Risk-based testing is one of those terms that gets thrown around a lot in QA. If you've been in testing for any amount of time, you've almost certainly heard someone say they use a "risk-based approach," but I don't think it's always obvious what that actually means. It isn't a testing methodology, and it certainly isn't an excuse to skip testing. It's simply a way of deciding where your time is going to have the biggest impact. The unfortunate reality …
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If you're looking to invest your own money, or to jump out of an airplane for the first time there, etc are tons of questions you ask yourself. Can I afford it? What are the reviews of the company? Is it safe? What am I risking? Why do you go through all of these questions, and why is the risk one of them? Because risk is a big ass deal - risk matters. Now, think of companies and how much …
Automation can be a tricky thing - what should be automated? How do you know? Many places dream of having everything automated, and no manual testing at all, but automating just to automate isn't actually a good thing. And, I personally believe in a mixture of automation and manual testing being the best way to tackle testing, regardless of title or position at a company. There is such a thing as too much, or wasted, automation. Repetitive tasks If you're …
Targeted regression testing has literally changed my work life - for the better. I look back on my years of QA experience and kick myself for not learning about and implementing it sooner. Targeted regression testing is still regression testing, but being very specific about what to test. With targeted regression it's more of a collaborative effort, at least in my experience. You work closely with the developers to talk about the changes made, what other areas their code might …
When to stop testing is the big question. How do you know? Should you ever stop testing? Yes - over testing is real, and isn't a good use of anyone's time. I admit, when I first start any job I'm guilty of over testing as I learn the products, and I think that's very normal for most of us. But, it's important to be comfortable with your product and know it well enough to know when to call it good. …