Experience Report of Facilitating WT 17

Date: 05th Dec 2009
Time: 2.30pm - 5.30pm IST

Parimala Shankaraiah and myself were ready to start the session.
Yes, two facilitators to organize a testing session with nearly 25 registered testers.

And James Bach is on Skype waiting for any questions from the testers.

WOW... All set and what's this... I can't find Parimala online.

Beep Beep: Message on Mobile:
Powercut at my place
- Parimala

SOS sent to Sharath Byregowda and 2.25pm IST, powercut at my place.
Oops... Both Parimala and myself rush to the nearest cyber cafe near our home.


Both Parimala and myself login just in time from two different locations.
I started adding the new members for chat while Parimala took over the task of sending the email to those present on time.

Once group chat was initiated, we exchanged roles. I contacted James on twitter.

So with James on standby, Parimala on chat clarifying the questions from testers, I was sending email to every tester who had not yet received the email disclosing the details of the WT 17 session.

Half an hour and it seems that everything is settled.

Slowly questions started cropping up in the discussion.
Initially questions were re-directed to James on twitter.

Later, email id and skype id of James was given to testers for direct interaction. Thanks James for your precious time.

Literally, two hours just flew. Finally an email thanking the testers and highlighting the deliverables was drafted and kept ready. While testers were busy testing, Parimala was drafting the email and I was adding the new email ids to the list.

At 5pm IST, we sent out the email.

Testing was stopped at 5.30pm IST and reports were trickling in since 5.15pm.

Surprise element: There was last minute change in the specifications and those who asked James about the specification got more details.

Only the testers who asked questions got to know more information...

Questioning: Very important skill of a tester.

Finally, all the reports came in by 5.45pm.

Parimala and myself logged out to have our lunch :)

Thank you Weekend Testers.
See you in next WT session .