Thursday, February 9, 2017

Gorilla Suit Testing

When I hear talk of testing in terms of requirements, I think of the Gorilla Experiment, which is cited in pretty much every book I've read in the past ten years.


Counting the passes is testing the requirements. Which are indeed important. According to the video's instructions, you had one job, so yeah, you'd better get that right.

But our customers aren't getting a copy of the requirements.  All they see is the video without the instructions, as an analogy.  And when you're not focused on the requirements, gorilla-level issues are pretty obvious.

So, you have to test your product with multiple goals and using various levels of magnification.  Once you've counted the basketballs, watch the video again and take in the big picture with no particular goals, just letting the gorillas make themselves seen.  Watch it again and see if there's anything weird going on with the team wearing black.  Watch it again, why are they in a garage in front of elevators?  Why are there S's on the wall?  Does the basketball ever change into a beach ball?

Once you've tested your requirements, congratulations, but your job is not yet finished.




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