Surviving the Top Ten Challenges of Software Testing: A People-Oriented Approach (Paperback)

by William E. Perry (Author), Randall W. Rice (Author)

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The software field has more than its fair share of survival titles. Survival books help us survive harsh deadlines, endure unsupportive bosses, improve poor software processes, suffer inadequate specifications, and stay in line during death marches. The software field is bleak indeed. --Doug Nickerson, Dr. Dobb's Electronic Review of Computer Books -- Dr. Dobb's Electronic Review of Computer Books

Product Description
Software testers require people-oriented skills to survive what can often be a lose-lose relationship with developers and managers. Surviving the Top Ten Challenges of Software Testing goes beyond the technical skillsets required for effective testing to address the political realities that can't be solved by technical knowledge alone.

Authors Perry and Rice compile a "top ten" list of the challenges faced by testers and offer tactics for success. The challenges illustrate the way testing fits into the context of software development and how testers can manage expectations and improve communication with managers, developers, and customers. The text features a self-assessment for testing skills and an action plan for improving the testing process.

Topics include training, acquiring management support, obtaining tools, communicating with customers, managing changing requirements, marketing the importance of testing, testing what's thrown over the wall, controlling the scope of testing, teaching developers to test, and handling the delicate situation of reporting defects.

The Top Ten People Challenges Facing Testers

Challenge #10: Getting Trained in Testing
Challenge #9: Building Relationships with Developers
Challenge #8: Testing Without Tools
Challenge #7: Explaining Testing to Managers
Challenge #6: Communicating with Customers -- And Users
Challenge #5: Making Time for Testing
Challenge #4: Testing What's Thrown Over the Wall
Challenge #3: Hitting a Moving Target
Challenge #2: Fighting a Lose-Lose Situation
Challenge #1: Having to Say No

Product Details

• Paperback: 202 pages
• Publisher: Dorset House Publishing Company, Incorporated (October 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0932633382
• ISBN-13: 978-0932633385
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #353,174 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent review of the daily pitfalls of software testing, June 19, 2000

By	Mark Van Kekerix (Omaha, Nebraska, USA) - See all my reviews

This is an excellent review of the biggest recurring problems of the software testing world. As I read the descriptions of each of the 10 challenges, I was astonished at how many of the pitfalls I fall into on a regular basis. Perry & Rice don't just lay out what the challenges are - they also discuss how to meet each one. Each item on the list has its own chapter with sections on the impact on testing, solutions to the challenge, impediments to implementing the solutions, and helpful guidelines to creating a plan of action. This is without a doubt an excellent book for those of us in the trenches of software testing each day. (One bit of advice, though - if you're looking for a book on "how to do software testing", look elsewhere. Perry and Rice have other good books on the subject, but this one is really intended to help you step back from your daily testing work and see where you could improve on your approach to it.)

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Made sense and is appropriate for all!, September 17, 1999

By A Customer

This book gives excellent insight for the beginning QA professional. It not so detailed that developers and managers will not want anything to do with it either. It explains ways to communicate quality assurance without offending anyone. The content is concentrated on the expressing QA in a brighter light without ruffling too many feathers. I recommend it for everyone in a technical environment with the goal of attaining quality. THIS IS A MUST HAVE FOR ANY QA PROFESSIONAL.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Bringing testing out of the closet, January 2, 2000

By	Charles Ashbacher "([e-mail])" (Marion, Iowa United States([e-mail])) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

Testing has often been the misbegotten portion of the software development process. Frequently neglected until the semi-chaotic end of the production cycle, the testing phase has traditionally been shortened to accommodate a fixed release date. The relationships between the developer and test groups are to some extent adversarial, but in so many cases it often breaks down into open hostility. Among developers, it is often considered demeaning to have to soil ones hands by actually testing the code. With such a sullied background, it is no wonder that production code is generally riddled with bugs.
As the authors of this book point out, all of the above are dangerous conditions. With the expansion of code reuse and RAD tools, the development of the initial iteration is going to be done at a faster pace than before. Since the number of pathways through the code is operationally infinite, the only way relatively bug-free code will be developed is by allocating more resources to testing and making the choice and tracking of test cases a more scientific endeavor. The most significant point of the ten made in this book is that the testing process should be considered on an equal basis with that of development so that both groups communicate as equals. Without that, all the fancy, efficient tools in the world are reduced to the level of mere toys.
This is a book that can and should be read by developers, managers and yes, even testers, as all will benefit from the simple words of wisdom.