The following is a listing of the events for the 2013/2014 season including presentation abstracts, speaker biographies, and additional event details. Please see the 2013/2014 Season page for the details on the schedule, location and sponsor(s).
Good software testers often interact more with people than software, especially when reporting on the results of testing. Despite this our industry has little focus or training on the social and psychological aspects of our jobs. There are times when the results testers deliver to our project teams and stakeholders can be difficult to take. What I find fascinating are the reactions we can get from people about our results during the final, stressful phase of a project. This presentation will look at reactions to software testing results and draw parallels from the study of psychology.
Location: Inteqna Conference Room on the main floor of 715 - 5th Ave SW
Map: Google Map 
to Inteqna
Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
RSVP: Event Passed
Creating a great test team is a lot like gardening: you need to find the right seeds, and make sure to plant them in an environment where they will thrive and grow. But what seeds do you look for, and how do you create the right conditions for them to develop into strong plants? In this presentation, Keith and Christin will share their ideas on the skills and traits that make a good tester, and how we recognize them, both within existing teams and while recruiting. This presentation will also discuss how to help testers grow and flourish.
With over 20 years of experience in all aspects of software quality assurance, testing and software development, Keith McIntosh has built PQA into a world-class software testing services firm and continues to shape its vision and culture.
As the CEO at Professional Quality Assurance Ltd., Keith is a recognized business leader in New Brunswick. He is a founding board member of the New Brunswick Information Technology Council and a member of the Premier’s Advisory Council on Technology. Keith is also involved in mentoring and supporting start-ups via organizations like Launch36, 21inc, Wallace McCain Institute and Pond Deshpande Centre, and investments such as Iona Software Solutions.
After eleven years as an astroparticle physicist, Christin Wiedemann brings her logical and analytical problem-solving skills to the world of testing. Five years into her new career, Christin is still eager to learn, looking for new ways to test more efficiently, constantly trying new approaches, and keen to share her experiences. In her roles as tester, test lead, trainer, and speaker, she uses her scientific background and pedagogic abilities to continually develop her own skills and those of others. Co-creator of the exploratory testing approach xBTM, Christin lives in Vancouver, where she has joined Professional Quality Assurance Ltd.
Follow Christin on Twitter @c_wiedemann or visit her blog christintesting.wordpress.com.
Location: Inteqna Conference Room on the main floor of 715 - 5th Ave SW
Map: Google Map to Inteqna
Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
RSVP: Event Passed
Software complexity can have significant impact on software quality and total software asset lifecycle cost. Although many measures have been used to determine software complexity over the years, this presentation introduces a novel measure called software cognitive complexity measure. This measure can help software qualiticians to locate and understand complex subsystems to focus on to help improve software system quality while reducing lifecycle management cost. This presentation will conclude with practical real world software system examples.
Take away
- Brief understanding of the correlation between cognitive system and software system
- Brief background on cognitive informatics and software cognitive complexity
- High level understanding of software’s relationship with problem, solution, and result.
- How to use software cognitive complexity measure to calculate software system complexity
- Practical examples on how understanding of software system complexity can help to improve its quality while reducing its total lifecycle management cost.
One of Vincent’s many passions is software engineering. He has over 22 years of proven experience in diverse industries and 13 years of graduate research experience. He has served as software reviewer, advisor, or expert for various organizations such as The Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA), Canada’s Association of I.T. Professionals (CIPS), Project Management Institute (PMI), IEEE Computer Society, Mount Royal University, University of Calgary, Canadian Standards Association (CSA), and Standards Council of Canada (SCC). You can find Vincent online on Linkedin http://ca.linkedin.com/in/vincentchiew
Location: Inteqna Conference Room on the main floor of 715 - 5th Ave SW
Map: Google Map to Inteqna
Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
RSVP: Event Passed
2014 is now upon us and our spring lineup is taking shape! This month’s panel will be discussing an open topic around metrics in agile posing questions such as “Detailed test cases and metrics, where do they work?” and “What kind of test cases and metrics work in Agile?”. It will be at noon on February 12th at Inteqna, 715 - 5th Ave SW Calgary, AB.
Join our current panelists Adam Geras, Jason Kowalchuk and Sherry Heinze as they explore this topic. Even if you don’t want join the panel yourself, bring your ideas and talking points and jump in on the discussion.
Adam Geras - Adam is a test manager, advisor and coach for those that test software. He's currently working as the quality control lead on an enterprise program with a wide range of test requirements, including devices, networks and enterprise software.
Sherry Heinze- Sherry Heinze is a Test Strategist, Tester, Quality Assurance / Quality Management Process Analyst and Trainer with 30 years of information technology experience. Her focus is on testing from the analysis phase forward and on processes related to testing. Sherry is passionate about learning and communication, often training, coaching or mentoring staff at all levels.
Jason Kowaluk - With over 16 years of IT experience, Jason Kowaluk is a passionate advocate for software quality. Jason spent the first half of his career as a Developer and has spent the last half as a Tester, Test Lead and Test Manager. A strong proponent of agile and context-driven practices, he has worked with organizations ranging in size from 8-man startups to multi-national corporations, helping them achieve value with their software projects. Currently a Test Manager at Shaw Communications, Jason is focused on collaborating at all levels to improve software delivery, leading testing initiatives, coaching Testers, and spreading the word about the value of Testing. He can be found online at www.jasonkowaluk.com or on Twitter @jasonkowaluk.
Location: Inteqna Conference Room on the main floor of 715 - 5th Ave SW
Map: Google Map to Inteqna
Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
RSVP: Event Passed
This talk will present techniques for quantifying the User Interface/Experience. Each of the methods explored will help take some of the art out of the debate about good design and put more of the science back in. For example, what if you could compute the theoretically maximally efficient interface? And then you could compare current designs against this maximum. The results will derive the data to build higher quality software, or a confirmation that the design is the best it can be.
Michael likes to make apps. Currently he spends the majority of his time working on all things mobile in the company he co-founded, Robots and Pencils Inc.
Michael is honoured when asked to speak, and has done so at venues all over the world, including HBS, MIT, Stanford, UofC, and the Walrus Talks.
As a 2013 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Michael was invited to both the Strategic Growth Forum, and as a panelist for the G20 Barometer on Entrepreneurship. Michael is also proud to have been awarded Alberta's Top 50 Most influential people, Top 40 under 40, and a Business Leader of Tomorrow.
Location: Inteqna Conference Room on the main floor of 715 - 5th Ave SW
Map: Google Map to Inteqna
Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
RSVP: Event Passed
It’s that time of year again! Spring is in the air, which means it is time for SQDG’s lightning talks!
Back by popular demand, we’ve got our first set of speakers ready to go and are looking for one more to join us in two weeks!
If you’re wondering what a “Lightning Talk” is, check out this link to our FAQ.
Our Current Confirmed Lightning Talks Are:
- "How to start up QA for a start-up" by Clancey McNeal
- Many projects identify risks on the project and develop responses to counter their negative impact. Hafiz Karmali will talk about managing opportunities - events that could have a positive impact on the project
- An exciting secret topic by Marianne Murray on Bug Advocacy
Clancey McNeal – QA (Quality Advocate, not a tester) – is currently working for a software development start-up and volunteers with a training and hardware start-up.
Hafiz Karmali has over 16 years of IT project Management experience. He holds Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Six Sigma Black Belt and Prosci Change Management certifications.
Marianne Murray has worked for a number of small companies looking to grow their business and one large company striving to increase their use of software.
Maybe You?
Are you interested in throwing an idea out for SQDG to get some feedback? If so, we still have room for one more! Drop Kelly or Randy, Co-Program Directors, a line.
Location: Inteqna Conference Room on the main floor of 715 - 5th Ave SW
Map: Google Map to Inteqna
Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
RSVP: Event Passed
As this is our last session before the summer break, we’ve decided it was time to let our hair down! Our last event of the 2013/2104 season will be Speed Geeking, held on Wednesday, May 14th at 5 pm at Ceili’s Pub on 8th Avenue.
What is Speed Geeking? It’s an exciting way to exchange ideas with your peers about topics in QA and testing, while relaxing after work in a casual atmosphere.
How it works: We break up into small groups of 4-5 people and each group is given a topic to discuss and an assigned note taker. After 20 minutes, the groups will switch, giving everyone 5 minutes to join their next group and discuss a new topic.
Munchies and the first round of drinks are on us!
Location: Ceili's Irish Pub & Restaurant on 803 8 Ave SW
Map: Google Map to Ceili's
Time: 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm (Warm up drinks start at 4:30 pm for those of you who work the early shift. The first round of speed geeking will start at about 5:15 pm)
RSVP: Event Passed
Report a Bug