The "test automation pyramid" (for examples, see here, here, and here) is a popular idea, but I see serious problems with it. I suggest in this article an alternative way of thinking that preserves … [Read more...] about Round Earth Test Strategy
Heuristics
My Personal Source Code: Books to Learn Analysis
Occasionally people come to me and say they want to learn certain things. They ask "how do I become a good tester" or "how do I design test cases" or "how do I automate" or something specific like … [Read more...] about My Personal Source Code: Books to Learn Analysis
TestInsane’s Mindmaps Are Crazy Cool
Most testing companies offer nothing to the community or the field of testing. They all seem to say they hire only the best experts, but only a very few of them are willing to back that up with … [Read more...] about TestInsane’s Mindmaps Are Crazy Cool
Agile Testing Heuristic: The Power of Looking
Today I broke my fast with a testing exercise from a colleague. (Note: I better not tell you what it is or even who gave it to me, because after you read this it will be spoiled for you, whereas if … [Read more...] about Agile Testing Heuristic: The Power of Looking
Mechanical or Magical? Noah Says “Neither.”
As I was having dinner with Noah Höjeberg tonight, he said an interesting thing. "Some people think testing is mechanical, and that's bad enough. But a lot of people seem to think the alternative to … [Read more...] about Mechanical or Magical? Noah Says “Neither.”
Technique: Paired Exploratory Survey
I named a technique the other day. It's another one of those things I've been doing for a while, but only now has come crisply into focus as a distinct heuristic of testing: the Paired Exploratory … [Read more...] about Technique: Paired Exploratory Survey
A Six-fold Example from Pradeep Soundararajan
Pradeep blogged this, today. I need to amplify it because it provides a nice example of at least six useful and important patterns all in one post. This is why I believe Pradeep is one of the leading … [Read more...] about A Six-fold Example from Pradeep Soundararajan
Heuristic Value is a Relationship
One of the comments on my post about The Esssence of Heuristics went like this: “An excellent example of a heuristic is a hammer.” Ecstasy is your friend: it picks you up at the … [Read more...] about Heuristic Value is a Relationship
Three New Testing Heuristics
A lot of what I do is give names to testing behaviors and patterns that have been around a long time but that people are not systematically studying or using. I'm not seeking to create a standard … [Read more...] about Three New Testing Heuristics
The Essence of Heuristics
Excellent testing requires skill, but heuristics give structure to that skill. Heuristics help us access our skills under pressure. A heuristic is a fallible method of solving a problem or making a … [Read more...] about The Essence of Heuristics