Surviving the Top Ten Challenges of Software Testing: A People-Oriented Approach(Dorset House eBooks)

This is the digital version of hte printed book (Copyright © 1997). Software testers require technical and political skills to survive what can often be a lose-lose relationship with developers and managers. Whether testing is your specialty or your stepping stone to a career as a developer, there's no better way to survive the pressures put on testers than to meet the ten challenges described in this practical handbook. This book goes beyond the technical skills required for effective testing to address the political realities that can't be solved by technical knowledge alone. Communication and negotiation skills must be in every tester's tool kit. Authors Perry and Rice compile a "top ten" list of the challenges faced by testers and offer tactics for success. They combine their years of experience in developing testing processes, writing books and newsletters on testing, and teaching seminars on how to test. The challenges are addressed in light of the way testing fits into the context of software development and how testers can maximize their relationships with managers, developers, and customers. In fact, anyone who works with software testers should read this book for insight into the unique pressures put on this part of the software development process. "Somewhere between the agony of rushed deadlines and the luxury of all the time in the world has got to be a reasonable approach to testing."—from Chapter 8 The Top Ten People Challenges Facing Testers Challenge #10: Getting Trained in Testing Challenge #9: Building Relationships with Developers Challenge #8: Testing Without Tools Challenge #7: Explaining Testing to Managers Challenge #6: Communicating with Customers—And Users Challenge #5: Making Time for Testing Challenge #4: Testing What's Thrown Over the Wall Challenge #3: Hitting a Moving Target Challenge #2: Fighting a Lose-Lose Situation Challenge #1: Having to Say No  

Table of Contents:
Chapter One • How Testing Tests Testers 1 THE TESTER'S WORLD 2 TESTER 1 VERSUS TESTER 2 3 THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE TESTER'S PEOPLE CHALLENGE 4 THE TOP TEN PEOPLE-RELATED CHALLENGES 7 ROAD MAP THROUGH THE BOOK 11 Chapter Two • Does Testing Test You? 13 WHY DO A SELF-ASSESSMENT? 13 THE THREE NECESSARY INGREDIENTS FOR SUCCESS 14 SELF-ASSESSMENT INSTRUCTIONS 15 SUMMARIZING THE SELF-ASSESSMENT RESULTS 16 INTERPRETING SELF-ASSESSMENT RESULTS 22 Conclusion 1: Overall Assessment 22 Conclusion 2: Criterion Assessment 24 Chapter Three • Challenge #10: Getting Trained in Testing  25 OVERVIEW 25 STATE OF THE PRACTICE 26 What Went Wrong in This Scenario? 26 IMPACT ON TESTING 27 Skill Categories and Descriptions 28 Knowing What Kinds of Testing Should Be Performed 29 SOLUTIONS TO THE CHALLENGE 36 Raise Management Awareness of Testing 36 Make Time for Training 38 Develop Your Own Skills 38 Certify Your Testing Skills 41 SOLUTION IMPEDIMENTS 41 GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS 42 PLAN OF ACTION 43   Chapter Four • Challenge #9: Building Relationships with Developers 45 OVERVIEW 45 STATE OF THE PRACTICE 45 IMPACT ON TESTING 47 The Impact on Testing Progress 48 The Impact on Group Morale 49 SOLUTIONS TO THE CHALLENGE 51 Adopt a Win-Win Approach 51 Widen Your View of Testing 52 Move from "Us versus Them" to "Us and Them" 52 SOLUTION IMPEDIMENTS 53 GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS 55 PLAN OF ACTION 56   Chapter Five • Challenge #8: Testing Without Tools 57 OVERVIEW 57 STATE OF THE PRACTICE 58 IMPACT ON TESTING 59 SOLUTIONS TO THE CHALLENGE 66 Educate Management on the Use of Test Tools 66 Perform a Tool Survey 68 Define Your Requirements 68 Perform a Cost/Benefit Analysis 69 Investigate Tools Available 69 Integrate Test Tools with an Effective Testing Process 70 SOLUTION IMPEDIMENTS 70 GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS 71 PLAN OF ACTION 73   Chapter Six • Challenge #7: Explaining Testing to Managers 75 OVERVIEW 75 STATE OF THE PRACTICE 76 IMPACT ON TESTING 77 An Unsupportive View of Test Management 78 A Strategic View of Test Management 81 SOLUTIONS TO THE CHALLENGE 82 Identify the Stakeholders at the Management Level 84 Raise Awareness of the Testing Function 85 Network with Other Organizations to Learn How They Deal with Management 85 Establish a Testing Charter to Define the Purpose of Testing in Your Organization 86 Define Measurable Testing Objectives 86 Dedicate a Manager of Testing Who Understands the Issues and Challenges 86 Make Testing a Process 88 SOLUTION IMPEDIMENTS 88 GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS 89 PLAN OF ACTION 90 Chapter Seven • Challenge #6: Communicating with Customers—And Users 92 OVERVIEW 92 STATE OF THE PRACTICE 93 IMPACT ON TESTING 94 SOLUTIONS TO THE CHALLENGE 96 Teamwork 98 Communication 98 Continuous Involvement 101 SOLUTION MPEDIMENTS 104 GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS 105 PLAN OF ACTION 106   Chapter Eight • Challenge #5: Making Time for Testing 107 OVERVIEW 107 STATE OF THE PRACTICE 108 IMPACT ON TESTING 111 Reduced Test Coverage 112 Increased Risk of Regression Defects 112 Fatigue, Burnout, and LowMorale 113 SOLUTIONS TO THE CHALLENGE 114 Control the Scope of Testing 114 Control Management Expectations 114 Base Test Cases on an Independent Set of Criteria 114 Perform Risk Assessments 115 Reuse Your Testware 115 Estimate the Testing Effort Based on Measurable Criteria 116 Use Automation 116 SOLUTION IMPEDIMENTS 117 GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS 119 PLAN OF ACTION 121   Chapter Nine • Challenge #4: Testing What's Thrown Over the Wall 122 OVERVIEW 122 STATE OF THE PRACTICE 123 IMPACT ON TESTING 125 SOLUTIONS TO THE CHALLENGE 126 Get Management Support to Define Roles and Responsibilities 126 Establish Standards and Processes for Testing 126 Establish Ownership and Accountability at the Developer Level 128 Train Developers to Be Excellent Testers 128 Improve Communication Between Developers and Testers 129 Measure and Refine the Processes Continually 129 Establish Ground Rules 130 SOLUTION IMPEDIMENTS 130 GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS 131 PLAN OF ACTION 132   Chapter Ten • Challenge #3: Hitting a Moving Target 133 OVERVIEW 133 STATE OF THE PRACTICE 134 IMPACT ON TESTING 136 SOLUTIONS TO THE CHALLENGE 137 Rework of Testware 138 Regression Testing of Previously Tested Software 139 Backlog Created by Rapid Change 143 SOLUTION IMPEDIMENTS 144 GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS 146 PLAN OF ACTION 147   Chapter Eleven • Challenge #2: Fighting a Lose-Lose Situation 149 OVERVIEW 149 STATE OF THE PRACTICE 149 IMPACT ON TESTING 152 Keeping an Organization at a Low Level of Process Maturity 152 Trivializing and Undermining the Testing Process 152 Demoralizing Testers 153 Fostering a False View of Testing 153 SOLUTIONS TO THE CHALLENGE 154 Communicate the Role of Testing to the Rest of the Organization 154 Identify What Testers Can Reasonably Accomplish 154 Set and Manage Customer Expectations of Production Software 155 SOLUTION IMPEDIMENTS 157 GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS 158 PLAN OF ACTION 159   Chapter Twelve • Challenge #1: Having to Say No 61 OVERVIEW 161 STATE OF THE PRACTICE 162 IMPACT ON TESTING 163 Test Reporting Is Your Friend! 165 SOLUTIONS TO THE CHALLENGE 165 Standardize Test Reports 165 Make Test Reporting Part of the Testing Process 166 Manage Your Audience's Expectations 166 Use Creative Reporting Techniques 168 Focus on the Facts 168 Be Truthful 168 Document Your Tests 169 Build a Mature Culture 170 SOLUTION IMPEDIMENTS   171 GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS 172 PLAN OF ACTION 173   Chapter Thirteen • Plan of Action to Improve Testing 175 BUILD THE WILL TO IMPROVE 176 USE THE WAY TO CHANGE THE TESTING PROCESS 178 Step 1: What Needs to Be Changed 180 Step 2: How Much Change (The Goal) 182 Step 3: How to Make the Change (The Plan) 183 Step 4: How to Build Support 183 Step 5: How to Monitor and Measure the Change 186 Step 6: How to Reward Participants 188 TESTING IMPROVEMENT IS A NEVER-ENDING PROCESS 189   Resources 191 RELATED READING 191 CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS FOR SOFTWARE TESTING 192 LOCAL QUALITY ASSURANCE GROUPS 192   Index 195

About the Author :
WILLIAM E. PERRY is author of more than fifty books on quality assurance, including iTeam: Putting the ‘I’ Back into Team (Dorset House, 2009). He learned and practiced effective management techniques as a consultant and contractor for Fortune-500 companies, and as founder and former CEO of Orlando-based Quality Assurance Institute. Two of his current passions are IT innovation and software forensics, subjects he looks forward to writing about, believing their effective practice will lead more organizations to world-class status. RANDALL W. RICE is a thought-leading author, consultant, and trainer on software testing and systems quality. Based in Oklahoma City, he serves clients worldwide to implement better testing practices. A frequent speaker and author of articles on software quality and testing, he is also publisher and editor of The Software Quality Advisor newsletter.