Apple traditionally runs a very tight ship. Its products perform as promised, and leaks about future releases are relatively rare. So when the tech giant does stumble, its missteps are very noticeable. I’m, of course, talking about the recent iPhone 5 mapping app debacle. One of the blogs that initially helped break the story received [...]
Like accountants and inspectors, software testers are part of that rare breed of professions in which our stamp of approval is the final word on what is acceptable. We check the developers’ work, locate bugs, recommend fixes, and go through as many rounds as necessary to ensure the final product reaches a certain standard. Once [...]
In the world of software, quality assurance testing is often regarded as an addendum to the entire development process. As testers, we’re frequently viewed as the busboys who come through and clear the left-over scraps of whatever delicious meals came from the gourmet chefs in the kitchen. This is not a knock on busboys. No [...]
In traditional capitalism, self-interest is the driving force behind innovation. Under this framework, concepts like cooperation and collaboration are somewhat antithetical to the profit maximization model. Every time you share, you enable a potential competitor. This is especially true in a world of finite resources where sharing literally makes your own pie smaller. In many [...]
In a previous post, we explored the importance of quality tools for software testing from the vantage point of the actual testers themselves. Better products make for better testing. This, in turn, makes our lives much easier. But software testing is also a business decision. You wouldn’t necessary realize this given how much money goes [...]
So much of history centers around extraordinary individuals accomplishing extraordinary feats. From Columbus to Gandhi to Steve Jobs, we celebrate individual successes, weaving their victories into our hero folklore. It’s a beautiful narrative – one that holds true in many situations. But are individual pioneers the true forces behind so many of the amazing innovations [...]
Over the past few weeks, we’ve explored some of the “perceived” failings of software-as-a-service (SaaS) as a replacement for traditional on-site debugging tools. Although the majority of concerns regarding quality, cost, and convenience don’t hold up under scrutiny, these common misperceptions are very rooted in many corporate environments. Nowhere is this “fear” of SaaS-based software [...]
In the previous post, I extolled the virtues of software as a service (SaaS) for testing and development. When compared with on-site solutions (i.e. internal servers), SaaS consistently wins for its greater convenience and lower cost. But the software testing process doesn’t thrive on convenience or cost alone. Security is equally (if not more) important. [...]
Last week, we looked at two very important criteria for selecting software application testing tools: Do you have the right tools for the job? Can these tools do the job well? Although such questions seem like a no-brainer, you’d be surprised how much more manageable your list of options becomes once you satisfy these two [...]
As software quality assurance testers, we’re blessed to have so many resources at our disposal. Whereas in the physical world, value comes from scarcity, the digital world places value on abundance. But this cornucopia of options comes at a price. How do you select the best software quality assurance testing tools (or combination of tools) [...]
