Test Guide
Making the invisible visible since 1987
Problem Solving Heuristic #1142: Spin
I find that this Problem Solving Heuristic works when nothing else does. Situate yourself such that...
Author: humbugreality Date: 02/13/2008
Problem Solving Heuristic #1128: How Interesting
Have you ever reacted to something you noticed by saying "Bizarre!" or "Weird!" or "How strange"?...
Author: humbugreality Date: 02/06/2008
Campy Bear Heuristics
Here's a puzzle for you: I am out camping. One day I mark my spot and then walk one mile due south,...
Author: humbugreality Date: 01/30/2008
CASTing For Participants And Papers
If you are looking to attend a testing conference this year, consider CAST 2008. CAST is not your...
Author: humbugreality Date: 01/25/2008
Zoning For The Holarctic Region
Last week I asked you to see how many different interpretations of this sign you could devise. After...
Author: humbugreality Date: 01/23/2008
Two Hour Parking
Signs such as this one are a common sight in Seattle's residential neighborhoods. I imagine the...
Author: humbugreality Date: 01/16/2008
Check It Out
Recently I heard a tester venting about their developer. It seems this developer routinely complains...
Author: humbugreality Date: 01/09/2008
Developers Develop And Testers Test; What Else Is There To Know?
New Year's Day is traditionally the time when people sit down and examine their life and vow to make...
Author: humbugreality Date: 01/01/2008
I Want A BVT Blocking Bug For The Holidays
[To John Rox's "I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas", which has long been my favorite holiday song,...
Author: humbugreality Date: 12/26/2007
Klutzes, Savants, And Mediums (Oh My)
Recently I overheard a developer describing how his wife constantly interrupts him when he is...
Author: humbugreality Date: 12/19/2007
Contracted Conversations
A colleague: "I don't understand it. I lived with my wife for eight years before we were married and...
Author: humbugreality Date: 12/05/2007
Call Stack
Author: humbugreality Date: 11/28/2007
A Tester's Rejoinder
[To the tune of Van Halen's Finish What Ya Started]Come on Barry finish what ya startedInto your...
Author: humbugreality Date: 11/22/2007
A Developer's Demands
[To the tune of Wang Chung's Let's Go]This is my applicationIt is perfect in every wayAll that is...
Author: humbugreality Date: 11/21/2007
I Don't Think That's Exactly What They Meant, Exactly
A hotel I was in recently had a toilet:I found that sign over the toilet rather interesting:Um, I...
Author: humbugreality Date: 11/20/2007
AYE - Amenities
The conference hotel was one of those every-room-is-a-suite places. I found having an extra room...
Author: humbugreality Date: 11/19/2007
AYE - Friday
Friday I recuperated from the week of brain stuffing, intellectual and emotional stimulation, and...
Author: humbugreality Date: 11/19/2007
AYE - Thursday
Thursday was SHAPE Day, a gathering of those conference attendees who are also members of Jerry...
Author: humbugreality Date: 11/19/2007
AYE - Wednesday
Wednesday morning I took part in a writing workshop by Johanna Rothman and Naomi Karten, each...
Author: humbugreality Date: 11/19/2007
AYE - Tuesday
Tuesday morning I took Naomi Karten's Building Connections That Amplify Your Effectiveness. I...
Author: humbugreality Date: 11/19/2007
AYE - Monday
Monday morning I attended Steve Smith's workshop on Virgina Satir's Change Model. The short form of...
Author: humbugreality Date: 11/19/2007
AYE? Aye!
I spent the previous two weeks in sunny Arizona. Last week I hiked around Sedona. The week before...
Author: humbugreality Date: 11/19/2007
The Test Laboratory
[To the tune of Barry Manilow's "Copacabana"] His name is Bobby, he is a testerHe finds bugs that...
Author: humbugreality Date: 11/07/2007
Doctors Are Testers Too
Jerome Groopman's book How Doctors Think is about doctors and how they think. It is also about...
Author: humbugreality Date: 10/31/2007
Rampant Reactions
Recently I read Eugene Kennedy's On Becoming A Counselor, and currently I am immersed in Jerome...
Author: humbugreality Date: 10/24/2007
Tester Central
I am excited to announce that as of now MSDN has a Tester Center! Here you will find articles,...
Author: humbugreality Date: 10/22/2007
A Tester's Translation Table
It seems to me that lots of people are experiencing lots of confusion regarding what lots of the...
Author: humbugreality Date: 10/17/2007
Tricky Trojans
Wayne writes seeking suggestions for dealing with simulacra of complex and complicated interfaces....
Author: humbugreality Date: 10/10/2007
Missing States
Every tester forms a model of each application they test. Sometimes this model is explicit, such as...
Author: humbugreality Date: 09/19/2007
My Test
[To the tune of Elton John's "Your Song"]It's a little bit funny, this feeling insideNot knowing...
Author: humbugreality Date: 09/12/2007
If I Understand You Correctly
Recently my wife and I were discussing the book I was reading. She had already read it and asked me...
Author: humbugreality Date: 08/29/2007
Testing Ideals
I have been thinking about what an ideal software development process might look like: The product...
Author: humbugreality Date: 08/22/2007
Planning Does Not Necessarily Make Perfect
For the past several months I have been testing setup for my application. Actually, that's not true...
Author: humbugreality Date: 08/15/2007
Testing In The Wild
Recently I read Edward Hutchins's Cognition In The Wild. Edward researches human cognition. Rather...
Author: humbugreality Date: 08/08/2007
Quantum Testing
Once upon a time, I thought testing was about finding bugs. Once upon a time, I thought I should be...
Author: humbugreality Date: 08/01/2007
The Path Not Taken
Part of my route from the bus to my office goes across a chunk of undeveloped land. This is my...
Author: humbugreality Date: 07/25/2007
Headlines
In the current issue of Better Software, Michael Bolton writes about risk-based testing. Thinking...
Author: humbugreality Date: 07/18/2007
Business BASIC(s)
Some years back a store near me started having a going-out-of-business sale. Six months later it was...
Author: humbugreality Date: 06/26/2007
The Answer Will Hit You Like A Ton Of Bricks
Question: Would you rather be hit by a ton of feathers or by a ton of bricks?Most people answer "A...
Author: humbugreality Date: 06/20/2007
Testing Estimation
Sonal asks:Could you discuss on estimating testing for a manual/automation project? How long to...
Author: humbugreality Date: 06/13/2007
Tester Dragon
Rather than spending hours crafting a post this week, I decided to spend hours crafting a cartoon...
Author: humbugreality Date: 06/06/2007
Tester Quiz
A short post today because I am pushing all the work over to you! <g/> How many answers to...
Author: humbugreality Date: 05/30/2007
Hunter Hunted
If you follow my DDJ blog you know I have been interviewing people about testing. Some time back I...
Author: humbugreality Date: 05/21/2007
YAPTTAT
I was planning a post filled with griping about people expecting testers to robot down lists of test...
Author: humbugreality Date: 05/16/2007
Riffing On Testers
Recently I heard of a company who is downsizing their test department because their developers are...
Author: humbugreality Date: 05/09/2007
Tatoo Detective
When a Microsoftie moves to a different group we typically take one of our machines with us. I opted...
Author: humbugreality Date: 05/07/2007