Paul Gerrard believes there are irrefutable testing axioms. This is not surprising, since all axioms are by definition irrefutable. To call something an axiom is to say you will cover your ears and … [Read more...] about The Gerrard School of Testing
Satisfice Blog
Lawyers are Testers, Too
In 1982, when I was still in high school, I read an article in Time Magazine about teenagers who worked as programmers. The article inspired me to quit school and go to work as a programmer, too. I'm … [Read more...] about Lawyers are Testers, Too
Why Labels For Test Techniques?
Steve Swanson is very new to testing. I predict he has a great future. He has already noticed that the common idea of boundary testing is almost content-free. Michael Bolton and I do a whole session … [Read more...] about Why Labels For Test Techniques?
Can a Non-Sapient Test Exist?
My vote for the World's Most Inquisitive Tester is Shrini Kulkarni. He asks: Do you believe that “non sapientâ€? tests exist or for that matter - any part (seems like a very negligibly small portion … [Read more...] about Can a Non-Sapient Test Exist?
What is Test Automation?
[This post is here for historical reasons. However, I no longer use the term "test automation." I refuse to utter that phrase any more because people keep thinking it means that testing can be … [Read more...] about What is Test Automation?
Sapient Testing Rules
Hey, somebody at AST must have read my blog when I coined the term "sapient testing", because they named their magazine after it. I'm still waiting for people to pick up on my other coinage: … [Read more...] about Sapient Testing Rules
Self-Discipline Redux
I want to follow up on what I said about discipline in yesterday's post. I said that discipline is "motivation without reason." I stand by that, as far as it goes, but there's more to discipline than … [Read more...] about Self-Discipline Redux
Methodology Debates: Traps and Transformations
(This article is adapted from work I did with Johanna Rothman, at the 1st Amplifying Your Effectiveness conference. It's never been widely published, so here you go.) As a context-driven testing … [Read more...] about Methodology Debates: Traps and Transformations
Collegiality
Recently I posted a sort-of attack on Jim Pensyl, who had posted a sort-of attack on my community. Then an interesting thing happened. He withdrew his blog post and called me on the phone. That was … [Read more...] about Collegiality
The Future Will Need Us to Reboot It
I've been reading a bit about the Technological Singularity. It's an interesting and chilling idea conceived by people who aren't testers. It goes like this: the progress of technology is increasing … [Read more...] about The Future Will Need Us to Reboot It