Tester's Guide to Managing Biases - Lina Zubyte

Talk Description

Biases are systematic thinking errors that we tend to make. It is inherent to our jobs as testers that we have to collaborate with very diverse groups of people. Some of them may be biased against you - we all know the stereotype of the tester as the nosy intruder who comes to point out everyone's mistakes. But have you ever turned the mirror towards yourself and considered that YOU may be biased as well? Your testing processes may be affected by biases. And even technology itself sometimes inherits their creators' biases.
 

After having worked in both a big multinational company and its opposite - a tiny start-up in various countries, I realized that the most rewarding progress I've made as a tester was recognizing that I have my own biases, and then learning how to manage them. As a result, I have been able to collaborate with my co-workers more effectively, setting aside my own predispositions and allowing myself to take a step back and look at things more objectively, thus ensuring the quality of our products. I realized that all of our work is affected by biases - be it directly or indirectly. This has led me to a lot of great books, conversations, and discoveries about biases.
 

In this story-fuelled session, I will share practical tips on how to recognize your biases, deal with all kinds of professionals and make sure that your testing and the technology you are testing is not biased. 

What you’ll learn

By the end of this talk, you'll be able to: