Specification by example is a collaborative approach to defining requirements and tests based on capturing realistic examples instead of abstract statements.
It is the cornerstone of any successful requirements and testing strategy with Agile and Lean processes, such as Scrum, Extreme Programming and Kanban.
This remote workshop with Gojko Adzic consists of 5 modules of 2.5 hours each, and it will teach you how to apply specification by example to bridge the communication gap between stakeholders and implementation teams, build quality into software from the start, design, develop and deliver systems fit for purpose.
Target audience
The workshop is aimed at delivery team members (programmers, testers, business analysts and product owners) mostly working in iterative delivery, such as Scrum or Kanban.
Prior experience in delivering software iteratively is useful when attending this workshop, but not required.
Agenda
This workshop is based on Gojko Adzic’s books Specification by Example and Bridging the Communication Gap. Through facilitated exercises and discussion, you will learn:
Module 1 – Using examples to clarify
- Why/when to do specification by example, and when not to do it
- How to formulate important questions with examples
- How to identify key examples
Module 2 – Getting to the right examples quickly
- Facilitating specification workshops
- Avoiding the most common mistakes in product backlog refinement
- Turning examples into executable specifications
Module 3 – Given-when-then with style
- What makes a good specification/test
- Key patterns and practices when defining executable specifications
- How to capture complex requirements
Module 4 – Improving/refactoring specs
- Using Example mapping to facilitate discussions and identify questions
- How to spot common problems and fix them
- How to clean up legacy specifications/tests
Module 5 – How to fit SBE into the process
- How this fits into Scrum/Kanban/…
- What teams that do this really well do differently from those that just waste time
- How to start changing the process in your company
Learning Objectives
- How to extend specifications with examples to create a single source of truth for testing and development
- How to avoid functional gaps and inconsistencies in specifications and tests
- How to run specification workshops to facilitate collaboration
- Good practices for designing specifications with examples and acceptance tests for agile teams
- How to create a living documentation system to facilitate change and improve your process long-term
- How other teams, from small web startups to large distributed teams in investment banks, apply specification by example in their contexts.
Expect to get your hands dirty – How does it work
The workshop will happen online and in live streaming: the trainer and all other participants will be in a video conference. You’ll be interacting and working together in real-time thanks to a variety of tools you’ll have at your disposal.
The workshop will keep its highly interactive and hands-on spirit despite being online.
This is why we require that all participants keep their webcam on for the whole duration of the workshop: this will enhance the quality of the communication and of the workshop as a whole.
You won’t be sitting at your desk watching slides and videos, and you’ll be engaged in real-time activities for the majority of the time… as if we were in a real classroom!
