Udita Sharma

Ever felt that your reports are not relevant for your stakeholders? Or realized that the risks associated with identified issues aren't communicated clearly, hindering effective decision-making? What if I tell you that you can increase collaboration and enhance decision making by creating better reports.

In my early days as a Test Lead, crafting test reports felt like navigating a maze of data. Presenting them to the stakeholders and realizing that the critical insights were buried beneath an overwhelming volume of information. I've learned it the hard way that effective test reporting is not just about numbers and metrics; it's a narrative that communicates product status to make informed decisions.

In 2011, Pixar employee Emma Coats tweeted Pixar’s “22 Rules for Storytelling.”, now renowned for creating engaging stories, that offer valuable ideas to me for enhancing test reports.
One of the rules emphasizes, “You gotta keep in mind what is interesting to you as an audience, not what is fun to do as a writer.” We try to put all the information that we have in a report, sometimes not realizing who is our stakeholder and what is the most relevant information for them. They should be tailored to the needs and expectations of different audiences.

Join me in this talk that shares how employing these storytelling ideas can transform traditional test reports into engaging narratives that drive meaningful actions. The goal is not just how to present the data but to craft a story that stakeholders can understand, empathize with, and act upon.

Key objectives of this talk:

1. Increased collaboration by employing Pixar story telling ideas to create more engaging reports.
2. Enhanced decision making by clear communication, to comprehend the impact of identified issues, leading to more effective risk mitigation strategies.