This document discusses the debate around software testing - whether or not it is worthwhile for companies, especially startups, to implement testing practices. It acknowledges both benefits of testing like improved quality and reduced bugs, as well as challenges like increased time and costs. The document provides examples of how to effectively sell the value of testing to customers and overcome objections. It emphasizes that testing leads to more maintainable code and helps avoid technical debt.

1. to test, or not to test?

2. to test, or not to test?
this is the problem

3. Matteo Papadopoulos
@spleenteo || @teamcantiere

4. SMALL STARTUPS
!
BIG STRATUPS
!
ENTERPRISE

5. SMALL STARTUPS
!
BIG STRATUPS
!
ENTERPRISE
} QUALITY

6. } QUALITY = TEST

7. } QUALITY = TEST {
UNIT
!
INTEGRATION
!
TDD
!
BDD

8. TEST
UNIT TEST
the smallest testable part of an application

9. TEST
INTEGRATION TEST
software modules are combined
and tested as a group

10. TEST
TEST DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT
RED » GREEN » REFACTOR

11. TEST
BEHAVIOUR DRIVEN
DEVELOPMENT
What and how should I test?

12. SALES APPROACH
a customer should know about testing?

13. a customer should know about testing?
NO?

14. NO DISCUSSION
=
NO PROBLEM
=
NO TIME/BUDGET
=
NO TESTS
!
!
YO!
NO?

15. a customer should know about testing?
YES?

16. TDDBDD?

17. TEST SUITE

18. YES?
skepticism, fear, disgust

19. YES? TESTS BRING VALUE
!
TO THE CLIENT
!
TO THE DEVS
!
TO THE PROJECT

20. YES! a customer should know about testing?

21. HOW WE SOLD TESTS
and we did it several times!

22. HOW WE SOLD TESTS
TRAINING!
TRAINING!
TRAINING!

23. HOW WE SOLD TESTS
QUALITY!
QUALITY!
QUALITY!
inner quality and external quality

25. HOW WE SOLD TESTS
FULLY TESTED 95%

26. HOW WE SOLD TESTS
FULLY TESTED CODE
bugs reduced by an
order of magnitude :)

27. HOW WE SOLD TESTS
FULLY TESTED CODE
no more regressions!

28. HOW WE SOLD TESTS
FULLY TESTED CODE
maintainable code

29. time
cost per change
without test
with test
FULLY TESTED CODE

30. HOW WE SOLD TESTS
FULLY TESTED CODE
live documentation
essential in many scenarios
• Team growth
• Replacing us
• Building your own team

31. ?
to test, or not to test?
whtehrise is the problem

32. PROBLEMS?
behind the scenes of testing

33. PROBLEMS ABOUT TESTING
TESTS ARE SPECS
(and clients never know what they want!)

34. PROBLEMS ABOUT TESTING
DEVS NEED TIME TO
GET USED TO TDD

35. PROBLEMS ABOUT TESTING
WRITING GOOD TESTS
AIN'T SO TRIVIAL

36. PROBLEMS ABOUT TESTING
CRIMINAL
OVER-ENGINEERING
too much generalization

37. PROBLEMS ABOUT TESTING
DOUBLE
MANTAINANCE
the app & the test suite

38. PROBLEMS ABOUT TESTING
DOUBLE
SIZE
2:1 test to code ratio

39. PROBLEMS ABOUT TESTING
DOUBLE STARTUP
BUDGET

40. WHAT HAVE
WE LEARNED?
and keep trying!

41. WHAT WE LEARNED
ASK 2 BASIC
QUESTIONS

42. WHAT WE LEARNED
code with no test is legacy code
COULD THE APP BE
CHANGED WITHIN
FEW MONTHS?

43. WHAT WE LEARNED
DO YOU REALLY
WANT A FULL
BUG FREE APP?

44. WHAT WE LEARNED
HIRE EXPERTS
or learn with small projects

45. WHAT WE LEARNED
SEND REPORTS
customers need to know

46. WHAT WE LEARNED
BE RESOLUTE
you know the values, they don't

47. "...Whether ’tis nobler in the mind
to suffer, The slings and arrows of
outrageous fortune [code], Or to
take arms against a sea of
troubles [bugs], And by opposing
[testing] end them?
For who would bear the whips
and scorns of time"
Please forgive me, William (and all of you!)

48. let's talk about it!
Matteo Papadopoulos
@spleenteo || @teamcantiere