Viddler

Storytelling Techniques
Karen N. Johnson, Independent, USA

In a fast-paced world with volumes of data thrown at us each day, it’s hard to find meaning and relevancy in what is tossed in front of us. Our project stakeholders face the same challenge of trying to sift through information in order to find meaning. Storytelling techniques can help us to take facts important and small from our testing experiences and weave together information in one format that brings data to life: the story.Students will learn how to use compare and contrast techniques to offset information so that data points stand out and yet we don’t lose the context. Students will learn how to take one element of test information to represent a broader picture. A technique of twining facts both small and large to keep information together and coherent will be explained. In all cases, thorough examples of presenting test information will be used. Specifically, the stories and techniques will be centered on reporting performance test results.Storytelling done well pauses the speed button, restoring our mental peace well enough to not just listen but digest, to resonate with the information we have at hand. We might think of storytelling from our childhood days and envision our time-starved, impatient stakeholders as being unreceptive to a story when what they demand is hard, cold facts. But there are techniques of building information in such a way that we can resolve questions and illuminate meaning without building long-winded tales.This unique class is designed for testers and test managers who frequently need to communicate information up, up to their bosses, executives, project managers and other stakeholders. Students will learn how to communicate performance test results in an effective style.