(Sidebar: More coming the test automation series. Really. Just not today.)
Some people learn through explanation. Some have emotional reactions and enjoy anecdotes. Some like statistics, and others go for “the boss said so” or appeal to authority. A good journalist knows this and weaves statistics, acendotes, logic and interesting quotes from influential people to make an article.
But some people like to learn through experience. Indeed, in many activities (skiing, golf and writing come to mind), actually doing the work and active observation will get you far farther, faster, than reading a book.
This raises the question – if you do any training of anyone (even the guy in the next cubicle), how do you reach folks who like to experience?
Believe it or not, there’s a website, TastyCupCakes.com, that lists a series of games devoted to simulating development and understanding the dynamics of software projects.
Go check it out.
What are you favorite testing simulation games, and do you think we should start a wiki? 🙂
Here is a demo of an idea I had on software development.
http://robert.watkins.net/plausibledeniability.html
Being a guy who prefers experience over reading long boring texts, just throw us in the water! Not much need for simulation. Alongside the textual training give some real tasks to be done that aren’t critical, that’s the best way to learn.