How many bugs have you missed that were obvious to others? We all approach testing hampered by our own biases. Understanding our biases—preconceived notions and the ability to focus our attention—is key to effective test design, test execution, and defect detection. Gerie Owen and Peter Varhol share an understanding of how the testers’ mindsets and cognitive biases influence their testing. Using principles from the social sciences, Gerie and Peter demonstrate that you aren’t as smart as you think you are. They show how to use knowledge of biases—Inattentional Blindness, Representative Bias, the Curse of Knowledge, and others—not only to understand the impact of cognitive bias on testing but also to improve your individual and test team results. Finally, Gerie and Peter provide tips for managing your biases and focusing your attention in the right places throughout the test process so you won’t miss that obvious bug.
Peter Varhol
Telerik
A testing evangelist at Telerik, Peter Varhol is a writer and speaker on software development and quality topics. Peter has authored dozens of articles on software tools and techniques for building applications, and has given conference presentations and webcasts on a variety of topics—user-centered design, integrating testing into agile development, and building the right software in an era of changing requirements. He has held key roles on engineering teams that have produced award-winning, quality tools such as BoundsChecker and SoftICE. Peter’s past roles include technology journalist, software product manager, software developer, and university professor.
Speaker Presentations
Tuesday, April 8, 2014 - 2:00pm
Special Topics
How Did I Miss That Bug? Managing Cognitive Bias in Testing
NEW