Testing in DarkAges!

Testers are Idiots

If you read SDTimes, you might have read this story too. (Read full story at http://www.sdtimes.com/link/31789). They published it in March, 2008 and it was based on the assertions from audience of FutureTest conference (www.futuretest.net). The editor mentioned few assertions from audience like:

Testers are idiots. The practice of testing offers no innovation. Testing is boring, manual and repetitive. It’s not a career. Testers aren’t as smart as developers. They’re nitpicky, pencil-pushing quality/process geeks. They’re beside the point and are easily replaced. Testing is not a career; it’s a necessary evil between application users and the brilliance of developers.

So, why am I remebering this story after more than a year of this conference. Because, it reminds me of the punch line, Testers are idiots.

I wrote in one of my previous entries that we miss innovation in testing. Don't you think it is true in some sense? What additional have you done that was different than your usual way of work? Have you ever thought beyond Automation whenever someone mentioned 'innovation in testing'? Why is it that we testers only think of usage of commercial tools and processes when it comes to innovation? Do we lack innovation in testing? Are testers really idiots?

I, somehow, think it is not totally true. There are innovators in testing too. Unfortunately the number doesn't seem that big, though.

Testing is not boring, repetitive and just manual. I as a tester take interest in testing; I try to reduce number of defects by this repetitive process and I do try to automate the repetitive processes. Depending solely on certain commercially available tools may not be right, though.

Testing is very much a career. Would you like to travel in a plane which has not been tested for? Isn't it that because of some of us testers, many lives are saved? If I do not choose this career, will you be so sure of using medical equipments in the hospitals?

Agreed, some of us are nitpicky, pencil-pushing geeks. But you can find same breed in other areas too. Why just testing?

I know we lack innovation. There aren't many innovative ideas floating around in the testing hemisphere. But this is not an imperfection. We are living happily with t. And we are also trying to make it better. Ain’t you agree?

testers are idiots: absolutely!

{ 02:32, 2009-Nov-22 } { Posted by Anonymous }

Excellent! Darkage, you are excellent! This is a nice post and I strongly agree to what you say.
-Lisa