[news.eclipse.tools.hyades] Call for Participation: AWTA4 - Building and

[Bret Pettichord <bret@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Sam Guckenheimer, who's attended past AWTA workshops, has suggested that 
I post this call here. I realize that this is short notice. If you are 
interested, please let me know right away.

I think it would be great to have some folks working on the Hyades 
project in our workshop.

Bret
bret@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

----

Call for Participation

Fourth Annual Austin Workshop on Test Automation (AWTA)
January 25-26, 2003 - Austin, Texas
http://www.pettichord.com/awta4.html

Building and Using Test Interfaces

This is a revised call that includes an expansion of scope from the
previous call.

What interfaces should we use to test software? One tradition uses
Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs), typically with GUI testing
tools. Another tradition uses the programming interfaces provided by
the methods and functions of the software under test -- often used for
unit testing. This workshop will explore other methods for providing
interfaces to software to support testing. One alternative we'll
explore is creating and utilizing interfaces for inter-process
communication (IPC) using the many interface technologies that are
maturing, such as XML-RPC, XMI, SOAP, COM, or Java RMI. A related area
of interest is the the practice of embedding interpreters into
products to support testing scripts. We are also interested in the use
of API's, test parsers, and embedded test fixtures.

Possible topics include:

- How have you created and used such interfaces?

- What are technical challenges to creating such interfaces?

- What are social or organizational challenges to utilizing such
  interfaces?

- What are the benefits and drawbacks to these interfaces, as compared
  to the alternatives?

Brian Marick's position paper:
http://www.testing.com/writings/Marick-AWTA-position.pdf


Workshop Goals

1. Exchange concrete techniques and approaches regarding creating and
   utilizing such interfaces.

2. Encourage the development of published reference implementations.

3. Understand how using such interfaces for testing affects the roles
   of developers, testers and other members of a development team.


Attending the Workshop

Participation in the workshop is by invitation based on a position
paper. The workshop is limited to 15 participants. Your position paper
should have two parts.

1. Experience Report. Describe your experience using IPC or
   embedded-language interfaces for testing. Relevent experience may
   include other kinds of interface technologies than those listed in
   this call.

2. Position Statement. State something that you think people should
   know. This may be a technique for providing test interfaces, a
   reference implementation you would like to demonstrate, a challenge
   that such interfaces may run into, or a reason for why further
   investigation is warranted.

So far we have received inquiries both from talented testers who are
concerned that they may not have sufficient technical background and
from perceptive developers who are concerned whether they will fit
in. The topic of this workshop is challenging because it deliberately
cuts across traditional boundaries. We encourage submissions from
interested testers and developers who are open-minded and interested
in learning from others. We expect that some participants will
only have tangential experience with the topic under discussion.

Position papers should be between one and three pages long. After
acceptance, they will be posted to a private web site that will be
shared by other participants. Thus, a web-based format is
preferred. We can publish text, HTML and PDF. We can also generate PDF
from MS Word files.

Position papers should be submitted to Bret Pettichord
(bret@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx). Papers will be reviewed on a rolling basis,
with replies in three days or less. The workshop website will
indicate when the workshop has been filled.


What Will Happen at the Workshop

The workshop will be organized as a moderated discussion, following
the format of the Los Altos Workshop on Software Testing
<http://www.kaner.com/lawst.htm>.

Participants will be selected to present particular techniques and
experiences of using test interfaces. The workshop will explore the
techniques and the conditions that favor or disfavor the technique.

We expect that subthemes will emerge from this discussion. If
suitable, we hope to for subgroups to explore these themes and report
back to the larger group.


Expenses

Participants are responsible for own travel and lodging.  The workshop
expenses, including some meals, will be covered the workshop sponsors.


The Organizers

Bret Pettichord is the founder of the Austin Workshops on Test
Automation. He is an independent consulting specializing in testing
and test automation. He has had several opportunities to test software
that had test interfaces and would like to see more developers provide them
and more testers use them. He is co-author of *Lessons Learned in
Software Testing* and editor of the TestingHotlist.com.

Brian Marick specializes in code-based software testing. He is
currently developing a reference application that has an IPC interface
for testing. He is the author of *The Craft of Software Testing* and
technical editor for STQE magazine.

Cem Kaner is professor of Computer Sciences at Florida Tech, where
he's developing a curriculum for training test architects. He is the
founder of the Los Altos Workshop for Software Testing (LAWST), and
lead author of *Testing Computer Software* and *Lessons Learned in
Software Testing.*

Barton Layne is a testing consultant based in Austin, Texas.


Time Frame

Sat Jan 25, 9 am to 5 pm
Sun Jan 26, 9 am to 3 pm

The workshop will start promptly at 9 am on Sat Jan 25. Participants
from out of town should plan to arrive the night before. There will be
a welcoming dinner on Friday Jan 24; participants are welcome to
invite family, friends and colleagues to dinner.

We expect all participants to attend for Saturday from 9 to 5 and
Sunday from 9 till noon. Prospective participants who won't be able to
attend for this time should so indicate when they submit their
position papers. Usually most participants plan to attend until 3 pm
on Sunday. We'll have the space until 5 pm; often a subgroup will be
active until then.


Location

The workshop will be located at the Homewood Suites in Austin,
Texas. We used the same location for AWTA3 and the participants really
enjoyed the cozy setting.

Homewood Suites
10925 Stonelake Blvd
Austin, TX 78759
512-349-9966
homewoodsuitesaustin.com

Upon invitation, mention Pettichord Consulting to get a group rate of
$79 a night, available through Jan 5.