The Tester's Headache is sometimes about issues connected to the balancing act of executing a test project on Time, on Budget and with the right Quality. Other times it's a reflection on general testing issues of the day.to:
The Tester's Headache is sometimes about issues connected to the balancing act of executing a test project on Time, on Budget and trying to meet the right expectations. Other times it's a reflection on general testing issues of the day.I've been doing a bit of sporadic writing/thinking about this recently, the occasional tweet and the odd comment on selected blog posts. There will be more to come soon (I hope - all to be revealed soon) on my thoughts around the word 'quality' in the testing-specific domain.
I'll still occasionally use the #qa hashtag on twitter - hey, I can't start a revolution/re-think from the outside can I? Or can I?
Thoughts, comments? Provocative? Thought-provoking or sleep-invoking?
Hi Simon,
ReplyDeleteOk I've been meaning to get around to posting a blog about 'buzz words' for a while now...I do hope I get the time. (What I need is a Morley 6 weeker!)
I don't like using the word quality...look I know this is going to sound quite boring (said many times)...but in my experience just using the word means so many things to different people, you can take it and use the word how you want...What does it mean anyway? The explanation for each person I think is the important thing...oh sugar did I just promote context....
The word quality also seems to have an association with testing....I'm not sure why...who made that link? Testers cannot control quality...
There are so many activities involved in producing software should it encompass every activity? Is quality such a generic thing? I don't know..should we use something else in it's place...I don't know...suggestions?
I think James Bach/Markus Gärtner and others have already talked about testers not being the gatekeepers of quality I take the same stance...
Michael Bolton posted a great article on his blog, in my opinion every tester should read it..
http://www.developsense.com/blog/2010/05/testers-get-out-of-the-quality-assurance-business/
I don't think a #qa hashtag does it for me, what does it mean?
ok, Yes I did once have QA in my job title, what did it mean?, to me nothing really...Did I assure quality..no...did anyone else on the team think I assure quality..no..but I think it might for some people...so why do these titles exist?..have testers become entrenched in QA World?
The other buzzwords I want to address are defect, sapience (I have a fear that sapience will be used quite a lot just because, will everyone be calling themselves sapient testers?)
Rather boring comment, but my view anyway.
Peter
Hi Peter,
ReplyDeleteGreat comments, thanks!
Yes I agree with you on all the problems the word 'quality' generates - maybe needlessly too!
I've hopefully got a piece in the next STC mag about problems with using the word quality in the testing-specific activities. So, I'll wait for that to come out...
The #qa hashtag is short'n'sweet and maybe I perpetuate a connection to testing by using it. Ahhh :-0 But #te hashtag just doesn't cut it - I could end up being followed by tea- enthusiasts or T.E. Lawrence impersonators...
Sapience: I recently wrote about this and why I don't use it. I'd like to hear your views too!
Oh, a Morley 6 weeker - I could do with one myself, or just a few more hours in the day. There's the start of a monty python 4 Yorkshiremen ramble...
So, no, not a boring comment at all!
Thanks!
/S