Developers can’t test and other lies
Developers can’t test, testers just break code and don’t even use tools in their testing! After all Testers are just failed Developers, right?
OK these are maybe some of the more extreme myths about software testing, and I bet you have heard some hum-dinners in your time.
I like to think, we can all benefit from learning more about testing and assessing quality, I know I still have loads more to learn. And while I’ve cross-posted some of my blogs onto Developer focused communities, now I’m going a step further and creating a series I’m calling Testing for Developers.
The premise
- Bring together people from Tester and Developer communities
- Bust some myths and misconceptions about testing and quality
- Collaborate with Developers to learn and share more about Testing
- Create an accessible resource that anyone can use to learn more about Testing
How it will work
- I will collaborate with Developers and Testers to map out ideas and produce content
- We will write blogs, record Rackets and maybe record YouTube videos
- Work created as part of the series will link back here
- Where work is created with others, it will primarily or additionally be posted and there accounts, and will be linked to or reproduced here
- Credit will always be given to all contributors for work done together, wherever it’s published
Topics
A short list, and longer mind-map, of initial thoughts for topics. Please feel free to contribute more!
- Myths about Testing
- Skills overlap between Testers and Developers
- Working together to assess quality
- Building successful Dev/Test relationships
- Metrics and how they can help or hinder
Follow along
This is work in progress, I will eventually make a permanent link and ways to follow along on social media.
For now, you can link back here: https://www.dowen.me.uk/posts/testing-for-developers/
Get involved
Want to add to the series, help out with ideas or co-author some work? Get in touch!
You can find me ben@dowen.me.uk, @FullSnackTester on Twitter or dowenb on LinkedIn.
Articles
The skills that Testers and Developers share
Bob Salmon writes:
The idea that programmers and testers are different kinds of people with different kinds of skills is sometimes helpful, but not always. It can help to match people to jobs or show where people have different strengths. But it can also lead to tribalism – you’re different from me so you’re worse than me. In this article I’ll go into a few areas where I think programmers use skills in their normal day-to-day activities that overlap with the skills that testers often use in theirs. I hope that this helps to break down unhelpful barriers between the groups, and improves mutual appreciation for the skills others have.
This was inspired by a conversation with Ben Dowen, who is a tester and active member of the wider testing community. He was looking for a tame developer to work with on some blogging, I volunteered, and this is a result of the conversation that followed. It’s part of a bigger project he’s running, that’s trying to help bring developers and testers closer together.
Read the full article on Bob’s blog:
https://randomtechthoughts.blog/2021/11/09/the-skills-that-developers-and-testers-share/