What's your approach to testing?
What first impressions do you get from "eyes wide shut" and "eyes wide open" as applied to testing?
Let me do a quick mind-dump, word association thing - the order below is exactly how it turned out - I then went back to add a bit of detail between the bullet-points. You'll have to excuse the odd Monty Python moment...
Eyes Wide Shut
- Parrot
I suspect I was primed by the recent video interview with James Bach about bucanneer testing and parrots.
- Rote
Following word-for-word - no deviation.
- Led
Following and willing to be led. Whilst this may be good and necessary in some test activities, I think this is in the minority of cases.
- Sheep
Probably primed by Rob Lambert's recent agricultural reference (actually a serious post!)
- Blind
Not looking around.
- Sensory deprived
Not using all information inputs.
- No questions
Just follow the guide/script/instructions even if it doesn't make sense.
- Lemming
Can lead to the black swan event of all "eyes wide shut" testers.
- Same-old same-old
No change, never change, comfort zone, safe. Perfect candidate for automation.
Eyes Wide Open
- Searching
Using the script/test idea as a guide - an incomplete map.
- Alert
- Observant
- All senses in use
These three are very similar - when the tester is switched on and ready to react, think ahead and even pre-empt.
- In the zone
When all senses are engaged and the tester is questioning the product it's similar to the sporting equivalent of being "in the zone".
- Feedback
The tester is questioning to give good feedback. Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition. Questioning is our main tool, questioning and feedback, ohh...
- Exploratory
Map-making in real time!
- Investigative
The best of journalistic and scientific investigation - following-up on previous experience, hints and clues with the information in front of you.
- Ideas
The activity generates new ideas - either for further testing, how to solve test problems, feedback on the product or how to improve the product.
Note, I don't consider this as scripted vs non-scripted. I consider it more "good testing" vs "not-good testing" (I place no other emphasis on it than that...)
There are some cases where scripted testing is necessary (even a legal requirement) and others where it's needed as a guide.
My take on buccaneer testing and parrots - they are different species and unless the parrot is supposed to do everything-by-rote then it's the "eyes wide shut" case. I've got another take that I'll expand on in another post.
Of course, if the parrot is a Norwegian Blue then it definitely ain't dead and it's actually very good testing! :-)
Do your own word association and see what you come up with!
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