Test Planning

Articles

Testing Testers

You don't wait until the day before a software release to test the product. Testing software is a complex process, involving systematic investigation and sustained observation. In this week's column, James Bach argues that evaluating testers is similarly complex. And it shouldn't be put off until the night before the tester's performance review.

James Bach's picture James Bach
Risk Analysis to Prioritize Testing Table 1 Risky Business: Using Risk Analysis to Prioritize Testing

Many of us think about system risks when deciding what to test, but it seems that few have a standardized way to assess the risks of a given system. In this week's column, Rick Craig shares a simple method you can use to target your test efforts according to risk. This method comes from, and is developed more fully, in Systematic Software Testing, of which Rick is lead author.

Rick Craig's picture Rick Craig
Thinking Games

Have you outgrown playing games, now that you're in the serious business of software quality assurance? Well, maybe it's time to get that old chess board out of the closet. In this column, Elisabeth Hendrickson argues that the thinking skills you develop from games will serve you well in planning software projects.

Elisabeth Hendrickson's picture Elisabeth Hendrickson
Manage the Risks and the Process

Including a testing/QA component early in a software project necessarily prolongs the schedule, right? Not so, according to Ross Collard. In this, the third of a three-part series, Collard explains how to anticipate risks and to aggressively manage the process to prevent disaster.

Ross Collard's picture Ross Collard
Taking a Risk

Project managers may be reluctant, even unwilling, to discuss problems that testers discover in a project. In this week’s column, management expert Johanna Rothman gives tips on how best to tell management that "the sky is falling," and how to respond if they don't want to hear about potential problems before they occur.

Johanna Rothman's picture Johanna Rothman
Can You Predict Danger?

Testers are in a position to see danger coming. Speaking up early about risks that others may not see can save a project. In this article Yogita Sahoo looks at the problem of NOT speaking up, and discusses the unique position of the test team in preventing failures.

Yogita Sahoo's picture Yogita Sahoo
Institutionalizing Poor Quality

Have you ever noticed how many professional activities don't utilize a separate testing phase? Veteran tester and instructor Lee Copeland has. And it got him thinking about our industry and the role a tester plays. In this week's column, you may be surprised by his conclusions.

Lee Copeland's picture Lee Copeland
When Being Correct Isn't Enough

It makes sense that people who are always correct will have the power to influence others. But testers who base their authority on correctness might be in for a rough time. Bret Pettichord explains in this week's column why it's a good idea to show concern as well as correctness.

Bret Pettichord's picture Bret Pettichord
How to Save Your Software Project

The software project gone awry is a familiar theme in columns and articles on this site. In this column, Elisabeth Hendrickson uses her knack for observation to draw relevant lessons from seventeenth-century naval history. Read her advice on how to save your project from sinking.

Elisabeth Hendrickson's picture Elisabeth Hendrickson
Evaluating a Tester's Effectiveness

Test managers are responsible for monitoring the testing program and the people who carry it out. But with all that testing entails, evaluating a tester's performance is often a complicated task. In this week's column, Elfriede Dustin provides some specifics you can use to assess the effectiveness of a tester.

Elfriede Dustin's picture Elfriede Dustin

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