Goals for 2011

I met Pete Walen at CAST 2010 - I had dinner with him the night before the conference started.

It was my third CAST, but Pete's first.  Because CAST is a small conference, I got to talk with Pete during the three days.  My big take-away from Pete was being able to "re-see" the conference through his new eyes.

Pete blogged his goals for the new year. I like them - they are similar to mine.
http://rhythmoftesting.blogspot.com/

• Engage with the larger testing community
• Seek out other local software testers
• Work on your own skills

That ship has sailed: leaving the "familiar" zone

"The familiar (but unpleasant) is preferred to the comfortable (and better)." - Virgina Satir via Jerry Weinberg

For the past three years it has been nice it participate on the edge of the software testing conversation.  Dipping in and out of the flow.  Having a private sidebar conversation with the principles.  Not being on-the-record. Familiar.  Low risk.  Safe.  But I think I was ready to become more public.

I suspected that my passive role would challenged when I attend CAST and AYE last year.
Hypothesis confirmed.  My testing peers (old and new) encouraged me to become more involved in the public conversation around software testing. Foreign element sighted. Brace for impact.

Darn.
Say goodbye to old status-quo - welcome to chaos.
I found myself thinking about the Satir Change Model. 

I want this change, but I can't avoid the chaos and pain that comes with it.
But I can think differently about it.
Sometimes pain is just the cost of getting new and useful information.
Sometimes I enjoy chaos - like during the 2008 AYE exercise with Steve Smith.

Reconvene the Board of Directors and grab the Courage Stick and Wishing Wand.
My charge to them:  "Give me a basic outline of a plan for the next year, that all of you can live with."


Got back: "Proceed in these directions - with some "Hudson Bay Starts" (for safety) along the way."

Time to start doing.
Off we go.