Big "T" Truths

Disclaimer: Much of this thinking should be credited to Mike Duskis, the folks of the Software Quality Association of Denver, James Bach, Michael Bolton, and others who have helped me on my way. No insult is intended by omission.

The concept of this page, and its format, are both heavily inspired by Lessons Learned in Software Testing and I’ve pulled in the lessons that have helped me most.

  • Exploration changes the explorer. -James Bach, RSTA (January 2020)

  • As the tester, you are not entitled to an opinion about the product. You have to do the work to build one.

  • My mental model of the product under test is my most valuable tool as a software tester.

  • My ability to update my mental model is my most valuable skill as a software tester.

  • The Main Maxim: what you don’t know may not hurt you but what you don’t remember always does. -Gerald Weinberg, The Secrets of Consulting

  • Feelings are valuable information. -Lessons Learned in Software Testing, #42

  • Challenging assumptions is inherently good. -Lessons Learned in Software Testing, #7

  • Mastery does not imply know-it-all; it implies ask-it-all.

  • You won’t ever get credit for the bugs you catch, and people will notice the ones that you don’t.

  • Software testing work isn’t easy, and it’s not the place for easy.

  • “If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking.” -Murakami (pulled from here)

  • If you are convinced you know the product already, you won’t be a good student of it.

  • Folks exhibiting mastery are reinventing constantly.

  • By treating certain users within your ecosystem as second class citizens, you ensure those users will behave like second class citizens.

  • Computers can only do what we tell them to do. -Lessons Learned in Software Testing, #77

  • There is only one way to make 100% sure that your software “works”: it’s been in production for months and you haven’t heard any complaints from end users.