Hot Cold Topic "Standards" : The word 'Testing' between - International, Society, Organization, Standards and I -- Part 2

You missed a brainstorm session today? Come back to this churning session from the brain after having this brainstorming session. Storm and churn will be very good experience in the adventure!

Does my organization or forum in which I'm talking has got specific template, style and format? And did I use it to present? Was this to help me to communicate in ease within the common ecosystem or for publicity or to have uniformity in all work by showing how it try to appear for receiver/consumer (or public)?

Crompton, was wrong?

Who is Crompton?  Before knowing this, let me try to answer the below questions.

1. Do my nation export the electrical equipment and component?
2. Do my nation import the electrical equipment and component?
3. Are there people efforts and money involved here in this manufacturing, import and export with different culture, geographical and life style?
4. The people who work with electrical systems across the world, what do they understand by looking at these below two pictures? Do I understand anything and does it communicate anything to me?

Crompton was an engineer, inventor and industrialist. When I hear of standards, he flashes to my mind and what he did was needed at that point of time and now as well. What I should understand here is, it is the different industry and I'm in a different industry but my work can be with electrical software systems. How does it make difference is the question and I want to learn this in part 3 and not now. So, let me wait and continue churning of the brain thoughts. Refer the section 'Standardisation' in this hypertext.

Now there are standard symbols and representations which is used globally for communication among electricians. Is, Crompton wrong for bringing in Standardization and process in his field of work? I don't know what problems electricians are facing because of standards. I wish, I knew that while I write this if any exist.

Or what Crompton brought is wrong? I don't want to deviate from here to analyze and see perspectives of that. For me, what he did was needed at that time and today as well. So, the IEC, IEEE and ISO. While they stand useful to some (or most), likewise they may stand as trouble to some (or most).

I want to ask this to myself, "Ravi, no doubt that any job is an art and craft. But is that job is one time job or it is a continuous production/manufacturing or mass production? Does this make difference? Is software industry a mass manufacturing or mass production?" What should I say for this? Let me come to this in part 3.

The chemical and Physics Units, Symbols, formula and notations as well are implicit standards but not very explicit. Did I forget SI units and measurement system which we use in everyday? What about kilometer, liter? Stock exchange, rupee and dollar value, any standards there? Finance, banking and trade system is not a new industry or market. It exists from centuries and to make it clear among trading nations and governing bodies, standards are required. Testers testing BFSI domain can tell what are ISO standards which banking systems expects and why and what happens if it does not exist.  Can, the bank deny the ISO standards just because as a software tester I don't support ISO 29119?

International, Society, Standards, Organization - Transparent Words

Should the groups calling itself as "Society" and "Organization" focus on only one group of society? If yes, then it is giving space to bring multiple groups in the one society of people? If so, it is clear and implicit that, anything can be applied or not applicable to a group contextually, if I happen to call myself as this is my society. I don't want to analyze further on this.

Anyone, who uses the words "international", 'society", "organization" and "standards", I believe there stuffs should be transparent to the 'one' society of all of us. If there is a open question about the operation and functioning of bodies, it should be respected and data has to be produced. Else, in my opinion, using these words has no meaning. Being transparent and welcoming the critics from opposition or one's own working group, is mark of professionalism and probably an indication of mutual respect and progress.

I don't want to write on the fight that happens over words on web that I see among the two (or/and many) groups of one place or professing having the words 'society', 'international', 'organization' and 'standards' in there name. Because, I feel there is no point in that unless there is an acknowledgment of lessons learned mutually than mutually saying we are movement or war for difference in views that put away each others.

To give another perspective from software testing, I believe there is a subject called Localization (L10N) testing which emphasize on Internationalization (I18N). When I expects this in the software, that my software should be transparent and functional enough in understanding the standards which are contextual to the local areas, can't I expect the same from group which uses words 'international', 'society', 'organization', and 'standards' ? Expecting this from any one who uses the words mentioned in previous sentence, is a sin? Standards are best suited to contextual situations if they are transparent in knowing if this is applicable or not to solve the problems which I have. Implicitly, I'm given the freedom to ask when I see those words (i.e. international, standards, society) if I'm also in same ecosystem of interest.

I see the petitions signing for making the information public but when the questions come to the transparency of one group in a petition be it 'society' or 'organization', then I have seen unclear happenings. Why is that? I don't know! This was not topic of interest and hence did not feel like collecting information to show it now.

Standards and Consensus - What it is?

Let me learn what ISO says about word 'Standards' and 'Consensus of Standards'. I have copy pasted the below contents and its source is mentioned.

What is Standard?

A standard is a document that provides requirements, specifications, guidelines or characteristics that can be used consistently to ensure that materials, products, processes and services are fit for their purpose.

Source: http://www.iso.org/iso/home/standards.htm  (as on 15th Sep 2014 7:27 PM IST)

ISO System Consensus

The ISO process for adopting new standards is called consensus-based decision-making,[53] In the ISO system consensus is defined as 

• General agreement, characterized by the absence of sustained opposition to substantial issues by any important part of the concerned interests and by a process that involves seeking to take into account the views of all parties concerned and to reconcile any conflicting arguments.[54]

Where decision-making is subject to ballot by member bodies, a requirement for super-majority support generally applies.[55]

During the ISO Standardization Process, if a Draft Internation al Standard does not receive 75% of the vote, it is not approved, returning to lower stages.[56]

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consensus_decision-making (International Standardization section as on 15th Sep 2014 7:38 PM IST) 

Has ISO/IEC/IEE 29119 Software Testing Standard received 75% of vote from software testing community? Who are picked to be in this group to form a community of 100%? I don't know. I will analyze on this in part 3 and not now. Now you will see something interesting in next section.

Are These Tweets As Per Standards?

In this section, I'm sharing the tweets of @standardsforum on Standards, Regulations, Regulators, Culture, Organization, Quality, Ego, Stakeholders and Politics. I feel this may helap to understand 'Standards' from people who associate and work with Standards and guidelines.

Standards Forum Tweets on Standards collected by Ravisuriya

The tweets in above slide looks to be from people who work with Standards and their implementation. It is not a topic of discussion just for Software Testing, it is for the areas where standards are being thought to be available. I don't say thinking of standards creation is wrong; for few, it may also be seen as a way of making one's work or craft being better.

But the question is,

1. how better and what core philosophies of the craft gets affected
• because the service seekers who may be unaware or not bothered to know the philosophy of craft, and just expects the outcome believing if used these defined standards, her of his expected work become better
2. how it molds the service providing organization's employees education if just said 'follow these standards'.

I repeat again, I'm not saying, standards will tamper the education of one. It is people who involved may become stuck to just these standards unless there is a strong compelling from inside each person in the organization to be better in craft and the organization supports it with stakeholders support. How to know what is better? May be this is the question which is the source of controversy, fights, petitions, oppose, support, and what else?

Any craft or work or skill or study is beyond the standards defined by any organization. I can't even say 'standards' are abstraction of the craft. But standards helps in it's own ways and in the particular contexts.

Changing the core philosophies of the craft for sake of bringing the standards is good enough? What is the core philosophies of the craft? For first this has to be learned before bringing in the ideas of standards. Are there any practicing groups which follow there own philosophies for the subject? If yes, each group has to be included and it is responsibility of each groups to be there, if "Standards" are being formulated for the craft and if everyone (or group of stakeholders) agree or disagree for it.

The ego, political impressions, classifying others and their practicing style, and blaming has to go away. And we need to start thinking it is our subject and can be better if we work at it as a team or family Are there any standards defined for this? It is expected to be implicit in any work? 

Will a stakeholder who expects service, bother to ask for standards in the subject and craft or service provided as part of delivery, if there is a common understanding on the work we do? But, in practicality having common and only one opinion, is not possible. If that exist, probably the craft has not progressed any more, is my understanding. So, can we have standards for Software Testing industry in software industry? I will express my opinion what I have for now on this, in part 3.

Concluding Part 2

• Standards have their own place and it is required. Where it is required and till what extent it is required and how it is and will be used has to be clearly educated and understood.
• Mass production (food industry) or Mass Scale Manufacturing (electrical appliances), Finance, Trade (banking), Quality Regulations of Organization (appraisal and payroll system, etc), has to be reviewed and it needs a guideline which has to be followed as per the context. If context demands, there should be a change in it or should not be used further if context demands this way and it works out best. But do I enter into any business and legal problems? I have to know this.
• If standard hasn't changed in past 30 years, then either that standard is not used at all or the craft is not seen any change or advancement or there is a conflict of interest be it in people there or knowing the subject of the work. Or the subject or area of work is still young to consider for standards formation.
• Does software industry work have any mass production work? Yes, they have. If so, should all the work, education and process in software industry has to have standards? 
• Software industry should have standards? I'm too immature and young to share on this. But I have my opinions. Should, Software Testing industry need to have standards? My practice and experience in this area are too little or insufficient to speak on this, but I have my learning and situational learning.
• Ego, difference in practice culture, difference in seeing the skills, learning resource, work produced by each other groups, blaming, hidden politics if any and other factors that hinders the subject, has to shredded. Better place will have active involvement for a common accomplishment and I wish to see Software Testing to be here, whether it has (or gets) standards or not.
• Is there any standards to have no standards?

-- End of Part 2 --

Hot Cold Topic "Standards" : Building the Stand -- Part 1

"Yet another post into the list of posts on discussing Stop ISO 29119". If this is what you said to yourself now, no it is not. "It is the post to support the ISO 29119 and anti petition of Stop ISO 29119". If this is your second immediate feel on this post, yes you are not right.

These four series of posts is not to support or oppose ISO 29119. It is an attempt to understand the context of why am I seeing what I'm seeing around ISO 29119 in recent times.

Now, I have few disclaimers to say before I start to express my opinions that I have while writing these posts. And, my opinions will change as I continue to learn. Below are the list of disclaimers which I want explicitly mention.

1. My opinions are no where related to my present employer or previous employers. It is my thought, my opinion and my stand for now with my little learning.
2. I do not write this for sake of winning the STePIN Tester Arena's Contest 9. I write this for a reason after seeing the Contest 9's task. I'm surprised from contest's task statement, hence I write and I say why I'm surprised later in this post. 
3. I have no intention to deform any individual's or group's social prestige or respect. I have respect for each individuals and groups. If felt, I'm deforming one's prestige, it is purely circumstantial bias of one or group.
4. I'm a student of software testing. When I see testing as an universe, then philosophies exists and difference among them exists. With this, I make it clear, I'm not against or towards any testing schools. In fact, I love learning from different philosophies understanding its contexts and purpose.
5. I will be using "I" almost in every speech. It is because, I don't want to say you or your or we nor generalize everywhere. I wish to keep this writing, as I'm asking this to myself. If you are reading these posts, you can see that for you, if you wish so. But, I don't force upon. 

Testers' Arena Contest 9's Task

Read the links at http://www.huibschoots.nl/wordpress/?page_id=1771 and come up with your blogpost highlighting why ISO 29119 standard is bad for software testing.

The blog can be on your website, blogger or Wordpress. Share the link for evaluation.

Are You Not Surprised With Statement of Contest 9 ?

• It is definitely a contest which in which I have to participate and tell what perspectives we are missing in learning, be it in this contest's statement or happening around ISO 29119.
• I'm surprised to read this -- ".. come up with your blogpost highlighting why ISO 29119 standard is bad for software testing."  
• Is Software Testing is to tell that particular thing is Good or Bad ? Or, Is Software Testing is to provide information and analysis data, so stakeholders and right people or group make better informed decision? As a tester should I practice to say, "it is bad" or "it is good" or help to my stakeholders to learn what it is for them based on information I provide? 
• If the panel had thought, "Let us (or me) give the task statement as this and see if anyone questions us (or me) and then let me reply, so we will help testers to build the questioning skills", then probably this was not the appropriate context, in my opinion. Or the task statement could have been rephrased. I'm not sure how many of us in this contest have said it is bad or it is good than saying, as a one community of Software Testing, what we should doing on ISO 29119.
• If you ask me what makes you to think this way, I see 
• we are still young and can be cultivating the habit of being mirror to someone's thought who is reputed and have a listening voice in industry.
•  Hence, if one says, it is right and good, will most follow it blindly? And, if one says it is bad and no good, will most follow blindly? I'm leaving this to you for thinking and I don't want to generalize here.
• We should notice, this can happen due to respect what that one or group has built over the period of time. And, I have respects as well.
• But while I have respects, I have my opinion and analysis. I don't want to be mirror of anyone's thought unless I learn the context and have the details with which I can convince myself for first.
• Testers' Arena, hope I shared, why I'm surprised.  Hope you see this one perspectives of me to see who are in the ecosystem and learning with the help of contests you are organizing. And, thanks for making me to speak on this via your contest task.

Building "stand" for word "Standard"

Is there any standard definition for saying, "hey this is what standard mean" and use this everywhere to discuss if topic under discussion is about standard? What is my stand now on this question?

For now I understand standard is highly effective when it is learnt and used with the context elements. This helps to describe better and helps to decide the subsequent actions. Okay, let me answer these questions.

1. Why did I write, standard on the label of my book or first page of my book, while I was a school or college kid? What is the 'standard' there? For example, 5th Standard.  Few could have used, Class 5.
• If I wrote this in my book, 
• did my teacher said me to write this?
• the education department of my state and country said this?
• have I thought to ask why there exist a standard here and why not you teach me in a short in school about this? 
• Looks like some educational system expert said, it is good to communicate with kids and students if we have a notations, syllabus and let us frame for specific time period, and call that as a standard or class. 
• May be my kid is studying in a class or standard, I'm not bothered about knowing what is this 'standard'. But, I'm bothered to support or oppose these standards in Software Testing?
• Now if you are asking me, "man, from where you are linking to where?", wait, there is a standard in which our educational system works. I have to understand it and am I happy with these educational standards? If no, still no choice, I have to send my kid to same educational system's institutions?
• While I do this, do I help my child to be bright by giving supplement classes at home by talking to them so they become aware of stuffs outside the standards syllabus, tests and exams?
• Yes? Yes or no, let us move on to next question. I don't ask what donation or money I pay to get the classes in the 'standards' (class) of educational system. Okay?
2. In India, if I happen to be responsible citizen, do I stop seeing a Red traffic signal light? Why should every one who thinks responsible for ourselves, fellow citizens and fellow life, should stop seeing a Red light in road?
• It is a message to communicate to me saying "be disciplined and wait till people on other side of road move and after they move I will allow you to move safely and in ease." ?
• While I wait, if there is an ambulance behind with horn and siren on, do I bother to break these standard of Red signal and move ahead. Yes, I do. A standard also says, give way to emergency care.
• Standard exist to communicate and ease the work? But it is context, which makes how to use the standard if it is applicable or not. The standard should not be misguiding and it has to be accepted by all with a common understanding. I stress the words, 'accepted' and 'common understanding' here.
3. Do I run a business legally and pay tax to Government and disclose the profit, loss and balance sheet to public? If yes, do I bother to have audit done on every financial quarter or one financial year? If yes, what standards and corrective actions are suggested by the Auditors? From where did they find these standards? Does this apply only to my business or to all business in my country?
• I don't want to say much here about the ISO standards that a company has to follow. 
• If in doubt, let me go and ask CFO or any CxO of my work place, does it matter for her or his business and what they do with these standards for making the business go smoothly.
4. May be one of the common transportation system in my country is Indian Railways. Do I see classes of travelling as per the price I pay for ticket? Why the classes (standards) exists here, while we claim all humans are one and all should get all benefits of same intense?
• May be the class (or standards of traveling coach) helps people to cater service. Will that help in communicate in ease?
• I do not bother why I don't get the AC Class to the price of General Class traveling. Money? Standards? Money and Standards? Or, I don't know?
• But, should I bother now to understand and learn in my opinion, if one supports or oppose the standards for a craft? If yes, why?
• Are there any case, where these standards are broken, while I don't have ticket to travel in AC class but I'm given the AC compartment by TC in train for fair of Second Class? Yes, it can be and I have seen this. Standards works better contextually and it is to ease and not for misguiding and bring in more problems while I think already I have heap of problems to solve.
5. Do I have electric appliance and LPG cylinder in my home or work place? Do I care to see or ask or did so, to see the ISI mark on that product?
• Without ISI mark I do not want to use that LPG cylinder and I do not want to take risks. What is ISI? Is it a standard?
• I do not want to take a two wheeler helmet which has no ISI mark. Why do I see for standards here and support and demand that every manufacturer should adhere to the standards and have legal trade standard process license to their product?
• I'm health conscious and I pay to get the hygienically packed food. Does the food industries have any standards and does ISI say anything here? I want to buy refined oil but I want it from an authentic and reputed trader and manufacturer. Do these manufacturer and trader follow any standards? 
• If cheated with duplicate ISI license or using it illegally and selling the product to me, do I say, "I don't support the process and standard. I'm okay to use this product." ?
• Will I be happy if the city water supply supplies polluted water to home? What standards do they follow to make sure I get usable water?
• Do I keep smiling, city electric supply board provides high voltage or low voltage to my house? What standards do they follow to make sure I get usable electric power?
• I brought my costly phone and electronic equipment from foreign. Does the electric power supply in my place, is good enough and keep my product from not burning?

Standards are everywhere and few are explicit and while some remain implicit. Okay, enough! With this I have set a platform to stand(ard) for further discussion and questions. Now straight into the cold hot topic which is a trouble anyway for being cold and as well as hot.

Concluding Part 1

• Software Testing is not to say a particular aspect of interest is "good" or "bad". If I understand, testing is effective when it is contextual, as a tester I learn, it is "good" in a context and it is "bad" in a context. As a tester I provide information to stakeholders on the subject under evaluation and investigation. And, I can influence stakeholders to build an opinion and in making the decision.
• Standards are every where and it can be explicit and implicit. Few standards are written and made as public (with price or as free) to use it. While few are expected to be followed in the activities and it remains implicit.
• STePIN Testers' Arena contests also have standard. For example, how the work should be submitted for judging panel and criteria to declare the entry as winning entry. Aren't these contests are related to Software Testing and are we aware of the standards and process being used here?
• Standards and process exists to make task easier for communication and accomplishment of the common interest. 
• Is this acceptable, "the standards and process which we build and use, creates the problems while it was supposed to help in solving it" ?
• Last question, it is making me ask it for myself. "Did I read and understood the joining letters, NDA and every other clause while I joined my present employer? Are these documents the sign of the standards?"

-- End of Part 1 --