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Graham Thomas - Software Testing Secrets We Dare Not Tell - EuroSTAR 2013
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Transcript of Graham Thomas - Software Testing Secrets We Dare Not Tell - EuroSTAR 2013
Graham ThomasIndependent Software Testing Consultant
Software Testing Secrets
That We Dare Not Tell !
www.eurostarconferences.com
@esconfs#esconfs
Abstract
These questions are important because they drive at the very heart of what we are doing in the software testing industry today.
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I have worked in IT for over 30 years, in software testing for over 20 years, so you might think that I know a lot about IT and in particular software testing. Well, I am going to share some dark secrets about software testing with you, which we dare not tell, and do that in the form of questions.
This session has been designed to be a highly interactive discussion which many people might find challenges their basic understandings. I will act as facilitator, give an introduction to each question, then actively moderate the debate and if needed act as arbiter. Come along, expect to be involved, and if you have a view then please share it. Help to drive forward the discussion –and the software testing industry.
A bit about you
A feel for the audience today Current Role
Above Program Test Manager
Program Test Manager or Test Manager
Test Leader
Test Analyst or Test Execution
New to Testing
Industry Experience 15 years +
Over 10
Over 5
Done a year or more
Still got the L plates on
Industry exposure
Industry body
Workgroup
Contributor
Blog
Speaker
Author
Conferences
First time at EuroSTAR
Other conferences and seminars
Workshops or meetings
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Secretive Air Force Space Plane X37B Lands
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1. What is the purpose of Software Testing?
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What non-testers think
I was explaining this presentation to my doctor the other day.
I said “It is questioning the purpose of Software Testing.”
He said “ That is easy, it is to find all the bugs.”
I said “Not necessarily.”
He gave me a funny look, and I realised that this was a longer conversation that we had time for!
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2. Just how effective is the way we test –and how do we know? (Trad, V-Model, Structured Testing, agile or any other form of testing for that matter?)
Effectiveness
GBP / USD per bug
Overall cost by requirement / use case /story
Organisational cost – If I do this I can’t then do that
Can I afford to test?
How long will it take
Why is it now taking longer
How do I measure it?
Can’t I have it now?
And what will I get for all that
The Time / Cost / Quality Dice
How will I know I have got all of that?
Do I need all that?
What happens if I don’t get all of that?
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Discuss
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3. If checking isn't software testing, then why is it that ‘checking’ is what our stakeholders are paying us to do?
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Drivers for Testing
Checking
Prove it works
Show me it working
Coverage
Understand what I will get
Quantify the risk of delivery / non-delivery
Testing
Michael Bolton quoting Laurent Bossavit“A Testers Role is to see through the veil of conflicting illusions!”
Agile Testing is ‘Exploratory Learning’
Discovery
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Discuss
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4. If software testing is so difficult, demanding and challenging, then why is it that we keep on assigning the least skilled or experienced to perform it?
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Conundrum
And even if we don’t know;
what the purpose of software testing is,
how effective our software testing is,
or agree on how we go about software testing,
surely we should at least be able to draw together some attributes for the kind of people we need to perform software testing?
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Discuss
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5. Why do software testers spend so much of their time running tests that do not find bugs?
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Tools Scripting Execution Analysis Resources
Automation Paradox
To successfully automate tests they all have to pass. However what is the point of running tests that don’t find any bugs?
Tools to automate testing If we had tools that could test software we wouldn’t need software
testers!
Though, how would we know whether the tools were working or not?
Automating testing does not save any time, and in most cases takes longer than manual testing!
The latest trends in test optimisation are to stop running regression suites that take time effort and resource but no longer find bugs!
Inefficiencies
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Discuss
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To Conclude
As an industry, collectively:
“We do not know, or agree on the purpose of software testing”
“We do not know how efficient or effective our test models are, regardless of type”
“We don’t even agree on what it is we should do when we are testing software”
“We don’t understand what skills and experience we need to perform software testing”
“And finally when we do testing, an awful lot of it doesn’t actually make any difference”
I think we should either:
“Keep these secrets very, very quiet”
“Or tell everyone . . . . . .and set about finding the answers!”
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Let me think about that for a minute
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Contact Details
Graham Thomas
Independent Software
Testing Consultant
+44 7973 387 853
www.badgerscroft.com
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