Rachelle Rood

Quality assurance (QA) is an essential part of software development. It helps ensure that newly developed software actually does what it’s intended to. This seems like a deceptively easy task at first, but testing is, in truth, a skilled art-form. In this book, Rachelle Rood and Jessica Parker attempt to orient those just entering the field how to approach their work. They break down complex topics while pointing practitioners how to add value to software efforts. Their words simultaneously attempt to enhance skill, quality, and efficiency.

There is a lack of a good books about QA. I know because I’m a developer who mostly does his own QA and I’ve looked for them. Most books in the field describe a complex mix of procedures and documentation that, honestly, seem more work than they’re worth. Perhaps that’s because I’m a developer.

This book taught me that the goal of QA is to reduce risk. This ties QA to the business justification and to the ultimate goal measuring its value. It also shies away from advocating that more documentation is better. The ultimate goal is better software, not larger documentation.

Despite containing some good nuggets, this book is poorly produced. It could use significant critical editing. Quotes are sometimes inaccurately transcribed, and the style seems a bit clunky. It reminds me more of a company manual than a trend-setting work for an industry. That’s unfortunate because we really need a good introduction to QA in software. Lamentably, I believe this book is not it.… (plus d'informations)