Why? Part of the reason is surely that many projects are flying blind, without sufficient awareness of the status of the product and the problems in it. And why is that? Part of the reason is that the craft of testing is stuck in ideas that were out of date 30 years ago, and are even more out of date today.

Want to reframe your ways of thinking about the craft? Join Michael for a whirlwind tour through some of the principles and tactics of Rapid Software Testing.  Here’s Michael Bolton’s talk for Quality Jam 2017

Rapid Software Testing (RST) is an approach to software testing developed by James Bach and Michael Bolton. The approach is targeted towards the fastest, least expensive testing that still completely fulfills testing’s mission — to reveal the status of the product through critical thinking, exploration, and experimentation. While process models, artifacts, and tools have roles to play, RST puts the mindset and the skill set of the individual software tester at the center of testing work.

Despite the name, Rapid Software Testing isn’t just testing with a speed or sense of urgency; it’s mission-focused testing that eliminates unnecessary work, tells the story of the product, and constantly asks what testing can do to help speed the project as a whole—no matter what the development model might be.

The post A Ridiculously Rapid Introduction to Rapid Software Testing (video) appeared first on Rapid Software Testing.

Go to the RST YouTube Channel

Responding to a Critique of Taking Testing Seriously

Michael Bolton and James Bach respond to Oleksandr Bolzhelarskyi.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/oleksandr-bolzhelarskyi_ive-finished-reading-taking-testing-seriously-activity-7424284118802354176-nV5E?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAJyE3QBSjMd-wGkGZkMdD7Kj6HO2zB_CI4

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Responding to a Critique of Taking Testing Seriously

Michael Bolton and James Bach respond to Oleksandr Bolzhelarskyi. ...

Michael Bolton and James Bach respond to Oleksandr Bolzhelarskyi.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/oleksandr-bolzhelarskyi_ive-finished-reading-taking-testing-seriously-activity-7424284118802354176-nV5E?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAJyE3QBSjMd-wGkGZkMdD7Kj6HO2zB_CI4

Now Playing

Michael Bolton - Why Take RST Classes?

"Now that there's a book — Taking Testing Seriously: The Rapid ...

"Now that there's a book — Taking Testing Seriously: The Rapid Software Testing Approach" — why bother taking a Rapid Software Testing class? Michael Bolton explains."


The book:
Wiley ...link: https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Taking+Testing+Seriously%3A+The+Rapid+Software+Testing+Approach-p-9781394253197
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Taking-Testing-Seriously-Software-Approach/dp/1394253192

https://www.satisfice.com/ - James Bach
https://developsense.com/ - Michael Bolton

https://rapid-software-testing.com/
Please subscribe: @rapid_software_testingShow More

Now Playing

How to Report AI-Assisted Work

James and Michael discuss their system for reporting on the status of ...

James and Michael discuss their system for reporting on the status of work they have done with the help of AI.

There are four levels:
0. Slop
1. Plausible
2. Provisional
3. Validated

Now Playing

Technical Work is All About Learning - Conversations on Taking Testing Seriously

In this video, James Bach and Karen N. Johnson are discussing about ...

In this video, James Bach and Karen N. Johnson are discussing about Karen chapter called "Technical Work Is All About Learning" from the book, Taking Testing Seriously: The Rapid Software ...Testing Approach.

The book:
Wiley link: https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Taking+Testing+Seriously%3A+The+Rapid+Software+Testing+Approach-p-9781394253197
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Taking-Testing-Seriously-Software-Approach/dp/1394253192

https://www.satisfice.com/ - James Bach
https://www.notesfromasoftwaretester.com/ - Karen N. Johnson

https://rapid-software-testing.com/
Please subscribe: @rapid_software_testingShow More

Now Playing

The Book is Out

So strange when an idea becomes a real thing.

So strange when an idea becomes a real thing.

Now Playing

What is Normal? - Conversations on Taking Testing Seriously

In this video, James Bach and Karen N. Johnson read from our soon to ...

In this video, James Bach and Karen N. Johnson read from our soon to be published book, Taking Testing Seriously: The Rapid Software Testing Approach. We focus on a piece ...from the chapter about Strategy, where we address the question: What is Normal?

The book:
Wiley link: https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Taking+Testing+Seriously%3A+The+Rapid+Software+Testing+Approach-p-9781394253197
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Taking-Testing-Seriously-Software-Approach/dp/1394253192

https://www.satisfice.com/ - James Bach
https://www.notesfromasoftwaretester.com/ - Karen N. Johnson

https://rapid-software-testing.com/
Please subscribe: @rapid_software_testingShow More

Now Playing

On Magic Boxes and Magic - Conversations on Taking Testing Seriously

In this video, James Bach and Michael Bolton read from our soon to be ...

In this video, James Bach and Michael Bolton read from our soon to be published book, Taking Testing Seriously: The Rapid Software Testing Approach. We focus on a piece from ...the chapter about AI, where we address the question: What if we had a magic box that could do testing for us?

The book:
Wiley link: https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Taking+Testing+Seriously%3A+The+Rapid+Software+Testing+Approach-p-9781394253197
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Taking-Testing-Seriously-Software-Approach/dp/1394253192

https://www.satisfice.com/
https://developsense.com/
https://rapid-software-testing.com/
Please subscribe: @rapid_software_testingShow More

Now Playing

James Christie Conversation regarding Testing and Audits with James Bach and Michael Bolton

"Following the happy path is a foreign concept to good, experienced ...

"Following the happy path is a foreign concept to good, experienced auditors. Their path is a narrow one. They strive to warn of the unseen dangers lurking all around while ...also providing constructive input, all the time maintaining sufficient independence so that they can comment dispassionately and constructively on what they see. As I’ve said, it’s not easy.

Auditors and testers should resist any attempts to redefine their difficult jobs to try and make them appear easier. Such attempts require a refusal to deal with reality, and a pretence, a delusion, that we can do something worthwhile if we refuse to engage with complex and messy reality.

Testing and auditing are both jobs that it is possible to fake, going through the motions in a plausible manner, while producing nothing of value. That approach is easier in the short tun, but it is deeply short sighted and irresponsible. It trashes the credibility and reputation of practitioners, it short-changes people who expect to receive valuable information, and it leaves both testers and auditors open to being replaced by semi-skilled competition. If you’re doing a lousy job and focusing on cost, there is always someone who can do it cheaper." James Christie from https://clarotesting.wordpress.com/2015/10/15/audit-and-agile-part-2/

James Christie links from his blog regarding audits:
- https://clarotesting.wordpress.com/2024/12/27/external-it-auditors-a-theatrical-performance/

- https://clarotesting.wordpress.com/2024/03/05/ok-chatgpt-write-an-article-about-the-post-office-horizon-it-scandal-in-exactly-the-same-style-as-software-testing-and-it-audit-expert-james-christie/

- https://clarotesting.wordpress.com/2023/02/14/the-mysterious-role-of-external-audit-in-the-post-office-scandal/

- https://clarotesting.wordpress.com/2022/06/03/the-myth-of-perfect-software-it-audit-and-governance-aspects-of-the-post-office-scandal/

- https://clarotesting.wordpress.com/2021/11/12/external-auditors-arrogant-beyond-their-competence/

- https://clarotesting.wordpress.com/2017/05/08/auditors-and-testing-a-rant-justified-by-experience/

- https://clarotesting.wordpress.com/audit-and-agile/



https://www.satisfice.com/
https://developsense.com/
https://rapid-software-testing.com/
Please subscribe: @rapid_software_testingShow More

Now Playing

What Are We Thinking in the Age of AI? And are we still thinking like testers? - Michael Bolton

It’s the topic that’s on everyone’s lips… AI… We’re all aware by now, ...

It’s the topic that’s on everyone’s lips… AI… We’re all aware by now, that AI is transforming the world around us at an unprecedented speed and that of course, includes ...the world of testing. AI and automation are said to be revolutionizing software testing. But are these tools truly help us to improving quality, or just introducing new kinds of bugs at scale?

Links and references used in the video:
- QR Podcast @KeithKlain - James Bach, Keith Klain - https://qualityremarks.com/qr-podcast-james-bach/

- James Bach - https://www.satisfice.com/; https://rapid-software-testing.com/

- Keith Klain - https://qualityremarks.com/

- Pedro Domingos - The Master Algorithm: How the Quest for the Ultimate Learning Machine Will Remake Our World

- Simon J.D. Prince - Understanding Deep Learning


https://developsense.com/
https://rapid-software-testing.com/
Please subscribe: @rapid_software_testingShow More

Now Playing

Testing & Automation in the Age of AI: Hype, Hope, or Headaches - Questions Time - Michael Bolton

It’s the topic that’s on everyone’s lips… AI… We’re all aware by now, ...

It’s the topic that’s on everyone’s lips… AI… We’re all aware by now, that AI is transforming the world around us at an unprecedented speed and that of course, includes ...the world of testing. AI and automation are said to be revolutionizing software testing. But are these tools truly help us to improving quality, or just introducing new kinds of bugs at scale? As AI-driven tools become more powerful, the testing community faces big questions: What should we automate? What remains uniquely human? And are we just automating our mistakes faster than ever?

By popular demand, we’d love you to join us for an engaging evening of debate, insights, and hard-hitting truths as we explore the real impact of AI and automation on software testing. The event is intended for testers, automation engineers, DevOps professionals, and tech leaders looking to cut through the hype and gain a clearer understanding of where AI is taking software testing and where it might be leading us astray. Whether you’re an AI skeptic or a true believer in automation, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss.

https://developsense.com/schedule/testing-automation-in-the-age-of-ai-hype-hope-or-headaches

https://developsense.com/
https://rapid-software-testing.com/

Please subscribe: @rapid_software_testingShow More

Now Playing

Michael Bolton - On testing and testing like a user

#testing #qa #agile #user_testing #rst #context_driven_testing

#testing #qa #agile #user_testing #rst #context_driven_testing

Now Playing

Conversation #1: Checking, Testing, and Mutation

My son likes to talk to me while we drive. I discover he knows more ...

My son likes to talk to me while we drive. I discover he knows more about testing than I expected.

Load More

The post Video Highlights from RST Online Classes appeared first on Rapid Software Testing.

Podcasts on Quality Assurance and Testing

In this episode, I [@alexusadays] sat down with James Bach and Michael Bolton to answer a deceptively simple question:
What is testing?

A lot of people still reduce testing to “finding bugs.”
But if you take testing seriously, it’s much bigger than that.

We talk about:
What testing actually is (and what it isn’t)
And a bit about the future of testing

This conversation also helped me refine how I describe testing in my own work and writing. Which resulted with this: “As I see it, testing is more than just finding bugs, it is a process of helping improve product quality, assessing compliance with requirements and regulations, and helping to deliver a product that meets or exceeds user expectations.”

If you’ve ever struggled to explain what testers really do — this episode will give you better words and a sharper model.

YouTube: @alexusadays

The post What Is Testing? A Conversation with James Bach and Michael Bolton appeared first on Rapid Software Testing.