Classic Testing Mistakes: Revisited

1. Classic Testing Mistakes:Revisited Contributing peer reviewers: James Bach Paul Carvalho Michael Kelly Harry Robinson Matthew Heusser mheusser@charter.net Presented at the Better Software Conference San Francisco, CA - Sept. 20th, 2005

2. Organization • Classic Mistakes: A different approach • The mistakes enumerated • Test Management Mistakes • Test Automation Mistakes • Development Mistakes • Test Strategy Mistakes • Root Causes • What to do tomorrow

3. On the shoulders of pioneers

6. Classic Mistake #1:De-humanize the test process AKA Management by Spreadsheet, Management by Email, Management by MS Project … Test Management Mistakes

7. Classic Mistake #2: Testers Responsible for Quality “It’s strange that QA let that bug slip through” Test Management Mistakes

8. Classic Mistake #3:IV&V Determines ship date Do they really? Test Management Mistakes

9. Classic Mistake #4:Task-based status reporting • Examples: • Testing is “on schedule” • Testing “should be done by Tuesday” • Consequences • Loss of credibility • Bad information for decision makers Test Management Mistakes

10. Classic Mistake #5:Evaluating testers by bugs found … and developers by number of bugs injected • Consequences: • Friction • Focus on easy-to-find yet trivial bugs (usability) • Information hiding Test Management Mistakes

11. Classic Mistakes #6Inappropriate Models for Test Improvement • NO

12. Classic Mistake #7:Lack of test training for developers • Testing is a skill. • It won’t appear like magic. Development Testing Mistakes

13. Classic Mistake #8:Separate devs and testers • To create friction, emphasize division • Anything that increases the length of the feedback loop is bad. • To improve get rid of waste and tighten the feedback loop. Development Testing Mistakes

14. Mistake #9:When late, add Test Automation • Someone has to learn the tool • Someone has to record the scripts Test Automation Mistakes

15. Mistake #10:Mine Field Test Automation Test Automation Mistakes

16. Mistake #11:Hiring for test tool skills • Technology skills can be taught • Talent can’t • The “Hit the Ground Running” Argument Test Automation Mistakes

17. Classic Mistake #12:Insufficient diversity in test strategy • Examples: • Only requirements based testing • Only coverage testing • Consequence: • Missing entire classifications of defects Test Strategy Mistakes

18. Classic Mistake #13:Over-reliance on scripted testing All the testing we did, meticulously pulling down every menu and seeing if it worked right, didn't uncover the showstoppers that made it impossible to do what the product was intended to allow. Trying to use the product, as a customer would, found these showstoppers in a minute. - Joel Spolsky, JoelOnSoftware.com Test Strategy Mistakes

19. Mistake #14:Untrained exploratory Testing • “Just think creatively” • “Try to break it” • Exploratory Testing is a discipline Test Strategy Mistakes

20. Classic Mistake #15:Separate test design and execution Test Strategy Mistakes

21. Classic Mistake #16:Vacuous Documentation • Examples: • The issue resolution document • Physical signoff/check marks • Elaborate test case templates • Consequence: • Time spent documenting is time not spent testing Test Strategy Mistakes

22. Mistake #17:Trying to fix things beyond your reach The Meta-Mistake

23. Don’t treat the symptoms Find & Fix the root cause!

24. Root Cause #1Lack of Systems Thinking in Testing • The law of unintended consequences Root Causes

25. Root Cause #2:Translation Problems Example: - “You need to completely test this module” Root Causes

26. Root Cause #3:Process Myopia • Example: • The [in]famous Issue Resolution Document • “We don’t do things that way here” • Elevating process over skills • Solutions: • The ear of the king / History Lessons • If your boss doesn’t care – ignore it Root Causes

27. Root Cause #4:Technology Myopia • Example • “Use XML on the next project” • “I just bought 5 copies of WinRunner …” • Solution: • If you’re technical, they need you to do it • If you’re a manager, focus on business impact and risk Root Causes

28. Root Cause #5:Fred Taylor in the organization • Examples: • Factory Mentality • High Specialization • Mixing of skill sets is verboten • Solutions: • Peopleware, or anything by Weinberg • First Break all the rules – Jim Collins • Lead. Insulate your team. Root Causes

29. A ‘new’ methodology • Root Cause Analysis • Pareto Analysis • Drive out waste/tighten the feedback loop • Then worry about better practices (Image from Rapid Development, (c) 1996 by Steve McConnell. Used with permission from the author) What to do tomorrow

30. Why • New practices take permission • It is hard (but possible) to get more done by adding work • It is easy to get more done by subtracting work • So start by looking to remove worst practices

31. What to do tomorrow • Discuss • Q&A

32. Where to go for more • “Classic Mistakes in Software Testing”, Brian Marick, STQE, 1997 • Rapid Development, Steve McConnell • An Introduction to general systems thinking, Gerold Weinberg, 1975 • Lessons Learned in Software Testing, Kaner, Bach, Pettichord

33. Bonus Section

34. Root Cause #6:Pressure for short-term results • Example: • “Ship to make 4th quarter numbers” • Putting off problems instead of addressing them • Solution: • Save your team • Professionalism means something • The Quake Example Root Causes