In testing, I have changed my mind about … most things

Another great topic, that makes you really think about how you’ve changed over time.

Pretty much everything I ever believed about testing has changed over time. I’m a better tester (and person) as a result. Let’s have a look at some clickbait soundbites, which could be whole posts in their own right. Before a deeper dive into what brought about changes.

Former testing beliefs

Testers are gate keepers
Testing happens at the end
A testers job is to find bugs
Automate through the UI
Record and playback tools suck (yet to revisit)
- I’m curious about how newer tools perform
I don’t want to be in management
- Followed by a stint in management where I learned a lot
Lots of test documentation is needed
- Balance needed here. But I love mind maps and other handy-dandy diagrams
Testing courses are expensive and tied to certificates
- Tonnes of free and affordable training is available
ISTQB are the supreme authority on testing
- Have since tempered that with experience and different schools of thought

What led to these changes?

When I reflect on my career so far, there are key points where my views changed.

Being part of a Community

Internal (organisations) and External (online)

Similar people, in different places.
Loads of knowledge shared
Different ideas and view points
Better ways of doing things

Initially I found MoT, I joined and observed for a long time. It’s not until recently that I’ve become more active. That’s the great thing about communities. There are many ways to “be a part” of a community. I’ve covered it in more depth recently at the MOT club, which deserves its own blog post.

Writing

I’ve written and spoken about this before so, I won’t go into great detail. But in short, writing publicly is great, for new ideas and collaborating with people.

People management

When I started managing people, I was out of my comfort zone. I was in a position without the skills I needed. Something I wrote about in my chapter ‘What is my role?’ in Testing Stories.

Reflecting on who we really are as people is hard (…) I looked at things like Myers-Briggs and StrengthsFinders. I personally found these frameworks useful.

I looked for other ideas and perspectives, to help me figure out my values and some helpful techniques. Finding ideas like modern testing and servant leadership resonate, and influence my approach.