Rainbow Testing

The test of true love

What is it about love that so blinds us to faults? It’s a power that makes it possible to adjust to the inconveniences and imperfections of our commitments, but can make us fatally vulnerable to the flaws that truly impede us on our path, that may block us even from every happiness and all the things we truly value.

This is no rhetorical question for a tester to consider but a real issue that can block us from our great asset; objectivity.

Loss of objectivity

There are numerous circumstances that can lead to a bias that affects planning, testing and reporting. Here are some common examples:

• Financial investment
• High level corporate decisions
• Over confidence in the development team
• Frustration with existing systems
• Marketing
• Lack of software development expertise
• The overwhelming desirability of a single aspect or function of the proposed system
• Over

Undoubtedly you could increase this list from your own personal and professional experience but they can be boiled down to two primary drives; a revulsion for something unwanted or a desire for something idealized.

Putting it back into perspective – if I could write a sonnet…

Don’t be afraid to “count the ways.”  If you, your management or your user group are caught up in the hype, write it down. List clearly the benefits that are driving the excitement. Most testers can spot ambiguous language, indefinite pronouns or unclear clauses even in a love letter. Fall back on your talents. Write it out as a list. Then take out that valentine red pen and go to work, doing what you do best, question the language. Any item that cannot be clarified is a risk.

Avoiding the reactionary – the enemy of my friend is….

Read the criticism, listen to the naysayer’s, make a note of the Chicken Little’s. Once again, rely on your innate skills. Pick up any single article or complaint and make a cuff list of the pertinent points. What are the primary complaints? Time? Money? Support? Stability? These are proposed entries for your risk list. Can you counter them with a mitigation statement? Knock off the truly outrageous and unsupported. Keeping them on the list only serves to belittle the critics, and this state of mind will set you back in objectivity. Remember, you don’t have to respect the messenger, just get the message. If there are valid risks to the project, you’ll be better off if you prepare for them. The enemy of your beloved project may be your friend.

Waking up and smelling the coffee – tracking post release issues