Testing is like rally
Submitted by Ainars Galvans on Thu, 20/11/2008 - 09:49.
metaphors
Breaking (crashing) rally car does not make you champion. Learning the limits does.
No, seriously. There are so much in common
- It is partially-scripted “During the actual rally, the co-driver reads the pace notes aloud”
- Well, I could only guess from car racing games, but I believe you have to learn to use your instincts as well as (theoretical) knowledge.
- There is neither best car nor best driver. You need good car and a skilled driver who could get used to that car. (replace car with tools to get analogy)
Word-play
An another meaning of world rally is “a mustering of scattered forces to renew an effort”. Try to think of an effort aimed at improving software quality. This effort tends to get scattered as developers aim to extend functionality. As a tester I see my mission in a “summoning up of strength or courage after weakness or dejection” with regards to quality.
I don’t think there are a lot of (if any) developers willing to produce bad quality software. I’ve been developer myself a long time ago. It really required strength or even courage to give up writing new code and fix an old code.
I’ve never really worked with TDD development teams, but I do believe that with a proper exploratory testing around their stories I would be able to rally them as well.
No, seriously. There are so much in common
- It is partially-scripted “During the actual rally, the co-driver reads the pace notes aloud”
- Well, I could only guess from car racing games, but I believe you have to learn to use your instincts as well as (theoretical) knowledge.
- There is neither best car nor best driver. You need good car and a skilled driver who could get used to that car. (replace car with tools to get analogy)
Word-play
An another meaning of world rally is “a mustering of scattered forces to renew an effort”. Try to think of an effort aimed at improving software quality. This effort tends to get scattered as developers aim to extend functionality. As a tester I see my mission in a “summoning up of strength or courage after weakness or dejection” with regards to quality.
I don’t think there are a lot of (if any) developers willing to produce bad quality software. I’ve been developer myself a long time ago. It really required strength or even courage to give up writing new code and fix an old code.
I’ve never really worked with TDD development teams, but I do believe that with a proper exploratory testing around their stories I would be able to rally them as well.