Maturities models (TMMi, CMM, CMMi, etc.) are a dumb idea. They are evidence of immaturity in our craft. Insecure managers sometimes cling to them as they might a treasured baby blanket. In so doing, … [Read more...] about Immaturity of Maturity Models
What Testers Find
While testing at eBay, recently, it occurred to me that we need a deeper account of what testers find. It's not just bugs. Here's my experimental list: Testers find bugs. In other words, we look for … [Read more...] about What Testers Find
The Dual Nature of Context-Driven Testing
The Context-Driven School of software testing is a way of thinking about testing, AND a small but world-wide community of like-minded testers. There are other, larger, schools of testing thought. But … [Read more...] about The Dual Nature of Context-Driven Testing
When Does a Test End?
The short answer is: you never know for sure that a test has ended. Case in point. The license plate on my car is "tester." It looks like this: On December 20th, I received this notice in the … [Read more...] about When Does a Test End?
This is What We Do
In the Context-Driven Testing community, the testing craft is a living, growing thing. This dialog, led by my partner in Rapid Testing, Michael Bolton, is a prime example of the life among us. Read … [Read more...] about This is What We Do
My Stockholm Syndrome
Stockholm, the city where Rene Descartes spent his last days, and which now hands out Nobel prizes, is also now becoming a capital of Context-Driven testing thinking. The cool kid of the North. (Oh, … [Read more...] about My Stockholm Syndrome
Shiva is Annoyed with My Questions
A person named Shiva contacted me on Skype back in May. Then he didn't say anything for several months, until yesterday we had this exchange. Shiva: Hi James! James: Hi. Shiva: I wanted to set … [Read more...] about Shiva is Annoyed with My Questions
Introducing Thread-Based Test Management
Most of the testing world is managed around artifacts: test cases, test documents, bug reports. If you look at any "test management" tool, you'll see that the artifact-based approach permeates it. … [Read more...] about Introducing Thread-Based Test Management
What Exploratory Practitioners Are Called
An exploratory DOCTOR is known as... a "doctor." An exploratory WELDER is known as... a "welder." An exploratory PILOT is known as... a "pilot." An exploratory WRITER is known as... a "writer." An … [Read more...] about What Exploratory Practitioners Are Called
Two “Scoops” of “Bugs”
I have often said something like "We found a hundred bugs!" Lots of people have heard me say it. Statements like that are very valuable to me. But we should ask some vital questions about … [Read more...] about Two “Scoops” of “Bugs”