his recent post on kids (his son) every bit the best testers. I must confess that was how I got the thought for this post. Thanks Chris for giving me a topic to write something on. Although I receive got read earlier on quite a few occasions on similar topics (using kids every bit software testers) this fourth dimension I decided to attempt in addition to brainstorm on this in addition to run across what comes out!
Coming dorsum to Chris’s story, I am non sure if I would desire to telephone yell upwards children every bit the “best” testers inwards the world. As a Context-Driven thinker/tester myself, I am piffling shy of the discussion "best"! To me, the Definition of best tin vary depending on the given context. What looks in addition to industrial plant out every bit best for me nether 1 exceptional context MIGHT or MIGHT NOT move every bit the best for mortal else inwards a unlike context! So calling children every bit the “best” testers inwards the populace is something that I experience would move piffling also unsafe to declare. However, children could receive got to a greater extent than or less of the smashing qualities (skills) of a expert tester.
Why I recall kids could move expert testers:
1. Curiosity: One of the things that I break interesting inwards kids (from a tester's betoken of view) is their curiosity for everything that they come upwards across with! You mightiness receive got noticed kids asking “why” to explore virtually novel things. By asking why they present their curiosity to prepare farther noesis of the world. I ofttimes wonder "why" every bit adults nosotros tend to forget to inquire "why" every bit ofttimes every bit nosotros did every bit kids! IMHO, whatsoever expert tester should learn to inquire why because this is 1 such question, which is capable of unearthing a whole lot of information. I break kids to a greater extent than spontaneous in addition to instinctive inwards asking “why” in addition to showing their curiosity for stuffs, thus making them expert candidates for testers!
2. No fearfulness of the unknown: Pass a kid an unknown toy (any unknown object). Chances are smashing that she would surprise yous amongst her curiosity to explore it instead of fearing it. As nosotros grow upwards our fearfulness of the unknown also grows up, which sometimes tin impact our testing inwards an adverse way. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 expert tester should non fearfulness the unknown (new technology, novel domain, novel testing tool, novel evidence squad in addition to so on); rather leaving aside inhibition should become ahead, explore in addition to acquire virtually it.
3. Lack of guilt subsequently breaking something: You must receive got observed that kids seldom feel guilty subsequently they intermission something. It’s their innocence that restricts them from realizing that they should non receive got broken it. This is rattling of import for a tester. If a tester starts feeling guilty for breaking the software (in fact finding out places where the software is broken) her testing volition move inwards jeopardy. It would move similar a doc who fears hurting a patient yesteryear giving injection! The wound due to the injection mightiness move painful, but the doc must empathise that it is temporary in addition to far less lethal than the illness that mightiness risk the life of the patient without the injection!
4. Lack of mutual sense: Having mutual sense mightiness move a expert thing. But at times also much of mutual sense could Pb to expectations in addition to expectations inwards plow mightiness Pb to inattentional blindness. Imagine asking a kid to fill upwards up a user registration bird that contains those typical fields similar First Name, Last Name, Address, Date of Birth, Email Address in addition to so on. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 grown upwards adult has the mutual sense to job exclusively alphabets inwards a Name, to job comma in addition to infinite betwixt Address acre parameters, to job valid Email format (e.g. myname@mail.com), knows a twelvemonth has 12 months in addition to a calendar month tin receive got 28-31 days. But a kid if asked to fill upwards up such a bird mightiness goal upwards entering all kinds of garbage. Thus the kid would move (albeit inadvertently) testing if the application does receive got proper validation inwards house to break in addition to avoid such invalid inputs.
5. Don’t require manuals/documents: You mitt over a kid a novel toy in addition to she would non inquire yous for the User manual to acquire how to operate it. Instead she would snatch it from yous in addition to would offset playing amongst it to figure out how this thing works! How ofttimes practise yous take away heed a tester saying something similar this: “I can’t offset testing without SRS/BRS/FRS/XYZRS”! If it were a kid, instead of expecting base of operations documents to offset testing (as if those requirement documents were written yesteryear god himself in addition to they comprehend every detailed requirement of the customer accurately) she would receive got started exploring (testing) correct away!
6. Don’t require evidence cases: Kids could move far to a greater extent than pedagogy independent than an adult. They don’t require to move told how they should practise sure task. In fact fifty-fifty if they were told to practise something inwards to a greater extent than or less “specific” way, by in addition to large they would deviate from that “specific” means in addition to would attempt to run across other possible ways. This could move a rattling desirable grapheme of a expert tester!
7. Never worry if somebody would recall them every bit idiots: Kids never bother if mortal would recall them every bit idiots if they practise something silly. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 purpose of a tester’s task is to perform all those things that a normal human existence would non desire to practise (hence tin move termed every bit “silly” yesteryear such normal human beings). But mostly these are the “silly” actions that uncover hidden defects inwards the software.
8. Don’t receive got to worry virtually deadlines: Ever asked your kid to complete brushing inwards 10 minutes? Then yous know what I am trying to beak virtually here. Sometimes deadlines of tasks tin impact our productivity inwards an adverse way. But kids could move invincible to the pressure level arising due to such deadlines, thank yous to their god-gifted care-freeness!
9. Ignorance could move bliss: Kids tin move expert examples of this proverb! What yous don't know can't wound you! Sometimes no noesis virtually something could evidence to move a improve thing than having partial (and ofttimes misleading) noesis virtually it. As adults every bit our boundary of noesis grows the risk of their dilution also increases. But inwards instance of kids their lack of noesis could aid them inwards getting rid of whatsoever prejudices/false-assumptions similar an adult tester!
10. Vulnerable to emotional distress: Kids are emotionally to a greater extent than delicate in addition to susceptible to emotional disturbances similar anger, frustration, agony, sorrow etc. Thus they are improve candidates for identifying problems that receive got potential to drive user dissatisfaction. An adult tester mightiness non move able to seat a job amongst the login procedure of an online game site that takes minutes altogether to allow yous in. But kids would move inwards a improve seat to spot such anomalies, thank yous to their sensitiveness to emotional distress (in this instance frustration caused yesteryear a ho-hum login process)!
Why I recall kids could move terrible testers:
1. Inability to seat problems: Kids ofttimes lack the powerfulness to seat problems fifty-fifty subsequently uncovering them. Only triggering problems is non all virtually testing. One needs to seat them. Kids ofttimes lack such skills. As a tester if yous are non able to seat the problem, in addition to so it does non practise whatsoever expert to the testing effort! Even if a tester identifies the job she should move able to reproduce the problem reliably to aid the programmer figure it out. Kids mightiness non move every bit expert every bit a skilled tester inwards this matter.
2. Inability to written report errors: Even if a tester identifies the job if she lacks the powerfulness to report them appropriately, in addition to so it’s every bit expert every bit nothing! Kids mightiness non move the best testers to report errors efficiently.
3. Poor decision-makers: Kids ofttimes lack decision-making abilities. They mightiness lack the wisdom to accept well-judged decisions similar an adult skilled tester.
4. We demand testers; non a demolition army: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 tester’s task is to break places inwards the software where it is broken! Think of a toy in addition to compare it amongst a software (AUT). Given to a kid, chances are to a greater extent than that the kid would break it spell trying to explore it rather than finding if the to a greater extent than or less purpose of the toy was broken at to a greater extent than or less invisible portions during manufacturing! If the same happens inwards a testing projection it mightiness plow out to move a testing nightmare for the evidence manager!
5. Too much of questions could backfire: Questioning science is no dubiousness an essential weapon inwards a tester’s arsenal to dig out problems inwards the AUT. But questioning is a skill. Over doing it mightiness evidence unproductive. Asking the correct questions at the correct fourth dimension is something that differentiates a skilled tester from a novice. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 kid mightiness lack such skill.
6. Enough Testing, slowdown cowboy: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 kid mightiness non realize where to halt testing! Knowing when to halt testing is every bit much of import inwards testing every bit knowing when to offset testing. But inwards instance of kids, they mightiness lack the maturity to empathise it.
7. Might shoot at their ain legs: Being adventurous is a expert thing for a tester. But stepping into traps in addition to danger zones is something a expert tester should e'er attempt to avoid. But inwards instance of kids, they mightiness lack the wisdom to differentiate betwixt correct in addition to wrong!
8. Could ignorance move bliss? Ignorance mightiness move bliss at sure contexts. But ignorance of what yous are doing (testing) could move termed every bit stupidity! If a tester does non realize “why” she is testing something (“what”), in addition to so it makes no betoken inwards the testing attempt made. The same could plow over off amongst kids every bit testers.
9. Too much of emotion could spoil testing: Emotions receive got the powerfulness to aid a seasoned tester to break problems inwards the AUT. But also much of emotion mightiness distract a tester from her work. Testers are similar detectives who perform technical investigation on the Product that they are testing. Imagine a province of affairs where the detective herself is also emotional in addition to breaks downwards upon seeing a disturbingly severed dependent acre on a offense scene! It could evidence disastrous for the success of the offense investigation. Detectives are meant to move strong. As testers nosotros practise human face upwards many situations inwards our professional person career, which tin move termed every bit disturbing in addition to hostile! But a expert tester knows how to proceed her caput cool in addition to faces such situations tactically in addition to negotiates a strategic means out of it. Kids mightiness lack such diplomatic skills.
10. Because they are kids: Yes yous heard it right! They are kids. They lack the maturity of the adults. And expert testing requires a bird of maturity that mightiness move difficult to break inwards a kid! May move mortal was correct when he said - “Testing is no kid’s play”!
Well, hold back a infinitesimal earlier yous offset complaining that this article does non evidence whatsoever point! At 1 hand, I am trying to enjoin that kids mightiness receive got sure traits that are helpful for a software tester. And at the other hand, I am trying to counter my ain declaration yesteryear listing downwards points on how kids mightiness effect inwards horribly bad testers. Then where is the betoken of this post? Well, I would asking yous to expression closely. In this post I receive got tried to seat in addition to explore the possibility of using a pocket-size kid to evidence software. The thought mightiness or mightiness non move [I am yet to experiment it amongst my kid in addition to run across the results subsequently I acquire married :)]. However, it appears that fifty-fifty though kids practise receive got sure desirable qualities of a expert tester, the lack of maturity inwards their thinking powerfulness form of offsets all those goodies! But still, it would move interesting to picket a kid testing something spell an experienced in addition to skilled tester watches from the back. In fact, at that topographic point are people who receive got tried it already in addition to their findings were sure exciting. You tin read to a greater extent than virtually their stories at the goal of this post nether farther reading section. But earlier yous caput for those articles saying goodbye to this post, how virtually taking a span of minutes in addition to sharing your thoughts via commenting!
Happy Testing…
Further Reading:
Are yous smarter than a third grader? - yesteryear Ben Simo
More interesting articles here :Tutorial Software Sumber : http://www.softwaretestingtricks.com/
Coming dorsum to Chris’s story, I am non sure if I would desire to telephone yell upwards children every bit the “best” testers inwards the world. As a Context-Driven thinker/tester myself, I am piffling shy of the discussion "best"! To me, the Definition of best tin vary depending on the given context. What looks in addition to industrial plant out every bit best for me nether 1 exceptional context MIGHT or MIGHT NOT move every bit the best for mortal else inwards a unlike context! So calling children every bit the “best” testers inwards the populace is something that I experience would move piffling also unsafe to declare. However, children could receive got to a greater extent than or less of the smashing qualities (skills) of a expert tester.
Why I recall kids could move expert testers:
1. Curiosity: One of the things that I break interesting inwards kids (from a tester's betoken of view) is their curiosity for everything that they come upwards across with! You mightiness receive got noticed kids asking “why” to explore virtually novel things. By asking why they present their curiosity to prepare farther noesis of the world. I ofttimes wonder "why" every bit adults nosotros tend to forget to inquire "why" every bit ofttimes every bit nosotros did every bit kids! IMHO, whatsoever expert tester should learn to inquire why because this is 1 such question, which is capable of unearthing a whole lot of information. I break kids to a greater extent than spontaneous in addition to instinctive inwards asking “why” in addition to showing their curiosity for stuffs, thus making them expert candidates for testers!
2. No fearfulness of the unknown: Pass a kid an unknown toy (any unknown object). Chances are smashing that she would surprise yous amongst her curiosity to explore it instead of fearing it. As nosotros grow upwards our fearfulness of the unknown also grows up, which sometimes tin impact our testing inwards an adverse way. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 expert tester should non fearfulness the unknown (new technology, novel domain, novel testing tool, novel evidence squad in addition to so on); rather leaving aside inhibition should become ahead, explore in addition to acquire virtually it.
3. Lack of guilt subsequently breaking something: You must receive got observed that kids seldom feel guilty subsequently they intermission something. It’s their innocence that restricts them from realizing that they should non receive got broken it. This is rattling of import for a tester. If a tester starts feeling guilty for breaking the software (in fact finding out places where the software is broken) her testing volition move inwards jeopardy. It would move similar a doc who fears hurting a patient yesteryear giving injection! The wound due to the injection mightiness move painful, but the doc must empathise that it is temporary in addition to far less lethal than the illness that mightiness risk the life of the patient without the injection!
4. Lack of mutual sense: Having mutual sense mightiness move a expert thing. But at times also much of mutual sense could Pb to expectations in addition to expectations inwards plow mightiness Pb to inattentional blindness. Imagine asking a kid to fill upwards up a user registration bird that contains those typical fields similar First Name, Last Name, Address, Date of Birth, Email Address in addition to so on. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 grown upwards adult has the mutual sense to job exclusively alphabets inwards a Name, to job comma in addition to infinite betwixt Address acre parameters, to job valid Email format (e.g. myname@mail.com), knows a twelvemonth has 12 months in addition to a calendar month tin receive got 28-31 days. But a kid if asked to fill upwards up such a bird mightiness goal upwards entering all kinds of garbage. Thus the kid would move (albeit inadvertently) testing if the application does receive got proper validation inwards house to break in addition to avoid such invalid inputs.
5. Don’t require manuals/documents: You mitt over a kid a novel toy in addition to she would non inquire yous for the User manual to acquire how to operate it. Instead she would snatch it from yous in addition to would offset playing amongst it to figure out how this thing works! How ofttimes practise yous take away heed a tester saying something similar this: “I can’t offset testing without SRS/BRS/FRS/XYZRS”! If it were a kid, instead of expecting base of operations documents to offset testing (as if those requirement documents were written yesteryear god himself in addition to they comprehend every detailed requirement of the customer accurately) she would receive got started exploring (testing) correct away!
6. Don’t require evidence cases: Kids could move far to a greater extent than pedagogy independent than an adult. They don’t require to move told how they should practise sure task. In fact fifty-fifty if they were told to practise something inwards to a greater extent than or less “specific” way, by in addition to large they would deviate from that “specific” means in addition to would attempt to run across other possible ways. This could move a rattling desirable grapheme of a expert tester!
7. Never worry if somebody would recall them every bit idiots: Kids never bother if mortal would recall them every bit idiots if they practise something silly. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 purpose of a tester’s task is to perform all those things that a normal human existence would non desire to practise (hence tin move termed every bit “silly” yesteryear such normal human beings). But mostly these are the “silly” actions that uncover hidden defects inwards the software.
8. Don’t receive got to worry virtually deadlines: Ever asked your kid to complete brushing inwards 10 minutes? Then yous know what I am trying to beak virtually here. Sometimes deadlines of tasks tin impact our productivity inwards an adverse way. But kids could move invincible to the pressure level arising due to such deadlines, thank yous to their god-gifted care-freeness!
9. Ignorance could move bliss: Kids tin move expert examples of this proverb! What yous don't know can't wound you! Sometimes no noesis virtually something could evidence to move a improve thing than having partial (and ofttimes misleading) noesis virtually it. As adults every bit our boundary of noesis grows the risk of their dilution also increases. But inwards instance of kids their lack of noesis could aid them inwards getting rid of whatsoever prejudices/false-assumptions similar an adult tester!
10. Vulnerable to emotional distress: Kids are emotionally to a greater extent than delicate in addition to susceptible to emotional disturbances similar anger, frustration, agony, sorrow etc. Thus they are improve candidates for identifying problems that receive got potential to drive user dissatisfaction. An adult tester mightiness non move able to seat a job amongst the login procedure of an online game site that takes minutes altogether to allow yous in. But kids would move inwards a improve seat to spot such anomalies, thank yous to their sensitiveness to emotional distress (in this instance frustration caused yesteryear a ho-hum login process)!
Why I recall kids could move terrible testers:
1. Inability to seat problems: Kids ofttimes lack the powerfulness to seat problems fifty-fifty subsequently uncovering them. Only triggering problems is non all virtually testing. One needs to seat them. Kids ofttimes lack such skills. As a tester if yous are non able to seat the problem, in addition to so it does non practise whatsoever expert to the testing effort! Even if a tester identifies the job she should move able to reproduce the problem reliably to aid the programmer figure it out. Kids mightiness non move every bit expert every bit a skilled tester inwards this matter.
2. Inability to written report errors: Even if a tester identifies the job if she lacks the powerfulness to report them appropriately, in addition to so it’s every bit expert every bit nothing! Kids mightiness non move the best testers to report errors efficiently.
3. Poor decision-makers: Kids ofttimes lack decision-making abilities. They mightiness lack the wisdom to accept well-judged decisions similar an adult skilled tester.
4. We demand testers; non a demolition army: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 tester’s task is to break places inwards the software where it is broken! Think of a toy in addition to compare it amongst a software (AUT). Given to a kid, chances are to a greater extent than that the kid would break it spell trying to explore it rather than finding if the to a greater extent than or less purpose of the toy was broken at to a greater extent than or less invisible portions during manufacturing! If the same happens inwards a testing projection it mightiness plow out to move a testing nightmare for the evidence manager!
5. Too much of questions could backfire: Questioning science is no dubiousness an essential weapon inwards a tester’s arsenal to dig out problems inwards the AUT. But questioning is a skill. Over doing it mightiness evidence unproductive. Asking the correct questions at the correct fourth dimension is something that differentiates a skilled tester from a novice. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 kid mightiness lack such skill.
6. Enough Testing, slowdown cowboy: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 kid mightiness non realize where to halt testing! Knowing when to halt testing is every bit much of import inwards testing every bit knowing when to offset testing. But inwards instance of kids, they mightiness lack the maturity to empathise it.
7. Might shoot at their ain legs: Being adventurous is a expert thing for a tester. But stepping into traps in addition to danger zones is something a expert tester should e'er attempt to avoid. But inwards instance of kids, they mightiness lack the wisdom to differentiate betwixt correct in addition to wrong!
8. Could ignorance move bliss? Ignorance mightiness move bliss at sure contexts. But ignorance of what yous are doing (testing) could move termed every bit stupidity! If a tester does non realize “why” she is testing something (“what”), in addition to so it makes no betoken inwards the testing attempt made. The same could plow over off amongst kids every bit testers.
9. Too much of emotion could spoil testing: Emotions receive got the powerfulness to aid a seasoned tester to break problems inwards the AUT. But also much of emotion mightiness distract a tester from her work. Testers are similar detectives who perform technical investigation on the Product that they are testing. Imagine a province of affairs where the detective herself is also emotional in addition to breaks downwards upon seeing a disturbingly severed dependent acre on a offense scene! It could evidence disastrous for the success of the offense investigation. Detectives are meant to move strong. As testers nosotros practise human face upwards many situations inwards our professional person career, which tin move termed every bit disturbing in addition to hostile! But a expert tester knows how to proceed her caput cool in addition to faces such situations tactically in addition to negotiates a strategic means out of it. Kids mightiness lack such diplomatic skills.
10. Because they are kids: Yes yous heard it right! They are kids. They lack the maturity of the adults. And expert testing requires a bird of maturity that mightiness move difficult to break inwards a kid! May move mortal was correct when he said - “Testing is no kid’s play”!
Well, hold back a infinitesimal earlier yous offset complaining that this article does non evidence whatsoever point! At 1 hand, I am trying to enjoin that kids mightiness receive got sure traits that are helpful for a software tester. And at the other hand, I am trying to counter my ain declaration yesteryear listing downwards points on how kids mightiness effect inwards horribly bad testers. Then where is the betoken of this post? Well, I would asking yous to expression closely. In this post I receive got tried to seat in addition to explore the possibility of using a pocket-size kid to evidence software. The thought mightiness or mightiness non move [I am yet to experiment it amongst my kid in addition to run across the results subsequently I acquire married :)]. However, it appears that fifty-fifty though kids practise receive got sure desirable qualities of a expert tester, the lack of maturity inwards their thinking powerfulness form of offsets all those goodies! But still, it would move interesting to picket a kid testing something spell an experienced in addition to skilled tester watches from the back. In fact, at that topographic point are people who receive got tried it already in addition to their findings were sure exciting. You tin read to a greater extent than virtually their stories at the goal of this post nether farther reading section. But earlier yous caput for those articles saying goodbye to this post, how virtually taking a span of minutes in addition to sharing your thoughts via commenting!
Happy Testing…
Further Reading:
Are yous smarter than a third grader? - yesteryear Ben Simo