- James Bach,
satisfice.com/blog/archives/462
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Heuristic
- A heuristic is a fallible method of solving a problem or making a decision. - Cem Kaner & James Bach
- Excellent Testing requires skilll, heuristic gives structure to that skill.
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Heuristics help access our skills under pressure.
- It does not replace skill
- It makes skill people more productive !
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Real world example: Hammer
- A Hammer cannot guarantee a solution
- Hammer may be critical to skilled carpenter
- Hammer may be of little use to an unskilled
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Critical Information
- How hard to pound
- When to stop pounding?
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Issues with Heuristics
- It only "helps" you solve a problem without being a "guarantee"
- It must be applied "sapiently" i.e. with skill and care !
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Wisdom on Methodology & Heuristics
- Fundamentally, “methodology” can’t control projects.
- Talking about methods, enshrining methods, is only sensible if humans are left in charge !
- The heuristic nature of engineering is the reason why a “best practice” is an absurdity.
- Seek not the perfect practice.
Seek instead to practice your skills.
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Points to check when someone teaches us a way to solve a problem?
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Do they teach you
- how to tell if it’s working?
- how to tell if it’s going wrong?
- heuristics for stopping?
- heuristics for knowing when to apply it?
- alternative heuristics?
- why it works?
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Do they help you
- understand when it probably works best?
- know how to re-design it, if needed?
- own it?
- practice it?
- Do they tell stories about how it has failed?
- Do they listen to you when you question or challenge it?
- Do they praise you for questioning and challenging it?