Comments on: Why developers don’t find defects http://www.testingthefuture.net/2010/01/why-developers-don%e2%80%99t-find-defects/ Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:10:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Dave Nicolette http://www.testingthefuture.net/2010/01/why-developers-don%e2%80%99t-find-defects/comment-page-1/#comment-741 Dave Nicolette Sun, 31 Jan 2010 15:57:28 +0000 http://www.testingthefuture.net/?p=867#comment-741 Good points, clearly expressed. I sometimes express the difference in mindset between developers and testers this way: Developers want to prove their code works, and testers are looking for ways the code might break (including ways the code doesn't satisfy users, even if it is functional). Not meaning to get on anyone's bad side, I have to say I don't think it is a big leap for a developer to switch gears and look for weaknesses in his/her code. The fact there is a need for testing specialists may be a "smell" suggesting possible areas of improvement for software developers' skill sets (or mindsets, as the case may be). The two "professions" of developer and tester should merge into one, IMHO. Good points, clearly expressed.

I sometimes express the difference in mindset between developers and testers this way: Developers want to prove their code works, and testers are looking for ways the code might break (including ways the code doesn’t satisfy users, even if it is functional).

Not meaning to get on anyone’s bad side, I have to say I don’t think it is a big leap for a developer to switch gears and look for weaknesses in his/her code. The fact there is a need for testing specialists may be a “smell” suggesting possible areas of improvement for software developers’ skill sets (or mindsets, as the case may be). The two “professions” of developer and tester should merge into one, IMHO.

]]> By: William Echlin http://www.testingthefuture.net/2010/01/why-developers-don%e2%80%99t-find-defects/comment-page-1/#comment-737 William Echlin Tue, 19 Jan 2010 14:36:06 +0000 http://www.testingthefuture.net/?p=867#comment-737 Fascinating. I think a lot is made about the differences between the mindset of the software tester and the software developer. We're all human beings though and I know I make mistakes as a software tester just as software developers do. Personally I think a lot of it depends on what your main objective is. Developers are focused on delivering code. Testers focus on finding software defects. If developers stopped writing code and set their objective to finding software defects then I'm sure that they would make great software testers too. It's just re-aligning your objective, and as mentioned changing your viewpoints. Would be interesting to see if software testers could make good developers with a little bit of training. Perhaps that's one of the things I really like about software testing. With software testing you are driven to think more about your viewpoint and objectives. With software testing you have to look for problems from different viewpoints in order to make sure you help drive the whole team towards delivering the highest quality possible. In software testing seeing things from the developers, users and project management's perspective is essential. William Echlin <a href="http://www.softwaretesting.net" rel="nofollow">www.SoftwareTesting.net</a> Fascinating. I think a lot is made about the differences between the mindset of the software tester and the software developer. We’re all human beings though and I know I make mistakes as a software tester just as software developers do.

Personally I think a lot of it depends on what your main objective is. Developers are focused on delivering code. Testers focus on finding software defects. If developers stopped writing code and set their objective to finding software defects then I’m sure that they would make great software testers too. It’s just re-aligning your objective, and as mentioned changing your viewpoints. Would be interesting to see if software testers could make good developers with a little bit of training.

Perhaps that’s one of the things I really like about software testing. With software testing you are driven to think more about your viewpoint and objectives. With software testing you have to look for problems from different viewpoints in order to make sure you help drive the whole team towards delivering the highest quality possible. In software testing seeing things from the developers, users and project management’s perspective is essential.

William Echlin
http://www.SoftwareTesting.net

]]> By: links for 2010-01-18 » ????—-????? http://www.testingthefuture.net/2010/01/why-developers-don%e2%80%99t-find-defects/comment-page-1/#comment-736 links for 2010-01-18 » ????—-????? Mon, 18 Jan 2010 16:02:29 +0000 http://www.testingthefuture.net/?p=867#comment-736 [...] Software Testing and more » Blog Archive » Why developers don’t find defects (tags: test develop software) [...] [...] Software Testing and more » Blog Archive » Why developers don’t find defects (tags: test develop software) [...]

]]> By: Bert Veldman http://www.testingthefuture.net/2010/01/why-developers-don%e2%80%99t-find-defects/comment-page-1/#comment-735 Bert Veldman Mon, 18 Jan 2010 10:15:53 +0000 http://www.testingthefuture.net/?p=867#comment-735 Thanks for this explaning blog! Beside my job as testcoordinator, I also develop my own tools and websites. And I must say that it is hard to test my own work. I have to sit back, put on my testcap and look at the results of my developing with a different mindset. Only in this way I can tell what is still not correct or should be improved. I always encourage testers to develop their developing skills. This help them look to the SuT with a completer view. And it is a comfortable thought that I can always blame my DLPFC for not finding these nasty bugs ;-) Thanks for this explaning blog!
Beside my job as testcoordinator, I also develop my own tools and websites. And I must say that it is hard to test my own work. I have to sit back, put on my testcap and look at the results of my developing with a different mindset. Only in this way I can tell what is still not correct or should be improved.
I always encourage testers to develop their developing skills. This help them look to the SuT with a completer view.
And it is a comfortable thought that I can always blame my DLPFC for not finding these nasty bugs ;-)

]]> By: Tweets that mention Software Testing and more » Blog Archive » Why developers don’t find defects -- Topsy.com http://www.testingthefuture.net/2010/01/why-developers-don%e2%80%99t-find-defects/comment-page-1/#comment-734 Tweets that mention Software Testing and more » Blog Archive » Why developers don’t find defects -- Topsy.com Mon, 18 Jan 2010 09:03:48 +0000 http://www.testingthefuture.net/?p=867#comment-734 [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Ewald Roodenrijs and Andreas Prins, Ivo Bronsveld. Ivo Bronsveld said: RT @ewaldroodenrijs: New try: New blog post » Why developers don’t find defects: http://ow.ly/XBxb. Thanks to @testingqa #softwaretesting [...] [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Ewald Roodenrijs and Andreas Prins, Ivo Bronsveld. Ivo Bronsveld said: RT @ewaldroodenrijs: New try: New blog post » Why developers don’t find defects: http://ow.ly/XBxb. Thanks to @testingqa #softwaretesting [...]

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