Imaginary Testing

Posted by Ben Simo

Ever thought of a test that you haven't executed? Ever wonder if it might be valuable to add a use case, test case, or test charter? Ever feel like you spend more time talking about how to solve problems than it would take to try some of the proposed solutions?

I've been involved in discussions about software bugs that take more time than it would take to fix and retest. I understand that it is important to consider the risks associated with a bug and any proposed solutions. However, some times we just need to do it.

I've been in test planning meetings that take more time than it would take to execute the proposed tests. I've also wasted time performing unnecessary tests. The problem is that the usefulness of a test is usually not known until we have the results from that test.

When it makes sense, stop hypothesizing and start testing.

Imaginary testing is unreliable.