Reflections on the first dojo

It took a week to write my reflections

So, what did I learn at our first session at the Special Course on Software Testing?

Firstly, it was a really good move to cease the moment when there was a hassle on the projector. To have a break to have the projector ready. Start slow to move fast. Maybe, maybe we could do that again in our next sessions. To have a 5 minute break between the presentations. There would be another reason for that, but more on that later.

When we started with the dojo sessions, I came a bit unprepared. As-if I had the thought: "I've done this before, thus I can do it now too." Well, if I want to forget something really important, then I can do it unprepared. Being there, in front of the classroom, I often have some index cards with notes of the important aspects I need to describe. It could've been a good idea. I do that.

And it could've been a good idea to stop the hassle and concentrate on the beginning. To concentrate on the briefing of the dojo. Being first of it's kind - start slow to move faster (http://hbr.org/2010/05/need-speed-slow-down/ar/1)

Having said that, I apologise.

But the sessions were great. Even without the briefing that my role was that of the 'Customer' and that the group's role was to be a bunch of programmers/testers - developers, that is - they started to ask questions related to the product.

• "What if there was only one post?"
• "Are there specs too detailed? Should they be more abstract?"
• "We should ask this from the customer."

Those are just the questions we have, at work, while working on our examples. What if ...? Could it be...? With all these details, does the customer really understand these? Do we share ubiquitous language with developers and customer?

I have a dream. A dream of us almost experiencing something, but leaving a lot of questions floating around. 

Eating something 'half-baked' could leave us a crave for better. A feeling that there's something missing - but what it is? The group came with that too: "Should've we have started with specification workshop? You know, the event when we ask questions from you?"

Well, yes.

And that's what happens at work too. We try something and we find that - how should I say it - something could be better. What if we could try this and that.

What I often do at work is, I do first version of something. Then I show that to the persons I want to work together with and ask:

• "Would this help us?"
• "How would this help us to overcome this problem we have?"
• "How would this help us to create ubiquitous language for ourselves?"