In sum: compared to doing exploratory testing and TDD right, the testing we’re talking about has modest value. Right now, the cost is more than modest, to the point where I question whether a lot of projects are really getting adequate ROI. I see projects pouring resources into functional testing not because they really value it but more because they know they should value it.
This is strikingly similar to, well, the way that automated testing worked in the pre-Agile era: most often a triumph of hope over experience. - From his
latest blog postBrian is co-organizing the
second Agile Functional Test tool workshop in early August, the day before the Agile 2008 . Instead of increasing the value of automated functional testing, he is interested in techniques to decrease the cost.
-- And
they aren't full up yet. If you can't get to tech debt because you're going to Agile 2008 -- you might want to consider going a day early and making this workshop.