June 29, 2012
Dear Everyone:
I’m beginning to find my footing with this
software application that I’m supposed to be “testing”.
Actually, as far as I’ve been able to determine, it’s the
Programmers who will be doing the “testing”.
In my humble opinion (IMHO), that’s a classic recipe for
disaster.
You see, “testing” consists of following a
“script” with very clearly defined steps.
Something like this:
Do Step One.
Did the system do what it was supposed to do?
If “yes”, mark it “Pass”; if “no”, mark it “Fail”.
Did Step One Pass?
If yes, go to Step Two.
Otherwise, the test is over.
In my experience, Programmers are loath to follow
directions. If Step One
fails, the first thing they do is start looking for a “workaround”.
Never mind that the purpose of the “test” is to confirm that the
system does, indeed, what it’s supposed to do.
They just can’t help wanting to “fix the problem”.
They tend to be “goal oriented” and, for them, the “goal” is to
finish the test.
So last Monday, we had an all-day “meeting”
(meaning, the people “in” the meeting are actually in different
buildings, cities and states) to “test the Test Scripts”.
Actually going through each Test Script to confirm that the
system was, indeed, doing what it was supposed to be doing.
As soon as the system did
something else, instead of “failing” the test, they started chasing
after a “workaround”, so we could continue with the test.
(That “whooshing” sound you just heard was one of
the Programmers dashing down a
Rabbit Hole, chasing after some
insignificant, but easy-for-them, tangent.)
Needless to say, we didn’t finish the Test
Scripts on Monday. So
another meeting was scheduled on Tuesday, to continue.
(Programmer:
“Let’s click on that and see what happens.
Global Thermonuclear War.
OK, that’s not right.”
Sounds of scribbling and muted laughter.)
And another meeting on Wednesday to continue,
etcetera.
Mind you, the whole project is heading full tilt
towards “production”, meaning real people actually using the system to
do real work. Not unlike
being in a major automobile race, screaming towards the finish line at
150+ miles per hour, while still designing the engine.
And “Ludmilla” kept reminding them that “phase 3”
begins for her next week.
Which means she won’t be around to handle the testing for the current
“phase 2”, something she’s been telling them for over a month.
They finally heard her on Wednesday.
“Does that mean you won’t be running the tests
anymore?”
“That’s right.”
Suddenly the Programmers, who have been happily
squirreling around, find themselves facing starting their
Christmas
shopping (figuratively speaking) on December 24th.
Collective Gulp!!!
In all fairness to the Programmers, much of the
processes, forms, workflows, and so on that they’ve been doing all these
months is based on a form and supporting process that have been in use
in the Company for over a century.
(Not kidding.) Then
the Powers That Be decided to “improve” said process and form, a fact
that only came to light a few weeks ago.
Resulting in much scrambling and recalculating “Who’s On First?”
The technical term for this is “Oopsy-%&#*-Doodle!!!”
This, of course, should have been caught by the
“BA”. “BA” stands for
“Business Analyst”. That’s
the person who is supposed to get together with the “business” and
figure out what they need, and/or want, and “translate” it into
terminology that the Programmers can understand.
“BA” can also stand for “blind assumptions”, something of which
many Business Analysts, and Programmers, can be found guilty.
Meanwhile, I’m at least getting some idea of how
to get from Point A to Point B in the system.
That’s always useful to know.
Especially when the Test says that you’re
supposed to be in Point C at the time.
Love, as always,
Pete
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