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Testing Anti-Patterns
Mark Collin - @Ardesco
http://ardesco.lazerycode.com
!
BDD
What people call
BDD
As a user I want my search to
return search results
Given I navigate to the google
Website
When I type cheese in the
search box
And click the “Google Search”
button
Then search results for cheese
will be shown
CHECK THAT SEARCH WORKS ON
THE GOOGLE WEBSITE
STEP 1
Navigate to the google
website
STEP 2
Type “cheese” in the
search box
STEP 3
Click the “Google Search”
button
STEP 4
Check that search results
for cheese are shown
What people call
BDD
• Conflating Scenarios
!
Given I want to expand my knowledge of
all things cheese related
When I search for cheese on google
Then I will get lots of cheesy information
Try to be more like this:
Interviewer: So you currently work in a BDD
environment, can you tell me a bit more about that?
Candidate: We use cucumber!
Interviewer: That’s great, what else do you do.!
Candidate: Um… we use cucumber
What people call
BDD
• Conflating Scenarios
• Using Cucumber != BDD
BDD uses examples in conversation to
illustrate behaviour. We sometimes call those
examples scenarios, but really they mean the
same thing. My favourite technique for
eliciting examples is just to ask for them:
“Can you give me an example?”
Liz Keogh
!
Defects
Curiously Reported/Unintelligible
Defects
• Too little information / Presumed knowledge
!
!
Too little information
Description:
When I try to log into the site it breaks
Reproduction steps:
Log into the site
Actual:
It breaks
Expected:
It shouldn’t break
Presumed Knowledge
Description:
Using a TGS connecting to PDB and exercising scenario Alpha12, results not saved and
notifications not sent.
Reproduction steps:
1. Enable all tunnels
2. Configure PDB data sources
3. Exercise scenario Alpha12 and then save results to CDC
Actual:
Results not saved to CDC
Expected:
Results should be saved to CDC and GMQ should be notified!
Curiously Reported/Unintelligible
Defects
• Too little information / Presumed knowledge
• You haven’t diagnosed the problem!
!
Curiously Reported/Unintelligible
Defects
• Too little information / Presumed knowledge
• You haven’t diagnosed the problem!
• Multiple defects in one ticket
An Ideal Defect
• Be clear about which Operating System / Device / Server you found the issue on!

• If testing a website say which browser version you are using!

• Minimal reproduction steps - if you don’t need to interact with 5 other systems
first to produce the error don’t add it to the reproduction steps.

• Expected/Actual - explain what you think should happen, and what actually
happens (you may be wrong, but its the starting point for a conversation).

• Add relevant attachments, e.g. screenshots, logs, etc.

!
Finally we should always endeavour to make the reproduction steps simple enough
that they can be followed by a 6 year old with no technical knowledge.  
Inappropriate Automation
• Rewriting dev code badly
• Going through the motions, but not actually checking anything
• Doing everything through the UI
• Focus your tests, don’t check everything!
Questions?
Mark Collin - @Ardesco
http://ardesco.lazerycode.com

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Testing antipatterns

  • 1. Testing Anti-Patterns Mark Collin - @Ardesco http://ardesco.lazerycode.com
  • 4. As a user I want my search to return search results Given I navigate to the google Website When I type cheese in the search box And click the “Google Search” button Then search results for cheese will be shown CHECK THAT SEARCH WORKS ON THE GOOGLE WEBSITE STEP 1 Navigate to the google website STEP 2 Type “cheese” in the search box STEP 3 Click the “Google Search” button STEP 4 Check that search results for cheese are shown
  • 5. What people call BDD • Conflating Scenarios !
  • 6. Given I want to expand my knowledge of all things cheese related When I search for cheese on google Then I will get lots of cheesy information Try to be more like this:
  • 7. Interviewer: So you currently work in a BDD environment, can you tell me a bit more about that? Candidate: We use cucumber! Interviewer: That’s great, what else do you do.! Candidate: Um… we use cucumber
  • 8. What people call BDD • Conflating Scenarios • Using Cucumber != BDD
  • 9. BDD uses examples in conversation to illustrate behaviour. We sometimes call those examples scenarios, but really they mean the same thing. My favourite technique for eliciting examples is just to ask for them: “Can you give me an example?” Liz Keogh
  • 11. Curiously Reported/Unintelligible Defects • Too little information / Presumed knowledge ! !
  • 12. Too little information Description: When I try to log into the site it breaks Reproduction steps: Log into the site Actual: It breaks Expected: It shouldn’t break
  • 13. Presumed Knowledge Description: Using a TGS connecting to PDB and exercising scenario Alpha12, results not saved and notifications not sent. Reproduction steps: 1. Enable all tunnels 2. Configure PDB data sources 3. Exercise scenario Alpha12 and then save results to CDC Actual: Results not saved to CDC Expected: Results should be saved to CDC and GMQ should be notified!
  • 14. Curiously Reported/Unintelligible Defects • Too little information / Presumed knowledge • You haven’t diagnosed the problem! !
  • 15. Curiously Reported/Unintelligible Defects • Too little information / Presumed knowledge • You haven’t diagnosed the problem! • Multiple defects in one ticket
  • 16. An Ideal Defect • Be clear about which Operating System / Device / Server you found the issue on! • If testing a website say which browser version you are using! • Minimal reproduction steps - if you don’t need to interact with 5 other systems first to produce the error don’t add it to the reproduction steps. • Expected/Actual - explain what you think should happen, and what actually happens (you may be wrong, but its the starting point for a conversation). • Add relevant attachments, e.g. screenshots, logs, etc. ! Finally we should always endeavour to make the reproduction steps simple enough that they can be followed by a 6 year old with no technical knowledge.  
  • 17. Inappropriate Automation • Rewriting dev code badly • Going through the motions, but not actually checking anything • Doing everything through the UI • Focus your tests, don’t check everything!
  • 18. Questions? Mark Collin - @Ardesco http://ardesco.lazerycode.com