GTAC 2011: Opening Keynote Address - Test is Dead

6th Annual Google Test Automation Conference 2011 (GTAC 2011)
"Cloudy With A Chance Of Tests"
Computer History Museum
Mountain View, CA USA
October 26-27, 2011

Opening Keynote: Test is Dead
Presented by Alberto Savoia

ABSTRACT

The way most software is designed, developed, and launched has changed dramatically over the last decade -- but what about testing? Alberto Savoia believes that software testing as we knew it is dead -- or at least moribund -- in which case we should stick a fork in it and proactively take it out of its misery for good. In this opening keynote of biblical scope, Alberto will cast stones at the old test-mentality and will try his darnedest to agitate you and convince you that these days most testers should follow a new test-mentality, one which includes shifting their focus and priority from "Are we building it right?" to "Are we building the right it?" The subtitle of this year's GTAC is "cloudy with a chance of tests," and if anyone can gather the clouds into a hurricane, it's Alberto -- it might be wise to bring your umbrella.

Alberto Savoia is Director of Engineering and Innovation Agitator at Google. In addition to leading several major product development efforts (including the launch of Google AdWords), Alberto has been a lifelong believer, champion, innovator and entrepreneur in the area of developer testing and test automation tools. He is a frequent keynote speaker and the author of many articles on testing, including the classic booklet "The Way of Testivus" and "Beautiful Tests" in O'Reilly's Beautiful Code. His work in software development tools has won him several awards including the 2005 Wall Street Journal Technical Innovator Award, InfoWorld's Technology of the Year award, and no fewer than four Software Development Magazine Jolt Awards.

• Category

  Science & Technology

[Marcus Hammarberg]

Thank you for this! Shifted my mind!

[Lokesh Pathrabe]

I really liked the presentation but not for the content. As a tester I felt bad after watching the presentation. For those who felt the same go through this presentation

Gtac 2011 the lateset google test tool

You would feel better

[uptightkid]

Quote: "We are becoming more sloppy and users are becoming more forgiving".

I think that comment speaks for itself.



[uptightkid]

Wow....it seems this guy has a very narrow view of testing. Just because an approach works in on context does not mean it will work in other contexts.

Let me be frank here.....Google have great services but what is the impact if they fail? I'm sure people would be upset if Google Mail or Maps was off line for 24 hours but there is minimal impact to business.

Just try building a pay roll or control system without testing....your failure will be spectacular and expensive.

[Kodidika K]

Useless talk. The speaker proves he does not take testing seriously even before he starts his talk (by using that stupid costume, trashing their own conference and quoting philosophers and scriptures for no apparent value add)

He then talks about "idea bugs" which really have nothing to do with testing. Are you saying the test engineer at web van should have gone to the CEO and said : "this is not going to work guys!".... Whole talk is big load of you know what

[glutz78]

the discussion about failing fast applies everywhere. from bloomberg to twitter. vet your dumb ideas before you invest 7 figures in them.

[Lames Whittaker]

There is absolutely nothing new or valuable in the whole talk. Shifting testing from manufacture to customer may be a business decision but how did it justify a technical talk? What is the new technology/idea/logic here?

[Lames Whittaker]

"There will be no years of delay. Drugs are on the market right way… (and at the end of the speech) so are we still friends?"

[Lames Whittaker]

"Who needs costly clinical trial anyway? It will slow us down much worse than test slows down software release. Drugs are all poisons. Who says the scientists cannot trial the drugs on themselves. Actually they are best ones to do it since they know the drug the best. After that we just sell the new drug to human users whose reaction data are the best trial and free. And if something goes wrong, we can simply fail the drug fast or fix the users with even more new drugs. Big deal!" ...

[Lames Whittaker]

A Big Pharm executive recently gave a game changing keynote speak at Pharmwest Clinical Trial Conference. The title was "Clinical Trial is dead". "Hi everyone! My name is Lames Whittaker and I have been a professor specialized in clinical trial from 96 to 04 and then a clinical trial director from 2005 to 2011. But I don't have much good news about career in clinical trial for you guys...."