RE: Advice on software testing?

[Jimmy Breck-McKye <jb527 -at- hotmail -dot- co -dot- uk>]

Hello Dana,
I take a different approach. It's good to be passionate about releasing solid software, but the decision to ship isn't just one for Quality Assurance. It's a business one, a strategic one, a project one - in fact, it's one with impacts on all corners of the organization, and one that several stakeholders have a say in. As testers, it's good to argue our cases. It's good to collect evidence, set it out as clearly as we can, and secure time with the decision maker to make ourselves clear. But that's all we do.
In fact, that's all we *can* do. We aren't equipped to make a complete decision whether to ship or not. We don't know the client's project, their priorities or internal deadlines. And for better or worse, we aren't responsible - or rewarded for - the consequences of an early or late release.
Test it, document it, log it. Give the decision maker the evidence they need. But draw the line there.
IMHO,Jimmy

----------------------------------------
> Date: Fri, 12 Aug 2011 13:14:31 -0600
> From: dana -at- campbellsci -dot- com
> To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> Subject: RE: Advice on software testing?
>
> Dan Goldstein wrote:
> /Not sure what "position" can a tester have on a bug, other than, "The
> bug exists, and here are the ramifications." /
>
> I would surmise that you've never tested software, or worked with anyone
> who is passionate about testing software!
>
> As Peter said, as a tester I may turn in a bug that the engineer or the
> "bug vetter" deems is not an issue. If I care about the quality of work
> I am doing, and the quality of the product that will eventually be
> shipped out, then I may very well take issue with my bug being rejected.
> As with most things in life, you have use good judgement on when to
> stand your ground and when to walk away.
>
> FWIW, when we get close to a release, I sit down with every one of my
> testers and ask them whether or not they feel a product is ready to
> ship, or how close the product feels to being stable. These folks are
> working with the software day in and day out, and have a pretty good
> idea whether or not we should be comfortable shipping. In one of the
> classes I took, the instructor said that in one company she worked with,
> the testers would draw on the board each day how they were "feeling"
> about the stability of the software -- smiley face, sad face, angry
> face, etc. :-) We haven't done that, but I do rely on their input along
> with risk analysis, market demands, and commitments when making a
> decision on when to ship.
>
> Dana W.
>
> --
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