Testing times | 13
T
here is no doubt that belts Testing now has to be seen as
and budgets are being not just a necessary evil, but a
tightened and that those nice fundamental part of the development
to have projects are being put lifecycle that, if done properly, will not
back on the shelf to gather dust until just increase quality but drive down
Organisations still have to
happier days. This does not mean that the cost of developing and maintaining
operate, software still has
IT has gone away, how could it? So for software. But you might just have to
now, the impact does not seem to have spend to save money. To the credit
to be delivered and more
been as severe in IT as it has in other of many organisations we are seeing importantly it has to work.
areas. It’s certainly not unscathed but this change in attitude. Testing does
In fact, the nice twist to
it has not been decimated. seem to be changing – in the past
this is that the software
Organisations still have to operate, testing was often the first activity to
software still has to be delivered and be culled in hard times as it is often
has to work better than
more importantly it has to work. In seen as a pure cost centre ie, testing ever before to minimise
fact, the nice twist to this is that the doesn't 'produce' anything. This now
the costs of failures
software has to work better than ever appears to be changing. No one seems
and increase customer
before to minimise the costs of failures to be stopping testing like they have
and increase customer confidence. in the past. They are simply reducing
confidence.
A classic example of this is the very the amount of testing activity as costs
industry that has been at the root are cut across the board. Basically, the
cause of the problems our economy view of testing seems to have changed
is facing, banking. When two banks and matured further to be seen as an
merge it’s not just their balance essential function across the board.
books, it’s everything that must be
joined, staff, buildings and inevitably The challenge
IT. This presents a mountain of So the challenge is this: if project
opportunity for the testing industry, cycles are just as aggressive as before
from individuals through to testing and there is an inevitable reduction
service providers. But we have to be in budget, how do we maintain the
realistic. These opportunities will not quality of what we produce with
have money thrown at them. This isn’t ever-reducing resources? The moves
1999 and people will want to stretch made now will separate the winners
their pound more than ever before. But and losers in the months and years
it still has to happen in one form or ahead. Companies are laying-off staff
another. Our responsibility is making across the board, and this will hit
sure that we continue to provide a testing and testers. Both contractors
valuable business service at a cost that and permanent workers will suffer as
can be accommodated in the current this is the easiest and quickest way a
financial climate. company can reduce costs.
T.E.S.T | March 09 March 09 | T.E.S.T
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