LAWST™ style peer workshops

Attributes of Los Altos Workshop on Software Testing (LAWST)™ Workshop

What makes a LAWST™ meeting different from most is the format. Attendance is by application or invitation, and limited to 15-20 participants. Instead of several topics which are only glanced at, a LAWST™ conference has only 2 or 3 very specific topics, with the goal being to work on at least one thoroughly. Discussion does not end until the group is satisfied. Attendees are highly encouraged to challenge the results of the presenter, who must defend the work being presented. After discussion, specific statements are collected and voted upon. These statements will probably be published, and belong to everyone in the group.

 

For a Peer Workshop to be recognized by AST as a LAWST™, the it must comply with the following items:

 

  1. No admission fee—the expectation is that your participation makes your presence worthwhile
  2. Must have AST-recognized facilitator
  3. Invitation-only
  4. Capped at 30, with justification if it exceeds 18
  5. Most of the session is plenary
  6. No time limit on discussion of a presentation
  7. Presentations themselves can be timeboxed
  8. “Open season” discussion explicitly includes room for challenges, counter-presentations (that are short), detailed questions about the content of the presentation and the underlying experience or literature, etc.
  9. Experience reports reflect the personal experience of the presenter
  10. Literature reviews reflect detailed knowledge of the literature used by the presenter—In general, the presenter must be able to justify, explain and defend anything they present
  11. The IP agreement
  12. IWST is a LAWST™ – must be enough time for full and free discussion appropriate to the scope
  13. Must be a content owner and a facilitator (not the same person)
  14. No official minutes unless the attendees agree
  15. Not a standards meeting—agreements are not reached unless the participants agree to attempt to reach agreements
  16. Presentations may be based on papers previously given by the participant (but should be identified in the application). The essence of the presentation for the meeting is the ability of the participant to present, defend, and clarify something relevant to the theme of the meeting
  17. The meeting must be hosted at a neutral location—if it is hosted at a company, that company must not be able to bar anyone from attending and the company
    1. can require acceptance of up to 2 of its staff, but
    2. must not be able to specify the specific individuals w/o the content owner’s consent to those particular people
  18. Must be identified as LAWST™-style meeting on the website and other materials
  19. Must acknowledge sponsorship of AST and permission for use of TM
  20. Must be approved by the LAWST™ coordinator at AST