The word «testing» conjures up images of people manually entering values and clicking on buttons according to a script. The implicit low value of the word contaminates the perception of the activity: testing is donkey work that can be easily off-shored, it is cheap and so should testers.
In a previous post, I offered the following definition for testing: a strategic business project which seeks to confirm the alignment of systems with stakeholders’ expectations for an optimum initial cost in a manner that can sustained or, even better, improved over time.
Focusing on the execution part of the process is a tragic mistake.
What other professions are so poor at selling themselves?
Imagine a world where every profession adopted the same literal approach to naming themselves.
| Instead of | We would have |
| Finance | Spreadsheeting |
| Marketing | Fonts Obsessing |
| IT | Cabling |
| Procurement | Purchase Order Processing |
| Human resources | Hiring & Firing |
| Security | Fear Mongering |
| Sales | Contract Signing |
| Communication | Branding & Blanding |
Do we use the names in the right column (on a regular basis as opposed to from time to time in fits of rage)?
No, we don’t.
Testing is an engineering process.
What is the desired output of this process?
Quality.
Let’s call it quality engineering then.
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