How We Test Software at Microsoft (Paperback)

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Key Phrases: test architect, error msg, software test engineers, Testing Software Plus Services, Spec Explorer, Test Excellence (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

It may surprise you to learn that Microsoft employs as many software testers as developers. Less surprising is the emphasis the company places on the testing discipline and its role in managing quality across a diverse, 150+ product portfolio. This book written by three of Microsoft s most prominent test professionals shares the best practices, tools, and systems used by the company s 9,000-strong corps of testers. Learn how your colleagues at Microsoft design and manage testing, their approach to training and career development, and what challenges they see ahead. Most important, you ll get practical insights you can apply for better results in your organization. Discover how to: Design effective tests and run them throughout the product lifecycle Minimize cost and risk with functional tests, and know when to apply structural techniques Measure code complexity to identify bugs and potential maintenance issues Use models to generate test cases, surface unexpected application behavior, and manage risk Know when to employ automated tests, design them for long-term use, and plug into an automation infrastructure Review the hallmarks of great testers and the tools they use to run tests, probe systems, and track progress efficiently Explore the challenges of testing services vs. shrink-wrapped software

Product Details

• Paperback: 405 pages
• Publisher: Microsoft Press (December 10, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0735624259
• ISBN-13: 978-0735624252
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 7.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #93,699 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great general book on testing, December 17, 2008

By	Alan Myrvold - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Great insight into software testing, with a nice balance of stories, process, and test techniques. I now work at Microsoft as an SDET, after many years testing and developing at other software companies, but was still was eagerly awaiting this book.

I'm fascinated by how testers learn their craft, how testing balances the pragmatic and theoretical, and how testers grow in their career. This book covered all that, as well as providing an insight into testing at Microsoft.

For software testers, or anyone interested in software development, this book joins other books I'd recommend, including A Practitioner's Guide to Software Test Design, Testing Computer Software, How to Break Software, and (for security) Hunting Security Bugs.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, May 5, 2009

By	Hima (Redmond, WA USA) - See all my reviews

I was disappointed by this book. The bottom line is that this book has nothing in it which isn't covered better by other software testing books. And the information which is specific to Microsoft is not useful to anyone who is not a Microsoft employee. As another reviewer correctly pointed out, this book does not contain detailed information about specific software testing techniques. That's OK. The book does give all the pertinent acronyms and buzzwords, but paradoxically goes into too much detail, which obscures the important principles. In short, if you want a book which explains software testing techniques used at Microsoft, this is not the book for you. If you want a book which explains testing principles, you are better off with Kaner's "Testing Computer Software" or Patton's "Software Testing". This book might be useful for senior level software testing managers at Microsoft who are looking for a light story-based approach. I suspect there is a good reason why this book was published by Microsoft Press rather than by an impartial publishing company.

Pros: Generally well written and maybe an enjoyable read for experienced Microsoft managers.

Cons: Not technique based as the title might suggest, and not nearly as good as existing books for software testing principles.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An outstanding resource for software testers, January 29, 2009

By	Sally Foster "History buff" (Redwood, CA USA) - See all my reviews

I have been a software tester, SDET, for over ten years, and while I stay current with the industry via books and websites, I learned a long time ago that software testing books rarely reflect the real world of software testing. It is a fact that testing comes in later in a software release cycle, and more often then not, well after the decision making. We start out at the wrong end of the problem, so to speak, and end up telling people too late, about issues that should have been addressed much earlier in the release cycle. I get tried of the standard solution to this problem that is presented in most test books and websites, which is `prove the approach doesn't work'. That is inevitability met with the response of upper management, 'keep the quality, but cut the test effort'. (Shoot the messenger)

This book isn't going to waste your time with superficial solutions, or perfect world scenarios, this book is written from the trenches. I spent the first day reading it, nodding my head, and at times yelling "yes, that's it EXACTLY". The writers are drawing from experience, they understand testing software, and more importantly, they understand how to position a tester, and a test team, for success. This book goes far beyond Kaner's "Testing Computer Software", and is a must for any software tester who is passionate about shipping quality products.