Code Academy Session 3 \’Think Like a Tester\’

What is a Testing Mindset?

These could be:

★ Behaviours ★ Thought patterns ★ Attributes ★ Personality traits ★ Anything at all!

A mindset is the way you think

Your mindset contains: ★ Past experiences ★ Explicit knowledge ★ Assumed knowledge ★ Biases ★ Personality traits/characteristics ★ … and more!

Assumptions

We all are in-built with \’pre-set\’ assumptions.

The Cambridge online dictionary defines assumption as…

\’Something that you accept as true without question or proof\’

The American Psychological Association defines assumption as below…

1. the premise or supposition that something is factual or true; that is, the act of taking something for granted. 2. one or more conditions that need to be met in order for a statistical procedure to be fully justified from a theoretical perspective.

Context Is Key

Cognitive Bias

A cognitive bias is a systematic error in thinking that occurs when people are processing and interpreting information in the world around them and affects the decisions and judgments that they make.

The human brain is powerful but subject to limitations. Cognitive biases are often a result of your brain\’s attempt to simplify information processing. Biases often work as rules of thumb that help you make sense of the world and reach decisions with relative speed.

1. Some of these biases are related to memory.

   1. The way you remember an event may be biased for a number of reasons and that, in turn, can lead to biased thinking and decision-making.

2. Other cognitive biases might be related to problems with attention. 

   1. Since attention is a limited resource, people have to be selective about what they pay attention to in the world around them.

Because of this, subtle biases can creep in and influence the way you see and think about the world.

https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-cognitive-bias-2794963

Confirmation Bias 

Confirmation bias is seeing what you think you are going to see and searching for what you want to see. 

Expedience Bias

We prefer to act quickly rather than take time

Humans have a built-in need for certainty—to know what is going on. A downside of that need is the tendency to rush to judgment without fully considering all the facts.

Expedience biases crop up when we are reviewing employees and rely solely on one data point or recommendation. The fix is to take more time to gather a wider array of information.

Task 1

Next time you have to ‘do’ something. Stop and consider all the assumptions you have made at the point of starting. Write them down and examine what other things could be present or influence your decision. What other actions could you take or consider. Finally, write up your thoughts on thinking like a tester based on this example.

Making a cup of tea

Assumptions

1. The kitchen is in the same place.

2. Clean cups in the cupboard.

3. Tea bags are in the cupboard.

4. Click the on button on the kettle.

   1. Assumed the kettle had water in it

   2. Assumed the kettle/ electric was working

5. Assumed when boiled, it was hot enough to put into the mug.

6. The spoon was in the correct place to take tea bag out.

7. Bin had a bin bag in it. 

8. There was milk in the fridge/ enough for my tea/ not off.

9. Milk from fridge was cold enough.

10. SUCCESS!

Task 

Use a mnemonic to test a piece of software. 

I picked a text editing software. 

FEW HICCUPS

Familiar – look for problems you’ve seen before

1. With another leading word processing document it is really hard to find options sometimes. 

2. The Ribbon isn\’t a great design choice. This uses different techniques for organisation.  

World – is it consistent with what you know about the world? eg a dropdown drops, a button clicks…

1. New= new document

2. Banners at the top make sense (fonts / insert pictures)

History – does it act the same way as it has in the past?

1. It is very similar to other apps by the same company and how they act. 

Image – does the product reflect the company’s image/brand?

1. Looks like the company that made it 

2. Uniform with the comparable spreadsheet and other apps by the company 

Comparable product – is the experience consistent with other similar products?

1. Shortcuts work- Ctrl B for bold, I for Italic etc. 

2. Has built in templates etc. 

Claims – does it do what the company says it does?

1. Can be used to create a variety of different documents. 

User – does it do what the user actually wants it to do, the way they want it?

1. Really simple to use, as a user of word processing, can use the templates well, and also start stuff from scratch 

Product – are the parts consistent and comparable to similar parts used in the product? Purpose – what’s the purpose of the product, and is it fit for purpose? 

1. Free (with Mac OS) purpose word processing software. 

2. Does what it says on the tin. 

Explainability – can you explain what the product does?

1. Word Processor for Mac. 

Standards/Statutes – does it follow laws and regulations?

1. Well designed, doesn\’t crash, loads fast etc.