| 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 IMPEDIMENTS 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 Low Morale 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 161 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
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