Bug knows Software Testing better

* All call me as Bug and Im used to this word . I often

Myth: Software Testing is to find bugs and execute as many test cases. Finding important bugs which matters to stakeholders is important. While one tests, she or he tries to learn application sufficiently for knowing probable ways how it might work and how it may not work, to identify potential Problems that are visible and invisible. Thereby software testing provides information to decision makers and stakeholders for making informed decision about the risks in/from application. Testing also looks for the benefits in application. I remember words of Michael Bolton, Treat testing as loops of exploration and learning, rather than as a linear pass. A Useful & informative testing includes testing of an application and habitat (people, hardware-software, and environment) around it.

hear it was coming on my machine but not seeing in your machine...., it is not reproducible..., not a bug and many more words which fantasies me. Am I a ghost to appear and disappear? Anyways Im seeing people since before someone coined words smoke test and sanity testing. Yet I see people havent got craft of software testing in its context what I have got. This is helping me to sustain along with you all so far in disguised multiple forms by poking your emotions though you catch me hardly in one or other form. By chance if you get context of todays software testing, cool, I can survive whatever tests you design on me. Besides Im elder than you and as well as smarter to create illusions of, it works & wont work.

Myth: When do you complete testing? Can this be released for production? We need you to certify it works fine. Testing is stopped and never completed. Tested does not mean It is OK. Brushing the tooth daily for 15 minutes does it mean that no more tooth decay, cavities and pain? When one does stops to brush and washes the mouth? Is that completed for ever or stopped for then? Does todays lab report of blood test ever certify one is free from HIV for any time? Testing exists to evaluate and assess changes as changes made or coming in can turn into high risks. It does not certify the changes. If forced to certify, probably testing result can come with faking activities which is much more risky. Im elder than you and as well as smarter to create illusions of, it works & wont work Bug What if Im a bug, wont you listen to me if something interesting and useful is said which I have learned by unlearning so far? Will tell you few myths of software testing in the space I can acquire here.

Myth: Testing and Tester assures quality. Testing and tester is quality gatekeeper or quality police. Investigative information from testing helps decision making people to assure quality in delivered or delivering application. And not to forget every task has its quality

Copyrights 2011 and licensed under Creative Common Attributions Non-Commercial No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.

level. Probably test engineer or test lead will not be paid heavily with authority to take decisions on quality and deliverables. Ever thought of lab technician who made tests for blood sugar and cholesterol level, is quality gatekeeper or quality police for your health? Its a decision of person undergoing tests, what she or he should do to keep quality health using test report, right? Likewise software tester is not quality police or quality gatekeeper for testing an application. If software tester accepts that designation, then that software tester probably she or he will be cutting his own neck for unexpected results not from just him or her.

Myth: Test Case finds bugs. If there is a piece of paper with the address mentioned on it, it doesnt mean that the piece of paper will find the address for us. One has to find the same with the help of information on the piece of paper if needed. Likewise, test case does not find bug. It is tester who finds bug. Test case may act as pointers to do so if it is good enough.

Myth: Woooo! Tester, you broke the application. Yep! Tester, you crashed the application again. Application being tested will be broken in one or other contexts and that is the purpose of giving it to testing for knowing where and how it is broken. Testing never breaks or crashes the application. Testing help to see how/when/why/where application is broken. So, dont be in illusion world of you breaking and crashing the application. It is me, the bug, who plays there putting you in such illusions.

Myth: Do test automation and increase test coverage. Downsize number of human testers testing and testing hours. Automating a test is not that easy as most of us think. What we do often is record-play back or mere predefined scripted action and claim we do test automation. In other words, one automates the behavior what is observed or expected from application for a test designed and executed by a human. This kind of test automation would constitute just verification of expected behavior. It does not suffice the assessment and evaluation as done by a human who looks for problems or risks from her testing. Can we automate the mind of tester who is testing the application? If not, it is not test automation but automation of predefined actions which has no emotions of intended users or customers or of person who wrote automation scripts. Test automation exists to help testing in achieving its goal and not a replacement for testing.

Oh wait. Looks like Im disclosing all super software testing myths which I knew. Im stopping not to say more myths and going back to photo frame and look as dead, until you see me in application you are testing. I dont want to be caught with so ease. Help your testers to test better and to practice testing, so I can play hide and seek much better than so far.

Yours lovingly the bug you love to catch

Reference:

Testing is a skill. Automating tests is also a skill but a very different skill from testing. Mark Fewster and Dorothy Graham in Software Test Automation: Effective Use of Test Execution Tools 1999.

*Etymology of word bug is here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_bug

Copyrights 2011 and licensed under Creative Common Attributions Non-Commercial No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.