This post is not by any chance a comprehensive look on the reasons why software needs to be tested. I'm discussing here two reasons why software needs to be tested. These may not be the only reasons software testing is required, there are endless reasons. However these two reasons very clearly shows the way in which testers and developers view software testing.
"To prove the software works". No prizes in guessing where this reason comes from. This blog post has its roots from an email from somewhere up in the management chain asking me to do something that was quite unassuming. "Rajesh, Can you test feature so-and-so just completed by developer John Doe. We'd like to take stock of how much of the features are complete". Reading between the lines, its obvious what management wants me to do. Prove to them that the developer had done with his code and checked them into the version control system. "To prove the software works" is something that developer of the feature has to do themselves. Unit-Test!!!. And the management has to as "John Doe, Can you show us the unit-test results?"
Given the background of the situation, I'd mentioned to the management, we do not have a build to test yet. The build scripts are broken. We will not be able to replicate the customer environment. To this the management's reply "oh, just do this in the developer setup, we just want to know if the feature is complete".
The second reason for testing "To find defects in the software so that your customers do not to find them". ( I'm mentioning this as second, not the the point of view of important, but as the second point discussed here ) Again, no guesses for who's the proponent for this view point. For the testing group, the imperative mandate is to find defects and absolute NOT to prove the software works. This mandate is something that needs to be reiterated to every tester everyday however experienced they are.
The summary is Testers test "To find defects in the software so that your customers do not to find them" Developers test "To prove the software works". The success of any software project where the management bets their money on.
"To prove the software works". No prizes in guessing where this reason comes from. This blog post has its roots from an email from somewhere up in the management chain asking me to do something that was quite unassuming. "Rajesh, Can you test feature so-and-so just completed by developer John Doe. We'd like to take stock of how much of the features are complete". Reading between the lines, its obvious what management wants me to do. Prove to them that the developer had done with his code and checked them into the version control system. "To prove the software works" is something that developer of the feature has to do themselves. Unit-Test!!!. And the management has to as "John Doe, Can you show us the unit-test results?"
Given the background of the situation, I'd mentioned to the management, we do not have a build to test yet. The build scripts are broken. We will not be able to replicate the customer environment. To this the management's reply "oh, just do this in the developer setup, we just want to know if the feature is complete".
The second reason for testing "To find defects in the software so that your customers do not to find them". ( I'm mentioning this as second, not the the point of view of important, but as the second point discussed here ) Again, no guesses for who's the proponent for this view point. For the testing group, the imperative mandate is to find defects and absolute NOT to prove the software works. This mandate is something that needs to be reiterated to every tester everyday however experienced they are.
The summary is Testers test "To find defects in the software so that your customers do not to find them" Developers test "To prove the software works". The success of any software project where the management bets their money on.
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