Talking about software testing is not easy. It’s not natural! Testing is a “meta” activity. It’s not just a task, but a task that generates new tasks (by finding bugs that should be fixed or finding … [Read more...] about Six Things That Go Wrong With Discussions About Testing
Testing Culture
Regression Test Tool for Trash Walking
My recent flirtation with trash-pickup-as-physical-exercise has led me down a familiar path. Even though it is not my responsibility to clean a public road in the first place, once I do it, I find … [Read more...] about Regression Test Tool for Trash Walking
Test Coverage Parallels in Trash Walking
First, about scope... As I began my trash walking (see here and here), I quickly found that I needed guidelines on what counts as my work space and work product. I am collecting trash along the road, … [Read more...] about Test Coverage Parallels in Trash Walking
Test Talk About Trash Walks
So, for exercise, I'm picking up trash. Here is a picture of me all kitted up: So far, I've done 37 miles of trash collecting. And I can't help but see some interesting parallels with software … [Read more...] about Test Talk About Trash Walks
The Unnecessary Tool
My wife bought a Steel Grip 36in Lightweight Aluminum Pick Up Tool. I saw it on our combination dining room/craft/office table and asked her what it was for. "My eye pillow fell behind the bed and … [Read more...] about The Unnecessary Tool
The New Testing Conference
Anna Royzman is starting a new testing conference which she has decided to call the New Testing Conference. Anna has asked me to tell you about some of the ways we will be trying to live up to that … [Read more...] about The New Testing Conference
We. Use. Tools.
Context-Driven testers use tools to help ourselves test better. But, there is no such thing as test automation. Want details? Here's the 10,000 word explanation that Michael Bolton and I have been … [Read more...] about We. Use. Tools.
The Man Who Opened the Door
I just heard that Ed Yourdon died. In '93 or early '94, I got a strange email from him. He had heard about me in Mexico and he wanted to meet. I had never been to Mexico and I had never met or spoken … [Read more...] about The Man Who Opened the Door
Competent People and Conference Keynotes
My colleague and friend Anne-Marie Charrett has a thing about women. A) She is one. B) She feels that not enough of them are speaking at testing conferences. (See also Fiona Charles' post on this … [Read more...] about Competent People and Conference Keynotes
Exploratory Testing 3.0
[Authors' note: Others have already made the point we make here: that exploratory testing ought to be called testing. In fact, Michael said that about tests in 2009, and James wrote a blog post in … [Read more...] about Exploratory Testing 3.0