Comparison of Change Management Systems

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Software Testing
Confrontation of
developers and testers
basic
intermediate
advanced
About the authors:
Andrey Konushin -
Expert in software testing
and quality assurance.
ISTQB Certified Tester,
Advanced Level.
Master of techniques
and technologies in
informatics and computer engineering,
Vladimir State University, Russia.
His main research interests include
information management and system
analysis both in software testing and
related fields.
Quality assurance expert and test
manager at software development
companies with big experience in tens of
projects. CEO of “Knowledge Department
Russia” – a coaching and consulting
company, offering its services worldwide.
Since 2006 senior lecturer at Information
Systems & Information Management
chair of Vladimir State University.
Andrey developed and implemented the
“Software testing foundations” course
for the University based on ISTQB
Foundation Level Syllabus.
One of the founders of the Russian
Software Testing Qualifications Board.
Since 2006 he is the President of the
RSTQB.
Marina Lager - 24 years
old.
Specialist in software
testing. Degreed specialist
in informatics and
computer engineering,
Vladimir State University,
Russia.
Since 2007: Software test engineer at
Inreco LAN, a software development
company (http://inrecolan.com).
Since 2010: Acting Test Lead of Inreco
LAN
Her main research interests include
project management and communication
between team members in software
development.
In the software development process
different professionals are involved:
managers, analysts, developer and
testers. But they are primarily people who
communicate among themselves, who
have formed a definite relation to each
other, and who have work on a common
project from day to day. But sometimes
their attitude is much like confrontation.
So, in order...
Developer (or programmer) - a software
development specialist. Usually, the
word "programmer" means person who
specializes in writing the source code
following the desired specifications.
Tester - a specialist, professional
responsibilities of whom is to detect,
localize, describe and track errors in the
software. Thus, the task of the tester - a
search of defects (bugs), which developers
had made.
But is there a real need of testers, when
developers can check their work?
The most known and popular testing
certification scheme – ISTQB (International
Software Testing Qualifications Board) –
defines the following: “A way of thinking,
needed in the process of testing or review,
differs from the ways of thinking needed
Author: Marina Lager and Andrey Konushin
for programming and analysis. With the
right thinking, the developers can test their
own code. But division of responsibilities is
usually done in order to help focus different
efforts and provide additional benefits,
such as an independent opinion of the
trained professionals in the testing.”
Definition of independent testing is given
in the ISTQB glossary: “Independence of
testing is separation of responsibilities,
which encourages the accomplishment of
objective testing.”
It also defines several levels of
independence:
• Tests are designed by the person
who wrote the program (a low level of
independence).
• Tests are designed by another person
(for example, from the development
team).
• Tests are designed by person from
another organizational group (e.g., an
independent team of testers).
• Tests are designed by person from
another organization or company (e.g.,
outsourcing or certification by another
company).
The last two levels of independence are
more effective than the first. Finding of
program crashes during testing may be
perceived as criticism of the product or
author. Therefore, testing is often seen
as a destructive activity, even if it is
constructive in terms of risk management.
As a consequence, sometimes
programmers and testers are, to put it
mildly, not friendly.
For example, the programmer has
implemented its mission and went to
home happy. But next morning he finds
many error reports in his implementation,
which had taken much time and effort.
Few of us want to admit their mistakes.
Sometimes programmers generally think