“You work with computers, right?” Friend/Family… insert any name here…
“No, I work with people… who use computers…” Me.
“I have this problem with my laptop, it keeps doing such-and-such, what do you think is wrong? Can you take a look at it?” Again… Friend/Family… insert any name here…
“I really don’t know anything about fixing laptops, sorry,” Me.
“Is that because you work with desktops only?” Person above…
“No, I work with people…”, Me again.
“Hey, do you think you can take a look at my investment portfolio,” Friend/Family… insert any name here….
“uhhh”, Me.
“Oh, come on now, isn’t that what you guys do?”
“You mean the software we develop and test?” Me
“Yeah!”
“Just because we develop and test the software, doesn’t mean we are investment brokers…”, Me.
“Is that a no?”
Conception…
Understanding…
Questions…
Sometimes I wonder why some in management do not understand what I do when I test. Then I remember those who “know” me and still don’t understand “me” or “what I do”…
It reminds me that I cannot actually get angry at those who do not understand what I do when I test… because those I love don’t understand it either…
Over the years I have come in contact with management who doesn’t understand what testing “is”, or what “service” it provides… but how can I not continue to investigate ways to explain this to them when those I hold dear have no clue…
Answer is… I cannot… I must always remember that unless you actually do/actively participate in something… you cannot understand… and I must temper my explanations… with knowing this…
How do you explain your career to others? Do you get mad/angry… try to convince? Do you treat them like children? Draw pictures? Tell a story?
It is not easy to explain “yourself” or “what you do” to anyone… I challenge you to take pause and think of how you handle this as a tester… sometimes it can take down walls… sometimes it matters only to you…
May not be easy… but it certainly does make you think about your approach to explaining what you do… and that… is not a bad thing. Investigating this, at the very least, may remind YOU what YOU do and why YOU do it…
When not questioning your application/product under test… DO question yourself... It helps YOU learn... It is a teacher without a student loan...
2 comments:
Hi Michele,
I was thinking similar things the other day. I suggested an analogy with a word search to help, but discussing this with others over at the software testing club didn't generate much enthusiasm for the use of this kind of comparison.
What approach do you use?
Hi James,
I guess my approach is audience driven...
Who am I speaking to?
What is the context of the conversation?
Why are we having this conversation?
I have a relative who is a mortician. I asked him one time what he actually "did". He explained to me, in some detail - but not enough to make me faint. While I appreciated the information he gave me, I really still don't "understand" what he does.
For those outside of testing, they may/may not have that "aha" moment that helps them to have a better idea of what we do. We can just hope to better educate those around us who "do" inquire or "need" to know what it is we do and do not do.
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