Testability Revisited

 

I read the below question on The Test Chat's Telegram group.

When you start working on a project, what steps do you take to establish the testability of the product?

This question is helpful in learning how we see the Testability of a product.  It is a common perception to see the product with testability and then to test the product using the testability.

But, in reality, the testability is associated more with the tests; the tests which are used to test a product being developed or developed.

So, when we talk about testability, we need to be more aware of the test that we will be designing to test the software.  This test should be quick and easy to execute with the help of the programmed or available testability factors and their attributes.

You can find more blog posts in and around testability here in Testing Garage.  Testability in software engineering and systems is one of my research areas.

Testability

I understand Testability as

• How easy it is easy to test by an engineer
• In a given context and skills of an engineer
• With the being used test approach and strategy

Note: The context can keep including factors as we add more and continue to test

It is not about if one can test the software or not.  It is all about software that is easily tested.  How easy?  That is one of the testability factors in software design and programming.

Test and Testability

Unless I know the test, I will not be certain about the Testability.  Testability does not drive tests.  It aids the execution of the test and it is a heuristic.  If the test is designed well to the context and if the testability is used well in the test's context, the execution of a test can be quick and easy.

The tests

• make use of available Testability
• helps to strengthen the Testability
• add more Testability in different seams/layers of the engineering and product

From here it will be two ways; the tests and testability will complement each other.  Further, it leads to developing and including more specific and deterministic tests and testability types in respective seam/layers.

Testability and Automatability

Testability can be classified further into several categories.  Based on the purpose and what to evaluate we will have to identify Testability in respective categories and need to use it.

As a software engineer one is bound to think testability with software programming and infrastructure.  But, testability in software engineering is not just bound to software programming.

The testability is diverse and available across engineering activities.  It is used in all engineering activities.  Maybe, for a software engineer who is hands-on with programming and testing, they infer Testability most times with programming and infrastructure.

I see, the Testability always exists to an extent.  But, can it be identified and used in the way I approach, design, execute and evaluate my test?  That is the point to explore.

If it is testable to some extent, then we are using some Testability attribute(s).

If there is Testability in a seam/layer, then there is an Automatbility in that seam/layer to an extent.

If it is automatable then there is some attribute of Testability in that seam/layer.  Again, the question comes to knowing and learning -- What am I testing and automating? Why? How? When? Where?

This discovers seams/layers to test and automate.  It leads to identifying the tests.  Then, to identify and build more Testability and Automatability.

A written program feature essentially will have an automatable characteristic and space.  If it is automatable, then it is making use of and extending the testability.

In summary,

• Know the test to know and identify the Testability better
• Know the Testability to automate better
• Know the Automatability to assist your testing better.

Context-Free Questions to Identify Testability

To know and have better Testability, here are a few things that I will want to know:

1. What is the test?
• What am I testing and what am I supposed to test?
• How is this test designed to learn and evaluate the system?
• What are the data, states, and events that I'm experimenting, exploring, and experiencing as I test this system with help of this test?
• How can I make this testing quick and easy?
• What should I use to make my testing quick and easy with this test?
• How should I use it to make my testing quick and easy with this test?
• When and where should I use it to make my testing quick and easy with this test?
2. Why am I testing this?
3. What happens if I test this and do not test this?
4. What is the value loss I will incur if not tested?
5. What is the value loss I will incur if I do not understand and learn the outcome of the test?
6. What changes the dimensions of my tests?
7. How can I learn the product better from this test?
8. What information am I learning from this test?
9. What information, heuristics, and Oracle help me and stakeholders to analyze and decide better?
10. Do I actually know the product from the perspectives of
• tech
• business
• user
• risks
• problems
• protocols
• guidelines
• environment
• money
• benefits
• exploitations
• team developing it
• and, more that I can add to the context of the product and project

To summarize, know the test and know how the test is designed.  It helps to identify better testability at the right layer/seam of the software system and engineering.  If there is no effective testability at that seam/layer, it helps to build one.  That way, the automatability also gets built in that seam/layer if the team collaborates well.

Technically, What is a Bug?

 

I'm mentoring the Software Test Engineers.  In one of the pair sessions with a mentee, we were discussing the technical aspects of one technology.  We started to test the application and a mentee said, she found a bug.

She explained the bug.  Further, she asked how, can I explain this bug technically.  And, going ahead, she asked, "Can you technically tell what a bug is?"  

Technically, What is a Bug?

I have come across various definitions of a bug from other software testing practitioners.  If I have to tell technically what a bug is, I put it this way:

• A bug, is a logical incident experienced
• It is logical because the programming instructions written are logical
• Technically, the bug is a logical incident

 

My Work, My Fit, and Company's Goals

 

I, My Role and Expectations

At least once a day, it is useful to think about oneself.  I started doing this late in my life and career. I started doing it in recent years.  If I do not think about myself, I will be lost very soon.  This is not selfishness; it is self-care, which is what I'm learning.

It is essential for me to think about myself, because:

• It helps me to see what I'm
• It helps me to see where I moved today
• Does this move help me personally?
• Does this move help me professionally?
• What benefits does it bring me?
• What benefits does it bring to those with whom I associate and work together?
• Does it keep me in sound mental and physical health?
• Did I learn today?
• Something new?
• Anything I refined and unlearned?
• Does it bring any costs and cons to me?
• Am I fit?
• Fit to where?
• Fit to what?
• Fit? How?
• Fit? Why?
• Fit? When

In all the roles I take in my personal and professional life, I'm evaluated at some point in time.  I will be judged for:

• Did I fit?
• Did I do my role
• Did I meet the expectation?

The problem is not that I'm evaluated.

The problem is I'm evaluated without saying what makes me fit to be in the association and how I will have to meet the expectation.  Some associations can remove us while some cannot.

When I say this, I want to say this -- the word family is often misunderstood; not all associations can be a family although the word family is used often in associations.  This is reality and not a fact!

Does family eliminate me if I do not fit in?  I don't know!  At least the hope is, family is where I can be myself; without the thought of me being judged and evaluated for what I take and bring to the family.  My family as well have expectations from me in the different roles I live in with them.

When I can see this in my family, why don't I see this in the place where I work together with other people?

Do I fit in here for what I make out of this place (company) and take it to my family, home, and my life?

I wish my home and school had helped me learn this question early in my life!  I expect it now because I realize the "value of fit", now, that is, after I graduated and started to work with people in the organizations.

I consistently learn that every one of us is replaceable in any association, be it family or a workplace.  And, it moves on; it does not stop.  If not replaceable, it is manageable to continue and move on.

When we are in the association, how fit we are so that it is hard to replace?  Maybe that's a price (value) tag and a necessity of one!

The Response, That I Should Evaluate

As a responsible colleague and team member, I promote the discussion of this question at least once a month.  I ask this question to whom I report at work.

I will have this question in every one-on-one catch-up that I will have with my reporting manager.  And, I expect a response to this question and want it recorded for future reference.

What is that question?

How does my work fit in with the company's goals?

Evaluating the response:

• How do I evaluate the response to this question?
• What should I do on the evaluation of the response?
• Why should I evaluate the response?
• What should be my next course of action?
• After all, what is my response to this question and how do I evaluate it?

To get promoted to the next roles,

• I need to be solving the problem of my higher (or next) role
• I need to have the capability (skills) to solve problems of my higher role

But this is not a question of promotion.  It is the question of being fit for the company's goals.

While I get promoted or to be promoted, my work may still not fit with the company's goals.  Identifying this early helps.

I have learned, sometimes the promotion does not necessarily come with the fit for the company's goals.  But then eventually the fit will be evaluated at one stage by someone in the company together with a promotion given.

This has led me to ask this question consistently and then evaluate the response with the business, political and rational mindsets.

I say the same to my team, that is, ask this question for yourself and to the reporting manager.  Evaluate the response that comes to you.

Should you ask this question to your reporting manager in each month's one-on-one catch-up?

The Fit Equation Changes

In the team and company, we believe:

• We are contributing
• We are a value-adding fit type
  

We keep saying to ourselves how we make a great fit and difference.  Isn't it?

This "fit equation" keeps changing every day or quarter or year or appraisal cycle.  I learn, this "fit equation" keeps changing rather than evolving.

Adapting to this consistent change and delivering is evolving.  This is my understanding for today.

Biases, Communication, and Problem Solving

We all are in biased mindsets and perceptions at any point in time.  The people in the company need help to break these mindsets so that one's fit equation is questioned and assessed regularly.  In my opinion, this is a great assistance that a manager and a leader can give to her/his people.

I expect the managers and leaders to ask the company:

• What the company wants from the people?

We people in the company and in the team, let us ask the manager and leaders:

• What the company expects from me?
• What is my fit equation?
• Does the current work that I'm delivering fits the company's goals?

I have heard most times from people saying, "I was said that I did not fit with the company's goal".

How will one know what is the company's goals and how can one align with them unless it is communicated and recorded professionally?  I see, to start it needs communication, clarity, and affirmation first from both ends.

Does this solve the problem?  No!  It gives an onset to understand the problem and the differences to fix.  With this, the manager and leader can help the team, and vice versa, in solving the problem.  Thereby contributing to the company's goals by aligning with them.

If you are a manager or a leader, make sure you have this as an essential practice in monthly catch-up to assess this fit equation and let know your people.  I love seeing this initiative from managers and leaders.

This is one of the leader's fitness to be in the role to assist people and the company.  By doing so, we will help the company, business, employees, investors, and customers.

To reset this post's intent equation:

• How the work expected from me fit in with the company's goals?
• How does the work I'm doing fit in with the company's goals?