See a photo of Karen, her bio, Part 1 of this Q&A, and Part 2.
Q&A with Karen N. Johnson (Question 3)
Q: What kinds of reactions do you get from audiences and others when you give presentations like “Learning How to Tell the Story Behind Your Test Results?” Are they skeptical? Is it hard for them to wrap their heads around the idea of using storytelling to analyze results?
A: Talking about storytelling in front of a technical audience of software testers is somewhat gutsy. I could run the risk of being seen as fluffy, someone who doesn’t have the technical chops that are necessary in our field. But I think I counter enough of my presentations on storytelling with technical articles, webcasts and blogging. If they look, other software testers can see that I have those credentials as well. In fact, having those credentials may give me a better opportunity to discuss incorporating story as a possibility.
When the pairing of storytelling and software testing is considered, I think it becomes apparent to testers that there are opportunities. Intrigue and agreement have been the most common reactions. I find software testers nodding their heads. After the presentation, they come over and say that they feel they’ve been using elements of story in their work all along. They just never considered delving distinctly into stories and have not previously purposefully tried to use story in their work. The pairing makes sense to them. I’ve had several people approach me in person and in email asking me if I could coach them on where to begin.
I’ve found most of the software testers who talk to me about storytelling are test leads, managers, or directors. These are all people who are in roles where in addition to testing, they need to provide information to business owners or executives. I suspect they’ve found what I have: the need to deliver detailed information in such a way that the information doesn’t get lost with the data. There is a need to deliver detailed technical product findings in a consumable, memorable way without being weighed down with too much information and I think elements of storytelling work.