riley adams

by Tim Riley

1. If you are going to run a test more than 3 times, think hard about automating it. The time saved is more than worth the front-end investment.

2. Test the riskiest, most changed, and most complex areas first, since they are most critical. These may be tests #10, #35 and #99. But if you start at test #1 and methodically work you way towards test #100 you may never get to #35 and most likely not #99.

3. Always take time to think through the testing before jumping in. This is the “Ready”part of Ready, Aim, Fire. Many testers jump straight to “Fire” and don’t know what they are shooting at. This includes talking to the developer, talking through the testing with others, and writing down a plan and asking for feedback. This provides a way to see if you achieved what you originally planned and gives you something to build on in the future.

4. Have the tests ready _before_ the feature is done, or at least very soon after. Testing a week after a feature is done is a hundred times better then testing it a month later. And a thousand time better then testing is 6 months later.

5. Get to know your developers. Not just to show them your test plan and send them bug reports. Go to lunch with them. Walk to meetings with them. Make sure you know what they are working on and what their plans are. And make sure they know what you are working on and what your plans are. By having a richer working relationship, they will remember to include you when new features come alone, requirements change, and plans are updated. And they will eagerly help you out when developing test cases!