A fellow today told me that, as part of his company’s quality program, the people in his department have to fill out a survey at the end of every project. The survey is on the order of 50 questions long. The answers are in multiple choice format, so there one could garner some data from it, but relatively little information.
I asked him if they had considered modifying the survey. He said that Yes, they had, but the business improvement department wouldn’t let them.
You can find an extensive list of presentations and courses that I've taught, including the slides and speaker notes for many of them, here.
Highlights from my schedule appear below. If you notice that I'm in your part of the world, drop me a line if you'd like to get together. If you'd like to engage my services and worry that I'm not available, please note that my clients' schedules are subject to change, so mine is too. Please drop me a line in any case.
January 16-18, 2012
Helsinki, Finland
Rapid Software Testing: a three-day public class, organized by Altom. Information is here; registration here.
January 27-29, 2012
Melbourne, Florida
Workshop on Teaching Software Testing
January 30-February 3, 2012
Palm Bay, Florida
Writing work with Cem Kaner and Becky Fiedler.
February 12-18, 2012
Orcas Island, Washington
In-person development work on the Rapid Software Testing class with James Bach.
March 8-14, 2012
Utrecht, Netherlands
Pencilled-in engagement teaching Rapid and exploratory approaches with a corporate client.
March 15-16, 2012
Munich, Germany
Two days of presentation and particpation in an in-house testing conference for a corporate client.
March 26-29, 2012
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
A three-day Rapid Testing class in-house for a corporate client, with a free fourth day based on the client's agenda.
April 10-12, 2012
Oslo, Norway
A public offering of Rapid Software Testing.
April 13, 2012
Oslo, Norway
Work for a corporate client.
April 16-19, 2012
Orlando, Florida
A tutorial and a keynote at the STAR East conference.
April 25, 2012
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Corporate in-house training and consulting.
April 30-May 2, 2012
London, UK
Rapid Software Testing public class organized by Electromind. Register here.
May 3-4, 2012
London, UK
The UK's first public offering of Rapid Software Test Management, again organized by Electromind. Register here.
May 7, 2012
Stockholm, Sweden
I'll be presenting the first keynote and a half-day tutorial at the inaugural Let's Test Conference in Sweden. Alas, I'll only be able to stay the first day of the conference, which runs from May 7 through May 9, 2012.
May 8-11, 2012
Trondheiim & Brønnøysund, Norway
The Norwegian Testing Cruise. So far as we know, this will be the the first boat-based and northernmost testing conference in history.
May 21-23, 2012
Utrecht, The Netherlands
A public session of the Rapid Software Testing class in the Netherlands, presented through Immune-IT. Register here.
May 24-25, 2012
Utrecht, The Netherlands
A public class of Rapid Software Testing for Managers, also presented through Immune-IT. Register here.
June 12-14, 2012
Cary, NC
Private training and consulting in Rapid Software Testing for a corporate client.
June 25-29, 2012
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Private training and consulting in Rapid Software Testing for a corporate client.
July 10-12, 2012
Cary, NC
Private training and consulting in Rapid Software Testing for a corporate client.
July 16-18, 2012
San José, California, USA
Participating in the CAST conference.
September 10-12, 2012
London, UK
A public class of Rapid Software Testing, organized by ElectroMind.
In a similar vein, some years ago there was a self-congradulatory piece in Crosstalk by a defense software shop that had done a CMM / process thing for a couple years. It looks like they did some real good with that exercise, actually. That’s not the point.
The article was based on a survey, where among other things they trumpeted their 20% or so response rate. This is outstanding for anonymous surveys. For your own organization, people you’ve been working with intensely for a couple years, it’s pretty lame. For replies from the folks doing the work, to the folks driving work practice improvement, tools & etc. it’s bad.
Then, I noticed that the organization was about 35 people. Maybe 50 if you cound the process-y and audit folks.
The most interesting stuff from this survey – information, I think:
- Fifty people. What’s with a survey? How about you go talk to them?
- Couple years working together on process improvement, and they don’t seem real interested, do they?
- Why the survey? Don’t you know? Isn’t it your job to know?
Every observation will include real information that points directly and immediately to what is going on, if you pay attention. This particular survey pointed out that something wasn’t working, that the folks involved were missing the point, and that any conclusions from the survey itself were highly suspect.
ha , its like asking the new joinee to take up a survey as to why he liked that company … after the long survey … he changes his mind !