April, 2004
Featured Article 
Things I Tell New Testers
by Randall W. Rice, CSQA, CSTE, CSTM
As I have led and trained test teams over the years, there are some things that I routinely make sure I convey to new testers. Whether you are new to testing, or a seasoned professional, these are helpful things to remember.
1. You are an inspector – You can’t guarantee quality.
Many testers get sidetracked by not understanding that they assess things, not control them. There is a huge difference between the two! For example, a team may work weeks on a test and find many defects, only to see management decide to release the product with known serious defects. The team often feels demoralized and asks why they even do testing.
[Read more here]
On the Personal Side
On Saturday, March 20th, Janet and I joined the ranks of those people who like to show pictures of their grandchildren. Our first grandson, Braeden Scott Rice, weighed in at 9 lbs 10oz, 21 and one-half inches long. Both mother and child are doing well. It's great to have Joni back in the office part-time! Ryan, the proud father (and my oldest son), is our audio and video producer.
Leadership Thoughts
"You manage things, you lead people."
Admiral Grace Murray Hooper, US naval officer (1906-1992)
"One of the advantages of being a captain is being able to ask for
advice without necessarily having to take it."
Captain James T Kirk, character in 'Star Trek'
Book Review
Test-Driven Development by Example
Product Details:
ISBN: 0321146530
Format: Paperback, 220pp
Pub. Date: November 2002
Publisher: Addison-Wesley
I enjoyed reading this book, however I must advise that non-coders will probably have difficulty in staying with it. I don’t mean that as a put-down of any kind. It’s obvious that the intended audience is the developer who is trying to understand the concept of test-driven development.
A tester, however, would learn in this book that test-driven development uses tests that are different in nature and rigor than those commonly thought of as “unit tests.”
I think Beck does a good job in explaining test-driven development in a way that is easy to understand. I still have some concerns about the nature of test-driven development, such as the emphasis on function over design. But I think Beck achieved a reasonable goal of presenting by example what test-driven development is all about.
The goal of test-driven development is a reasonable way to achieve “clean code that works – now.” As a tester, I think the awareness of test-driven development is a good thing. I also think that this technique must be combined with other methods, such as getting quality requirements, verification and validation, to achieve a final result that meets the users’ needs.
Readability - 4
Coverage of topics - 5
Depth of coverage - 5
Credibility - 5
Accuracy - 5
Relevance to software quality - 5
Overall - 5
Reviewed by Randy Rice
"It is better to deserve honors and not have them than to have them and not deserve them."
Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) US author (1835-1910)
Links of interest
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Wage Inflation Unlikely to Soon End India's Offshore Dominance
"Never lose sight of the fact that the most important yardstick of your success will be how you treat other people - your family, friends, and co-workers, and even strangers you meet along the way."
Barbara Bush, US First Lady
Last Updated on Wednesday, 28 October 2009 07:44
