhan.com/" target="_blank">Marshall McLuhan</a></li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_medium_is_the_message" target="_blank">Marshall McLuhan - "The medium is the messag"</a></li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QEMM" target="_blank">QEMM 386</a></li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_memory_compression" target="_blank">Virtual memory compression</a></li> <li><a href="ftp://ftp.oreilly.de/pub/ora/nutshell/windows/win95.update/softram.html" target="_blank">The SoftRAM Scandal</a></li> <li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_Frye" target="_blank">Northrop Frye</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/0253200881/?tag=devonfir-20" target="_blank">The Educated Imagination - Northrop Frye</a></li> <li><a href="http://developeronfire.com/Podcast/Episodes/dave-thomas-programmer-first" target="_blank">Dave Thomas on Developer On Fire</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.geraldmweinberg.com/Site/Home.html" target="_blank">Gerald Weinberg</a></li> </ul> <h6>Michael's book recommendations:</h6> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00555X8OA/?tag=devonfir-20" target="_blank">Thinking, Fast and Slow - Daniel Kahneman</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/s?text=Harry+Collins&search-alias=digital-text&field-author=Harry+Collins&tag=devonfir-20" target="_blank">Harry Collins Books</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/0471081124/?tag=devonfir-20" target="_blank">Lessons Learned in Software Testing: A Context-Driven Approach - Cem Kaner, James Bach, Bret Pettichord</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/0932633692/?tag=devonfir-20" target="_blank">Perfect Software: And Other Illusions about Testing - Gerald Wineberg</a></li> <li><a href="https://leanpub.com/jerrysblog" target="_blank">Agile Impressions - Gerald Weinberg</a></li> <li><a href="https://leanpub.com/errors" target="_blank">Errors Bugs, Boo-boos, Blunders - Gerald Weinberg</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KAFVNY2/?tag=devonfir-20" target="_blank">So, Anyway... - John Cleese</a></li> </ul> <h6><span>Michael's top 3 tips for delivering more value</span></h6> <ol> <li>Tell the story of testing, including the three braided threads: the product, the testing, and the quality of the testing</li> <li>Observe your own work</li> <li>Understand having roles</li> </ol> </div> </div>
