by Peter Arrenbrecht This article was adapted from a Google Testing on the Toilet (TotT) episode. You can download a printer-friendly version of this TotT episode and post it in your office.
We are all conditioned to write tests we no longer question why we write them Tests are a means to an end: reduce the key risks get the biggest bang for the buck
“We built a new debugging aid. We wrote unit, integration, and UI tests. We were ready to launch.” Missing the mark. We stopped the launch.
“We wanted to turn down a feature, so we needed to alert affected users. Again we had unit and integration tests, and even one expensive end-to-end test.” Wasted effort.
A Better Approach: Risks First
think about testing Do this at the start Write them down standard practice remains a good idea in most cases Just remember The bang is what counts maximize it
The term "cheapest effective test" is a great choice of words -- a great reminder for both manual and automation testers to communicate effectively especially in the test planning phase! Test planning should to take into account the for the "bang for the buck" and "return on investment" for manual and automated testing effort from the get go.
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