CAST 2012, or CASTing Through the Computer Screen

CAST 2012 recently wrapped up.  The annual Conference of the Association for Software Testing was held in San Jose, California, Monday and Tuesday, July 16 and 17, 2012.  Wednesday the 18th saw tutorials.  Thursday was the Board of Directors meeting.

First, even though I had helped plan the Emerging Topics track, I had some conflicts arise that kept me away (physically).  I was a tad disappointed that after the work that went in, I would not be drinking in the goodness that is the CAST experience.

Why is that a big deal? 

Its a conference, right?

CAST is unlike any conference I have ever attended.  They make it a point of being a participatory, engaged, function - not merely sitting listening to someone drone on reading power point slides.  There is required time in each session for questions and discussion around the presentation.  Some of them can be quite brutally honest.

This becomes an issue for some people.

When one engages with people who think, rote-learned answers do not hold up well.  Watching the interplay as people, including the presenters, learn, is something that is in itself, a top-flite education in testing.

And I could not be there.  Bummer.

I chose the next best thing - I joined in the video stream as much as the day-job and other responsibilities allowed.  I listened to Emerging Topics presentations, keynotes, a panel discussion on the results of Test Coach Camp and CASTLive - the evening series of interviews with speakers and participants - with online chat and... stuff.

While I could not be there in person, this was a pretty decent substitute.

Other cool things

Keynotes by Tripp Babbitt and Elizabeth Hendrickson.  Great panel discussions on what people learned from at Test Coach Camp, and, cool stuff.

Simply put, there are recordings to be viewed and listened to here.

Other things happened as well, like announcing the election results for AST Board of Directors.

I was elected to the Board of Directors to serve a single year, to fill a position left vacant by a Board Member who could not finish his term.

I am deeply honored to have been selected to serve in this way.

I am humbled, and looking forward to this new chapter in testing adventure.

CAST 2012 Speaking and Emerging Topics

Remarkable as it may seem, we are quickly drawing to the deadline to submit a proposal for the Emerging Topics track at CAST 2012. 

CAST 2012, to be held July 16-18. CAST 2012 will be held in San Jose, California at the Holiday Inn San Jose – Airport (formerly Wyndham Hotel).  

The Call For Participation is up (here). There are three basic types of presentations:

Interactive Workshops (140 minutes);
Regular Track Sessions (70 minutes - at least 25 minutes for discussion);
Emerging Topics (20 minutes - at least 5 minutes for discussion);

The deadline for Regular Tracks and Workshops is past.  The Emerging Topics deadline is quickly approaching.  We are beginning to review the Emerging Topics submissions that have already been received.  If you intend to be at CAST this July, and are interested in trying your hand at presenting on something you are passionate about, involves testing and THINKING - SUBMIT A PROPOSAL!

Emerging Topics track are great - Short, 20 minute snippets - enough for you to present the core of an idea and answer questions. That's about it.  You can submit through the same process the Regular Track and the Workshop sessions are submitted.   OFFICIALLY - the deadlines  for THOSE submissions is June 18.  We are starting the process of reviewing - and contacting people who submitted.  If you are thinking about it - SUBMIT THIS WEEK!  Better yet, SUBMIT TODAY!

The information you need to know about submitting proposals is on the website at the link above. If you are a Thinking Tester, I encourage you to consider attending CAST. If you are interested in telling people about your ideas, I encourage you to consider submitting a proposal.

All the cool kids will be there.  Why not you?

Thinking Testers, Unite! or Sometimes Thinking Needs Action

It is hard to believe that this is the First of March.  This year is simply flying past.

Coming up, for me, is a BBST Foundations Course that I am an assistant instructor for.  BBST is offered through AST - the Association for Software Testing.  It is an amazing course - the product of an awful lot of people, notably Cem Kaner assisted by a Legion of folks.

Yes, 1 March is here, which means that CAST 2012 is fast approaching.  CAST, the Conference for the Association for Software Testing is this July, in San Jose, California.  The Registration for the Conference is open now.  It is an interesting, if not astounding, experience.  You can check out the official page here .    

If you're reading this, I strongly suggest you go to, and participate in CAST.  My first year was 2010.  I was amazed, overwhelmed and, well, gobsmacked.  This year's conference promises to be something, well, go to the link above and check it out for yourself.  OK?

If you'd like to try your hand in presenting, or maybe you have presented elsewhere and want to try the formula used at CAST, the Emerging Topics track may be a solution. These are 20 minute snippets - enough for you to present the core of an idea and answer questions. The deadling for THOSE submissions is June 18.  The Call For Participation, and the information you'll need is here.  

Emerging Topics tracks are 20 minutes long.  Total.  The interesting thing, like with all CAST tracks, is the discussion at the end.  For Emerging Topics, the discussion is at least 5 minutes.  (Translated, the track host will cut off each presenter at the 15 minutes mark.  If you end before then, GREAT!  More time for discussion!)

The information you need to know about submitting proposals is on the website at the link above. If you are a Thinking Tester, I encourage you to consider attending CAST. If you are interested in telling people about your ideas, I encourage you to consider submitting a proposal.

Now, I wrote about this before, but I'm going to mention it again - If you are a Thinking Tester and you help people become better testers - the Test Coach Camp is the weekend before CAST!

The Camp will be the weekend before CAST - in the same hotel where CAST is going to be held.  Space is LIMITED. 

Matt Heusser wrote about it here. The official AST release and Call for Participation can be found here. 

If you are interested in helping testers do their testing better, which is what Test Coaching is all about, and in Thinking Testers - Look into both of these - THEN ACT.

This is going to be a great week.

CAST 2012 Tracks, Workshops, Emerging Topics, Coaching And Deadline #1

CAST 2012 is fast approaching! 

Well, some folks may think that JULY is not all that "fast approaching" in January - HOWEVER - there are some important dates coming up.

The Call For Participation is up (here). There are three basic types of presentations:

Interactive Workshops (140 minutes);
Regular Track Sessions (70 minutes - at least 25 minutes for discussion);
Emerging Topics (20 minutes - at least 5 minutes for discussion);

The deadline for Regular Tracks and Workshops is January 16.   As I write this, that is FOUR DAYS AWAY! 

The information you need to know about submitting proposals is on the website at the link above. If you are a Thinking Tester, I encourage you to consider attending CAST. If you are interested in telling people about your ideas, I encourage you to consider submitting a proposal.

Now, if you think you might like to present, and are unsure of actualling presenting - the Emerging Topics track may be a solution.  These are 20 minute snippets - enough for you to present the core of an idea and answer questions.  The deadling for THOSE submissions is June 18.  You can submit through the same process the Regular Track and the Workshop sessions are submitted. 
 
Here's where it gets interesting.  If you are a THINKING TESTER - and help people become better testers - the Test Coach Camp is the weekend before CAST!

Test Coach Camp will be held at the same hotel where CAST will be held.


Matt Heusser wrote about it here. The official AST release and Call for Participation can be found here.

These folks said it better than I can.

If you are interested in helping testers do their testing better, which is what Test Coaching is all about, and in Thinking Testers - Look into both of these - THEN ACT.

This is going to be a great week.