Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

Did the system we are building pass the test? Wrong question. Let’s consider the purpose of testing.

We have been testing the system we are building. The first question is almost always, “Did the system pass the test?” Wrong question. What these anxious folks want to know is, “Will the system do what we want it to do?” That is a much better question, and all the testing we are doing is aimed at answering that better question.

Was the test a success? That is another form of the wrong question. Tests provide information we can use. A successful test provides information we can use. An unsuccessful test provides information, but that information isn’t useful.

For example, “The test showed that the system is blue!” Well, I wanted to know how much the system weighs. Knowing the color isn’t useful information.

A similar example, “The test showed that the system weighs ten pounds!” Well, I wanted to know what color the system is. Knowing the weight isn’t useful information.

What do we want to know? Design a test that provides that information, that answers my question.

Let’s ask the right questions and provide useful information. We can do this.