STAREAST 2008 - Software Testing Conference

As software testers, we are regularly asked how long it will take to test a system. Unfortunately, we rarely have the tools to produce an accurate estimate. Tonnvane Wiswell introduces methods for producing better estimates-best guess, experienced person's best guess, and ways to use past data as a baseline--and the advantages and disadvantages of each. She discusses adaptable formulas that incorporate "buffer time" and risk factors.

As Microsoft’s only dual-role security and reliability architect, James Whittaker is often asked to brief company executives on product quality disasters and recommend remedies. With billion dollar warranty write-offs at stake, such counsel is often sought, but the answers those executives receive are rarely what they expect. James tells them that the ecosystem is sick.

One of the things testers often notice about Extreme Programming (XP) is that there is no defined role for testers on the team. Yet XP teams describe themselves as "test infected." They practice Test-Driven Development (TDD), writing executable unit tests before writing the code to be tested. Many teams practice Acceptance Test-Driven Development (ATDD), writing executable acceptance tests before implementing a feature. They use continuous integration to give them rapid feedback about the effects of changes.

You work in an organization with incredibly smart and diligent software engineers. Deadlines are tight and everyone is busy. But when developers outnumber testers by ten to one and the code base is growing exponentially, how do you continue to produce a quality product on time? Google addressed these problems by creating the Testing Grouplet-a group of volunteer engineers who dedicate their spare time to testing evangelism. They tried various ideas for reaching their audience. Weekly beer bashes were fun but too inefficient.