con·trar·i·an
[kuh
n-trair-ee-uhn]
noun
a person who takes an opposing view, especially one who rejectsthe majority opinion
[dictionary.com]
[dictionary.com]
'But' is the contrarian word in the English language. No matter what has come before, you know that once you hear 'but', you are about to hear an opposing view. And that opposing view is even more important than the original view that it stands in opposition to.
I recognize the power of 'but' because I have a wide streak of contrarianism. I don't accept ideas, I wrestle with them. If Jacob got a cool new name by wrestling with God, I always feel like I should get a cool new name when I wrestle with an idea. I recognize this streak in others as well. Have you ever had a discussion with someone where it seemed that no matter what you said, their response was to find some point to challenge or some nit to pick? Bingo, contrarian. Progress results from contrarians. They make ideas stronger, more resilient.
Testers are contrarians. We get paid for it. When a developer says "this works," we say "but what about?" This process of applied contrarianism makes software better. It hardens the software, makes it more resilient. Without contrarians on the team, the software would never reach its full potential.
But (there's that word), if you love your children and want them to grow up happy and socially well adjusted, don't let them be contrarians. Teach them the word 'and' instead. 'And' is the ultimate social word. 'And' allows us to work together in harmony to construct a shared idea. So remember to teach your children, don't be a 'but' be an 'and' instead.
As a contrarian, I ask: Are you saying that with testing, a product does reach its full potential? That sounds like "complete testing" to me.
ReplyDeleteDo they make the software better? Indirectly, yes--but not directly. They help others with their responsibilities in developing and delivering a product with various qualities at a "good enough" level. One of those qualities is usually timely delivery.
I do like the idea of the softer "and" versus "but". We're there to help the developers do a good job, and working with them well is an important skill worth developing. What other social and relationship skills have been helpful to you?
I find that asking developers what kinds of quality they're interested in is a great way to start conversations. Also, referring to software qualities in the plural helps teach by implication, that there are many kinds of values that make up the word "quality".