Critical Thinking in Software Testing: Leveraging the Scientific Method

Strong parallels between a software tester and a scientific researcher are evident; they both employ their intelligence, imagination, and creativity to gain empirical information about the property or system being investigated. Science is credible, curiosity-driven, critical, impartial and dynamic – can’t we strive for our testing to be the same? Science continuously challenges and questions methods, techniques and core beliefs – how can you question and improve your own approach to testing in this way? Christin will introduce the core steps of the scientific method, describe how good software testing adheres to those principles, and then explore how truly understanding and embracing the scientific method can make us better at questioning our assumptions, staying impartial and being more credible testers. In smaller groups you will get to practice your critical thinking on a set of examples. You will also learn to recognize bias, and experience the importance of questioning assumptions hands-on.

• Learn how to use the scientific method in software testing
• Understand the difference between induction and deduction, and the risks associated with using these reasoning processes
• Practice questioning assumptions and thinking critically

Workshop Leader: Christin Wiedemann, PhD, PQA

After finishing her PhD in Physics at Stockholm University, Christin Wiedemann started working as a software developer for the Swedish consulting company HiQ. Christin soon discovered that software testing was more interesting and challenging than development and joined the Swedish test company AddQ Consulting. There, she worked as a tester, test lead and trainer, giving courses on agile testing, test design and exploratory testing throughout Europe. Christin developed a course on exploratory testing, and is a co-creator of the exploratory testing approach xBTM. Christin currently lives in Vancouver, where she joined Professional Quality Assurance (PQA) Ltd. and where she continues to use her scientific background and pedagogic abilities to develop her own skills and those of others.