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 […]
Entries Tagged as 'Testing'
Passing the System Test
November 14th, 2024 · No Comments
Tags: General Systems Thinking · Information · Learning · Questions · Systems · Testing
Large Language Models and Adults
February 1st, 2024 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips Large Language Models appear to have all sorts of problems. I wonder why companies that build such don’t hire adults to help build them. I recently learned that large language models (LLMs) have “sleeper agents” in them. Given some inputs, the LLM starts doing crazy things that it shouldn’t do. Gosh. LLMs […]
Tags: Adults · Artificial Intelligence · Computing · Concepts · Engineering · General Systems Thinking · Testing
Two Essentials for Employees
November 20th, 2023 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips There are two essentials for an employee. Given the job market, it appears that the great majority of employers don’t understand these essentials. I have been on both sides of the hiring and being hired world. I find two and only two essentials: Okay, that’s it. Next? The trouble is, it is […]
Tags: Ethics · Jobs · Judgment · Multitasking · Remote Work · Testing · Work
Flexibility and a Foundation of Fundamentals
August 7th, 2023 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips To be flexible enough to do new things, I often need a foundation of fundamentals in place first. If I am standing on shifting sand, I have to be flexible to adjust my stance and upper body so I don’t fall. Flexibility is required just to stay in place. If I am […]
Tags: Agility · Experiment · General Systems Thinking · Knowledge · Testing
The Stupid Hunters (still hunting down stupid everywhere)
May 8th, 2023 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips Aha! I was sort of right. Now companies have teams of folks hunting down stupid in their systems to keep the world safe from stupid. Way back in 2015, I wrote a blog post about being a stupid hunter. This is not a hunter who is stupid, but a hunter whose job […]
Tags: Analysis · Artificial Intelligence · Competence · Stupid · Systems · Technology · Testing · Visibility · Work
First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage, …
February 20th, 2023 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips Events occur in a set order, unless they don’t. Thought is encouraged. The title is from a nursery rhyme (origin unknown by me). The third event is a baby in a baby carriage. Events occur in a set order. Breakfast-lunch-dinner. Entree then desert. Eat breakfast, then brush your teeth (or is that […]
Tags: Design · Learning · Rest · Systems · Testing · Thinking · Work
Verification and Validation
December 15th, 2022 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips This is yet another fundamental to providing systems that delight users. Have we validated that we verified before vacation? Or is it the other way around? There was a time when verification and validation were so commonly used that we called it “V&V.” Then we wanted independent persons to perform V&V so […]
Tags: Customer · General Systems Thinking · Requirements · Systems · Testing · User
Friendly Testers
November 17th, 2022 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips It may be a good idea to have your friends test your system. Who should test your system? Who should tell you what they think about your idea? Who should read the manuscript of your novel? Friends or a “friendly audience” may be the answer to these and related questions. Consider the […]
Tags: Authentic · Honesty · Information · Learning · Testing
What will This Tell Us?
September 29th, 2022 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips Most tasks provide us with something and information. Often the information is more important than the something. Often the information is something we already know. If that is the case, skip the task. Testing is a task that provides information. Well let’s back up: a good test provides information we can use. […]
Tags: Communication · Design · Information · Learning · Process · Testing
Shortcuts (I Hope Nothing Terrible Happens)
June 27th, 2022 · No Comments
by Dwayne Phillips Recent fueling tests at NASA once again show us the peril of shortcuts. NASA recently completed a fueling test for its Space Launch System. Good for them. Test completed. The story in the link is a good one as it describes several things that went wrong while fueling. One of the problems […]