Tester at the Table and the Tester in my Head (Abstractions 2019)

Talk as given at Abstractions in Pittsburgh August 2019

Do you want to make an impact? Do you want your work to reach people far and wide? Do you know which of your responsibilities will have this far-reaching impact?

Through 15 years of software development, Adrian P. Dunston has had opportunities to work with dedicated and talented QA professionals. And now he has a little tester in his head.

As the tester at the table, you have an opportunity to set high standards of quality not only in products and processes but in the developers you work with. And by building quality developers, your impact can reach every project and every other developer they work with thereafter. At the very least, you can make life easier on the next poor sap that gets to QA their code.

So how does one go beyond improving products and start improving teams? How do you build up the little testers in their heads? Based on extensive reading and years of working with and without the support of QA professionals, Adrian will show you:

* How to mold quality-minded developers
* How to use repetition and story to get your ideas stuck in their heads
* How to instill habits they can use and take with them
* And why exposure to good QA person can be invaluable to a young developer

Transcript

1. @bitcapulet
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   The tester at
   the Table!
   with
   Adrian P. Dunston
   And the Tester
   in my Head
   

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2. @bitcapulet
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   Story
   Time
   2
   

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3. @bitcapulet
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   QA professional James Dooley
   

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4. @bitcapulet
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5. @bitcapulet
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6. 6
   Adrian P. Dunston (he/him)
   adrian@bitcapulet.com
   @bitcapulet
   

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7. 7
   Adrian P. Dunston (he/him)
   adrian@bitcapulet.com
   @bitcapulet
   

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8. @bitcapulet
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   Spread a quality Mindset
   

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9. @bitcapulet
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   Spread a quality Mindset
   9
   Maker
   

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10. @bitcapulet
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    Spread a quality Mindset
    10
    Maker Making
    

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11. @bitcapulet
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    Spread a quality Mindset
    11
    Maker Making Made
    

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12. @bitcapulet
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    How?
    Why?
    How?
    How?
    How?
    

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13. @bitcapulet
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    Computer Science is no more about
    computers than astronomy is about
    telescopes.
    - Edsger Dijkstra
    

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14. @bitcapulet
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15. @bitcapulet
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16. @bitcapulet
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17. @bitcapulet
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18. @bitcapulet
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19. @bitcapulet
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    ? ? ?
    ?
    ?
    

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20. @bitcapulet
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21. @bitcapulet
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22. @bitcapulet
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    Software quality is not about lack
    of bugs. Quality software is about
    making users into badasses.
    -Kathy Sierra
    

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23. @bitcapulet
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    Quality is a form of love
    

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24. @bitcapulet
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25. @bitcapulet
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    Maker Making Made
    

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26. @bitcapulet
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27. @bitcapulet
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    How?
    Spread a quality mindset
    How?
    How?
    How?
    

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28. @bitcapulet
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29. @bitcapulet
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30. @bitcapulet
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31. @bitcapulet
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    Angie Jones
    @techgirl1908
    

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32. @bitcapulet
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33. @bitcapulet
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34. @bitcapulet
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35. @bitcapulet
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36. @bitcapulet
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37. @bitcapulet
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    Hiya! I'm
    Sydney.
    

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38. @bitcapulet
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    Because ants
    are amazing.
    

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39. @bitcapulet
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    And maybe
    because you
    told your artist
    to "have fun
    with this one."
    

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40. @bitcapulet
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    1.
    listen to qa
    They're experts in their field.
    40
    

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41. @bitcapulet
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    What do
    41
    

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42. @bitcapulet
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    He's going to say
    we break things.
    

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43. @bitcapulet
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    We do not break
    things.
    

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44. @bitcapulet
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    Developers don't
    create software.
    

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45. @bitcapulet
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    Mysteries...
    

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46. @bitcapulet
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47. @bitcapulet
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    ?
    

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48. @bitcapulet
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49. @bitcapulet
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50. @bitcapulet
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51. @bitcapulet
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    All software is
    collaboration.
    

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52. @bitcapulet
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    Users are the least qualified,
    most expensive testers.
    

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53. @bitcapulet
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54. @bitcapulet
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    Optimism
    

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55. @bitcapulet
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    Optimism Skepticism
    

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56. @bitcapulet
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    Quality is the hidden
    ingredient in all of our
    products. But it’s
    consumed just like
    everything else.
    QA professional Mike Baldwin says...
    

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57. @bitcapulet
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    QA Professionals help
    create software
    

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58. @bitcapulet
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    And...
    

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59. @bitcapulet
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    I mean throw a
    bullet on that
    and give me
    three more.
    

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60. @bitcapulet
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    QA Professionals
    ● Help create software
    

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61. @bitcapulet
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    QA Professionals
    ● Help create software
    ● Keep the mental model
    of the product
    

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62. @bitcapulet
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    QA Professionals
    ● Help create software
    ● Keep the mental model
    of the product
    ● Advocate for users
    

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63. @bitcapulet
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    QA Professionals
    ● Help create software
    ● Keep the mental model of
    the product
    ● Advocate for users
    ● Act as morale centers
    

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64. @bitcapulet
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    QA professional Jenny Bramble says...
    Team morale seems to
    directly correlate with
    software quality.
    

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65. @bitcapulet
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    Now tell dear
    listeners what
    they should be
    doing.
    

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66. @bitcapulet
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    listen
    66
    

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67. @bitcapulet
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    Story
    Time
    67
    

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68. @bitcapulet
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    You don't say...
    

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69. @bitcapulet
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70. @bitcapulet
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    10010010
    10100011
    

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71. @bitcapulet
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72. @bitcapulet
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73. @bitcapulet
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74. @bitcapulet
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75. @bitcapulet
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76. @bitcapulet
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    $$$ $$
    

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77. @bitcapulet
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    Ignoring QA's expert advice is a
    dangerous norm across industries.
    

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78. @bitcapulet
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    Listen on purpose
    

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79. @bitcapulet
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    Listen on purpose
    ● Give them space to talk.
    

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80. @bitcapulet
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    The new feature's
    broken in the test
    environment.
    

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81. @bitcapulet
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    Works on my
    machine.
    

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82. @bitcapulet
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    What's the
    behavior you're
    seeing?
    

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83. @bitcapulet
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    Listen on purpose
    ● Give them space to talk.
    ● Ask them to weigh in.
    

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84. @bitcapulet
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    Are we good on this?
    

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85. @bitcapulet
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    Yes.
    

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86. @bitcapulet
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    QA, what are we missing?
    

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87. @bitcapulet
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    Listen on purpose
    ● Give them space to talk.
    ● Ask them to weigh in.
    ● Accept their influence.
    

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88. @bitcapulet
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    I don't want to spend the
    manpower on spinning up a
    new QA environment.
    

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89. @bitcapulet
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    Did you read the
    risk assessment?
    

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90. @bitcapulet
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    Yes, I'll do it.
    ...I just don't want to.
    

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91. @bitcapulet
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92. @bitcapulet
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    QA Professionals
    ● Co-creation
    ● Mental model
    ● Advocacy
    ● Morale
    

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93. @bitcapulet
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    Listen on purpose
    ● Give space
    ● Ask them
    ● Accept influence
    

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94. @bitcapulet
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    1. Listen
    to QA
    Spread a quality mindset
    

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95. @bitcapulet
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    2.
    amplify QA's voice
    Through repetition,
    catch-phrases, and stories.
    95
    

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96. @bitcapulet
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    Story
    Time
    96
    

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97. @bitcapulet
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    Story
    Time
    97
    

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98. @bitcapulet
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99. @bitcapulet
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100. @bitcapulet
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101. @bitcapulet
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     What's your
     estimate?
     I'll grab QA so we
     can discuss it.
     

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102. @bitcapulet
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     Show that
     one again.
     

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103. @bitcapulet
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     Show it
     again!
     

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104. @bitcapulet
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     What's your
     estimate?
     I'll grab QA so
     we can discuss it.
     

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105. @bitcapulet
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     I'll grab QA so
     we can discuss it.
     

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106. @bitcapulet
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     Thank you.
     

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107. @bitcapulet
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     Find the
     107
     

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108. @bitcapulet
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     Father-in-law
     Catch-phrases
     108
     

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109. @bitcapulet
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     Nothing hard is ever easy.
     

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110. @bitcapulet
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     Even a blind pig finds an
     acorn once in a while.
     

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111. @bitcapulet
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     Yeah? And if my
     grandmother had wheels,
     she'd be a stagecoach.
     

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112. @bitcapulet
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     Tester
     Catch-Phrases
     112
     

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113. @bitcapulet
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     You explain, I decide.
     

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114. @bitcapulet
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     That looks complicated.
     It would be a shame if a
     user were to mess with it.
     

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115. @bitcapulet
     @bitcapulet 115
     That's why we have
     checklists.
     

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116. @bitcapulet
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     Nobody will buy half the
     store. But if they do, you'll
     want your register
     working.
     

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117. @bitcapulet
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     QA professional Jenni Hesse says...
     Prove it.
     

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118. @bitcapulet
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     ● Prove it.
     ● How do we know it's
     working?
     ● Might be a
     load-bearing bug.
     ● That's why we have
     checklists
     ● If it were broken in
     production, how would
     we know?
     ● You support me, and I
     keep you safe.
     ● You explain, I decide.
     ● Don't feed the
     test-matrix
     ● It's OUR job to make
     quality software
     118
     

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119. @bitcapulet
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120. @bitcapulet
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121. @bitcapulet
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122. @bitcapulet
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123. @bitcapulet
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124. @bitcapulet
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125. @bitcapulet
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126. @bitcapulet
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127. @bitcapulet
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     Find the
     127
     

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128. @bitcapulet
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129. @bitcapulet
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130. @bitcapulet
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131. @bitcapulet
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132. @bitcapulet
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     ● Simple
     ● Unexpected
     ● Emotional
     

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133. @bitcapulet
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134. @bitcapulet
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135. @bitcapulet
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     First: QA lost an argument about
     risk…
     

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136. @bitcapulet
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     First: QA lost an argument about
     risk…
     Then: We all had to stay late when
     the app exploded.
     

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137. @bitcapulet
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     First: I told QA, "works on my
     machine"...
     137
     

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138. @bitcapulet
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     Then she crushed
     you for your
     impudence!
     

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139. @bitcapulet
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     First: I told QA, "works on my
     machine"...
     Then: She asked me where my
     environment was different, and I
     found the bug.
     139
     

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140. @bitcapulet
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141. @bitcapulet
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     They probably won't buy
     half the store...
     

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142. @bitcapulet
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143. @bitcapulet
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     Remember that
     time we didn't
     point-in the risk and
     all had to stay all
     night?
     

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144. @bitcapulet
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     How is this
     different?
     

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145. @bitcapulet
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146. @bitcapulet
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     ● Repeat them
     ● Go get them
     ● Catch-phrases
     ● Stories
     

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147. @bitcapulet
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     1. Listen
     to QA
     Spread a quality mindset
     2. Amplify
     QA's voice
     

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148. @bitcapulet
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     3.
     Walk the walk
     Actions speak louder.
     148
     

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149. @bitcapulet
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     Respect their
     149
     

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150. @bitcapulet
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     A play
     about bug
     tickets
     150
     

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151. @bitcapulet
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152. @bitcapulet
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     Ahem..
     

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153. @bitcapulet
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     And why
     not?
     

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154. @bitcapulet
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     Correct. They
     belong to your
     tester.
     

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155. @bitcapulet
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     Remember
     what Yulia
     said...
     

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156. @bitcapulet
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     You explain,
     she decides.
     156
     

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157. @bitcapulet
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     If you value
     your safety.
     157
     

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158. @bitcapulet
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     Like I said: she
     decides.
     

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159. @bitcapulet
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     property of qa
     ● Bug tickets
     ● QA environments
     ● Test plans
     

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160. @bitcapulet
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     remove
     160
     

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161. @bitcapulet
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162. @bitcapulet
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163. @bitcapulet
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164. @bitcapulet
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165. @bitcapulet
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166. @bitcapulet
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167. @bitcapulet
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168. @bitcapulet
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     verification fatigue
     

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169. @bitcapulet
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     Fit and finish
     

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170. @bitcapulet
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     Fit and finish
     

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171. @bitcapulet
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     Fit and finish
     

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172. @bitcapulet
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     Fit and finish
     

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173. @bitcapulet
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     Fit and finish
     

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174. @bitcapulet
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     Fit and finish
     

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175. @bitcapulet
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     Fit and finish
     

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176. @bitcapulet
     @bitcapulet 176
     Fit and finish
     

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177. @bitcapulet
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     Fit and finish
     

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178. @bitcapulet
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     Fit and finish
     

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179. @bitcapulet
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180. @bitcapulet
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     Removing obstacles
     ● Fit and finish
     ● Environment support
     

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181. @bitcapulet
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     Environment Support
     

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182. @bitcapulet
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     Environment Support
     Test environment's
     down again.
     

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183. @bitcapulet
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     Environment Support
     Not my problem.
     

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184. @bitcapulet
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     Environment Support
     

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185. @bitcapulet
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     Environment Support
     

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186. @bitcapulet
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     Environment Support
     

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187. @bitcapulet
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     Environment Support
     

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188. @bitcapulet
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     Environment Support
     

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189. @bitcapulet
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     Environment Support
     

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190. @bitcapulet
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     Environment Support
     

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191. @bitcapulet
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192. @bitcapulet
     @bitcapulet 192
     Removing obstacles
     ● Fit and finish
     ● Environment support
     ● Pairing
     

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193. @bitcapulet
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     Pairing
     

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194. @bitcapulet
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     Oh, that's why that bit
     keeps failing.
     

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195. @bitcapulet
     @bitcapulet 195
     Yeah, this part's really
     complex.
     

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196. @bitcapulet
     @bitcapulet 196
     Remember to unit test the
     negative case.
     

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197. @bitcapulet
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     Oh right! I keep writing
     tests for happy path.
     

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198. @bitcapulet
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     QA Pairing
     

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199. @bitcapulet
     @bitcapulet 199
     I forgot that
     feature existed.
     

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200. @bitcapulet
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     It's a drag because it
     can't be automated.
     

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201. @bitcapulet
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     I'll put in some
     hooks for
     automation.
     

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202. @bitcapulet
     @bitcapulet
     deal with your
     202
     

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203. @bitcapulet
     @bitcapulet
     a play
     about
     reactions
     203
     

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204. @bitcapulet
     @bitcapulet 204
     

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205. @bitcapulet
     @bitcapulet 205
     Is she wrong?
     

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206. @bitcapulet
     @bitcapulet 206
     Well I can't
     imagine why
     she'd report
     them.
     

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207. @bitcapulet
     @bitcapulet 207
     That's valid.
     It's been a
     tough sprint.
     

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208. @bitcapulet
     @bitcapulet 208
     So what are you
     going to tell
     your tester?
     

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209. @bitcapulet
     @bitcapulet 209
     

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210. @bitcapulet
     @bitcapulet 210
     walk the walk
     ● Respect property
     ● Remove obstacles
     ● Deal/help with emotions
     

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211. @bitcapulet
     @bitcapulet 211
     1. Listen
     to QA
     Spread a quality mindset
     2. Amplify
     QA's voice
     3. walk
     the walk
     

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212. @bitcapulet
     @bitcapulet
     4.
     Make a deal
     We're in this together.
     212
     

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213. @bitcapulet
     @bitcapulet 213
     Optimism Skepticism
     

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214. @bitcapulet
     @bitcapulet
     Story
     Time
     214
     

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215. @bitcapulet
     @bitcapulet 215
     Dev supports QA, and
     QA keeps Dev safe.
     

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216. @bitcapulet
     @bitcapulet 216
     Dev supports QA, and
     QA keeps Dev safe.
     Dev:
     1. Stick up for QA
     

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217. @bitcapulet
     @bitcapulet 217
     Dev supports QA, and
     QA keeps Dev safe.
     Dev:
     1. Stick up for QA
     2. Do fit and finish
     

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218. @bitcapulet
     @bitcapulet 218
     Dev supports QA, and QA
     keeps Dev safe.
     QA:
     1. Catch the nasty bugs
     

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219. @bitcapulet
     @bitcapulet 219
     Dev supports QA, and QA
     keeps Dev safe.
     QA:
     1. Catch the nasty bugs
     2. Contextualize bugs
     

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220. @bitcapulet
     @bitcapulet 220
     

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221. @bitcapulet
     @bitcapulet 221
     1. Listen
     to QA
     Spread a quality mindset
     2. Amplify
     QA's voice
     3. walk
     the walk
     4. Make a
     deal
     

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222. @bitcapulet
     @bitcapulet 222
     That's some solid
     talking, Adrian.
     

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223. @bitcapulet
     @bitcapulet 223
     Bring it home.
     

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224. @bitcapulet
     @bitcapulet 224
     

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225. @bitcapulet
     @bitcapulet 225
     Template by
     SlidesCarnival
     THANK YOU!
     Adrian P. Dunston
     @bitcapulet
     adrian.dunston@bitcapulet.com
     Art by
     Gabriel Dunston
     

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