There's a kids show that I watch with my sons every now and then called Kim Possible. It's a smart, unoffending show that empowers youth to face their fears and foes in a creative and humourous way.
There was one episode where a villain (Sr. Senior, Jr.) was getting trained by another more-experienced villain (Shego, pronounced "She Go"). Shego started her lesson by asking Junior what's the first thing that every villain needs. The response got me to thinking about how I might answer that question if I were in a similar situation.
What are the "basic tools of the trade" for a Software Tester?
I think that in our case, we need to:
- Arm/prepare ourselves with Testing Techniques that uncover bugs
- Be able to effectively communicate our findings and testing information
- Be able to identify Risks.
What else? I think those 3 are the most basic, and they don't cover things like attitude, motivation, or the ability to deal with stressful situations. You'd think that a Villain wouldn't ask for training in those, and I don't think a Tester would either.
I'd be curious to know if there are any additional "basic tools of the trade" that I've left out from my short list above. I tend to lean towards the "softer skills" during interviews and when assessing potential testers, but I'm not sure which one(s) are worth identifying as "Basic Tools". Many of the ones that I've been exploring are not "basic" -- they are more "intermediate" or "advanced."
Shego: "The second thing that every villain needs is a Plan."
Good advice. =)
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