On Wed, Jun 11, 2008 at 8:54 AM, heusserm <matt.heusser@...> wrote:

> Basically, if a tester joined this list, he'd get peeved that you guys
> don't know what "unit test" means, or that you are using "integration
> test" the wrong way -- stuff that really doesn't matter. But by
> having overlapping terminology, we create barriers to real
> communication. Another barrier is the Dev/Testers obsession with
> automation, when many testers view the process as an exploratory and
> learning one, which may use automation to help, but defies
> _comprehensive_ automation.
>

Matt...

These are two points I set out to explicitly address in the materials
Industrial Logic uses to teach TDD.

We call XP's unit tests "microtests", at least in part to sidestep the
tedious and error-prone business of constantly explaining how XP's
unit tests are quite unlike the testing world's unit tests.

As for comprehensive automation, with respect to microtesting, our
material teaches from a different stance than most. We take the
position that the real benefit of extensive microtest-driven
development isn't higher quality at all. Higher quality is a side
effect of TDD. Rather, the benefit and real purpose of TDD as we
teach it is sheer productivity: more function faster. Once having
taken this surprising stance, which grew primarily out of my own
personal experience as a TDD'er, it's remarkable how many of the
traditional arguments/gray areas/theory-driven discussions tend to
resolve themselves.

We've found this to be a very successful way to explain and teach TDD,
and from a more theoretical perspective, a more deeply satisfying
framework for decision-making.

Even if one doesn't buy my case that microtesting is really about
productivity, not quality, I'd love to add more folks to the list of
those who call XP's small xUnit-based tests "microtests" and the
business of writing them "microtesting", and the deep discipline of
writing them first "microtest driven development". Any takers?

Hill
Bring your team to speed on Microtest Driven Development, quick:
<http://www.industriallogic.com/elearning>