The Reality Distortion Field of Testing

The reality distortion field (RDF) is a term coined by Bud Tribble at Apple Computers in 1981 to describe Steve Job's charisma and its effect on the developers working on the Macintosh project. The RDF was said to be Steve Job's ability to convince himself and others to believe almost anything with a mix of charm, bravado, marketing, appeasement, and persistence. The RDF warps an audience's sense of proportion for difficulties and makes them believe that any task is possible. When it comes to testing, we have this RDF all around us, with managers saying things like, "We can and should automate everything," "We can be much more effective and productive when we work on multiple projects," "We need to provide lots of evidence to demonstrate the thoroughness of our testing," "Testers need to become developers," and so forth. If we say things for long enough and with enough passion, we convince ourselves and, eventually, other people—even when indicators prove differently. There is a thin dividing line between having a vision and being deluded. Join Lloyd Roden as he challenges what we believe to be right for us and encourages us to be able to think for ourselves. You'll learn to discern what is needed for you to be successful.