T Ashok, @ash_thiru on Twitter

Summary

Intelligent testing is a brilliant set of opposites. Is it finding more bugs or enabling brilliant code from start? Is it about frequent and continuous evaluation or being sensitive and pre-empting issues? Is it an act of doing or a state of mind? In this article I relate intelligent testing to Yin & Yang, where the tension of opposites keeps one in the perfect state of balance enabling one to deliver the very best.

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As we mature we see more opposites. 
Find more bugs or prevent by being sensitive? 
Automate more or use human smartness to do less?
Continuous frequent checks or smart minimal tests?
Things that seem contrary, creating tension of choice.
It is really not a tussle, it is a perfect state of balance.

What is Yin & Yang?
Well it is the really opposites that exist.

The FOUR main aspects of Yin & Yang are :

Let us switch to software testing now.
What is Yin & Yang in the context of UNDERSTANDING a SUT?

What is Yin & Yang in the context of DESIGNING test cases?

What is Yin & Yang in the context of EVALUATING the SUT?

What is Yin & Yang in the PROCESS of evaluation ?

What is Yin & Yang in the context of the OBJECTIVE of testing?

Philosophically
Zero = Infinity
Nothing is everything.

The ability to be empty,
to be unattached, to be in the moment,
no past or future, mindful and observant
enables one to deliver great outcomes.

Yin and Yang are not opposing forces,
it is the tension to keep you in a perfectly relaxed state.

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T Ashok (ash_thiru on Twitter)

Summary

Corona virus aka COVID19 is a global talking point now. What is being done to contain the COVID19? Well, there are THREE actions in terms of Prevention, Detection, Containment being aggressively pursued. Three targets of young children, old people and sick persons are the most vulnerable as of now. In this article we take a look at the actions being taken to contain the pandemic and relate to what to do deliver clean code.

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Corona virus aka COVID19 is a global talking point now. A pandemic now, it has shaken the entire population of the world, busted the business and the world economy. The major stock markets are taking a massive beating driven by the sentiment that there is no medicine for this as of now.

Interestingly the suggestions posed by experts are pretty basic stuff related to good hygiene and this seems to be the only way to go given that there is no medicine as of now.  What can we learn from COVID19 to deliver clean code?

So what is being done to contain the COVID19? Well, there are THREE actions in terms of Prevention, Detection, Containment being aggressively pursued. Three targets of young children, old people and sick persons are the most vulnerable as of now.

What is being done in terms of PREVENTION that we can relate to code?

1. Cover when you sneeze/cough => USE ASSERTS, HANDLE EXCEPTIONS
2. Wash hands frequently => SIMPLIFY, REFACTOR
3. Don’t touch surfaces => STRIVE FOR LOW COUPLING

What is being done in terms of DETECTION that we can relate to code?

1. Check for fever => DO BASIC TESTS
2. Check for other symptoms =>  USE SMART CHECKLISTS, DO DETAILED TESTS
3. Check if contact with affected => DO STATIC CODE ANALYSIS
4. Check origin on arrival (for travellers) => WRITE DEFENSIVE CODE
5. Check travel history => ANALYSE CODE COVERAGE

What is being done in terms of CONTAINMENT that we can relate to code?

1. Quarantine affected/suspected persons => REWRITE POOR CODE, DON’T FIX
2. Use masks use asserts/ EMBED TESTABILITY
3.  Publish routes travelled by affected people => PUBLISH CHANGE LOGS SO THAT OTHERS MAY ASCERTAIN IMPACT, CREATE INTERACTION MAPS, REGRESS CODE

Now who are the TARGETS that could be most impacted in COVID19  that we can relate to code?

1. Young children => NEW CODE
2. Old people => OLD CODE WITH MINIMAL DOCUMENTATION/CK COMMENTS
3. Sick people => CODE FRAGMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN BUGGY

Here is the entire learnings summarised in the full mind-map.

Check out the current article COVID19 and Clean Code Part 2 : Process & Criteria,
that outlines techniques to deliver Process & Criteria, inspired by Covid19.

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T Ashok @ash_thiru

Summary:
We use many terms like philosophy, mindset, framework, models, process, practice, techniques etc in SW dev/test. This article attempts to simplify and put together a nice image of how they all fit in, to enable clear thinking for brilliant problem solving.

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Given that the act of developing software is “problem solving”, we are bombarded by very many interesting terms like philosophy, mindset, framework, models, process, practice, techniques etc.  I am sure we have encountered these terms – Deming philosophy, CMM Model, Scaled Agile Framework, Lean process, White box techniques etc.

What are these? Are they just jargons that complicate our thinking? Well these are really different facets of problem solving. A crisp definition of these are listed below, picked up from dictionary.com.

And here is the simple depiction of these inspired by “Matryoshka doll” !

Problem solving philosophy requiring a mindset nurtured by good organisation culture, via model, framework, methodology, applying a set of processes/procedures using guidelines, principles, techniques, heuristics  and aided by tools, templates, checklists

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About SmartQA The theme of SmartQA is to explore various dimensions of smartness to leapfrog into the new age of software development, to accomplish more with less by exploiting our intellect along with technology.  Towards this, we will strive to showcase interesting thoughts, expert industry views through high-quality content as articles, posters, videos, surveys outlined as a SmartQA Digest weekly emailer. SmartBites is “soundbites from smart people”. Ideas, thoughts and views to inspire you to think differently.

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