GTAC 2009 – Score One for Quality!

Google Tech Talk October 22, 2009 ABSTRACT Presented by Joshua Williams and Ross Smith, Microsoft, at the 4th Annual Google Test Automation Conference, October 21st, 22nd, 2009, Zurich, CH Research into the generation gap between current managers from the Baby Boomer era and the incoming group of Gen X, Gen Y, and Millennials shows that the use of video games are a significant distinction to separate the two. Those generational differences indicate the need, as we seek to understand this research, for experimentation in how test teams find bugs. We found games to be a very powerful mechanism for communicating organizational priorities effectively and quickly. People engage quickly , and games can drive QA behaviors that help improve both product quality and employee morale. This creates a virtuous cycle where standard productivity metrics improve as engagement improves. The game discussed here introduces a new level of quality into the localization efforts by using the crowd a diverse worldwide employee base in this case. Based on our experience, we believe that Games at Work or Productivity Games carry a huge potential for influencing not just the software engineering workplace, but all industries and employee populations. Bios: Joshua Williams is a senior software quality engineer at Microsoft, currently working on the WindowsCore Security Test Team. Over the past 14 years, he has contributed to the development, testing and shipping of Windows Operating Systems. Across …
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