UPDATE: Test Competition

[Matt Heusser]

We are done the judging for test competition, Matt just needs to write up the awards blog post and announce the winners.

In the mean time, I thought you might enjoy reading the judges after-action review notes (below).  Notice the notes end with some questions for competitors about the next competition - please let me know what you think!

more to come,

--

Matthew Heusser,

Principal Consultant, Excelon Development

http://www.xndev.com

Go to the event - Test Retreat, August 24, Madison, Wisconsin! 

Or in Europe - Agile Team Academy, September 16-19, Amsterdam 

What Went Right

I think the idea of the youtube was a great idea

I think we do something like that again

Maybe gotomeeting or some other format

Jason Suggests: Google Moderation?

What Went Wrong

Youtube matt typing sound problems

Smita - Too many exceptions, extra time, etc.

Perhaps the interactive video portion could have been shorter

Things to Try Next Time

Full Dress Rehearsal of Hardwar/Software a week before the competition

Make it more clear that pre-event time is time to set up tools and explore

Consider more formal commercial sponsors EG Telerik

Possible make the event more commercial (charge to compete, compensate staff in some way?)  Perhaps attract and pay for world-class judges EG Jon, James, etc.

Try to attract a judge that is a performance guru - Scott Barber or Mark Tomlinson?  Or else perhaps we drop the performance portion of the competition; Matt to ask around at WOPR next week.

Suggestion: Use a proper moderation tool next time. (Jason has a suggestion for one.)

Suggestion: Start stream 15 minutes before competition.  Press submit button at start time; use the 15 minutes for roll call, repeat and clarify rules, etc, so the 30 minutes can be about the testing.  Then, after 30 minutes of video, we go to a text/instant message system.

Questions - To Ask the Google Group

Why no performance test for so many?

Who no test report for so many?

Should the next event be a Saturday, perhaps before/after a conference? (MigaiDo Gathering?)