14 | Testing times
Testing now has to be seen as not just a necessary evil, but a
fundamental part of the development lifecycle that, if done
properly, will not just increase quality but drive down the
cost of developing and maintaining software. But you might
just have to spend to save money.
This brings inherent threats to and long term. For organised and vocal
organisations. A likely scenario is a test teams now is the time to say what
slow degradation in quality over time you can bring to the party and what
as not enough testing is being covered. you need in terms of helping your
Issues will then start to gradually business through the tough times.
come to the surface until they become As a service provider we are seeing
unmanageable, costly and public. At a shift in our business in the current
this point, the crisis point, the slow climate. Our traditional services of
painful realisation that all of this was helping companies structure and
avoidable will be as painful as signing deliver improvements and changes
the order to bring back a small army of still exist – although these are much
people to fix the issues. Organisations more focused on delivering cost
need to look inwards and outwards for savings than before. However we
ideas and solutions as to how they can are also seeing new opportunities
be more efficient in testing with the start to appear as companies try
specific problems they face. to get the process changes (that
Software testing has a unique they were forced into through the
opportunity to flex its muscles reductions in staffing and costs) right.
and show people why it is so In this situation, change was required
fundamentally important. The slow quickly, but no additional help could
changes we see in attitudes can be brought in. For many companies
become an avalanche. The powers the harsh reality that this cannot and
Dietmar Wand
that be, basically the men who sign has not worked is starting to dawn, Account manager
the cheques, are looking right now for opening up more opportunities for
Merit AT
www.merit.org.uk
ways to save money in the short, mid us testers.
T.E.S.T | March 09
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