If you think that testing is a dull activity in which creativity has no place, think again. Introducing new and innovative techniques to your testing can help to improve the quality of results and ensure that you produce a better product.
Sources of inspiration
When considering software testing services, where should you look for creative inspiration? It is often said that there is no such thing as a completely new idea; therefore, a good place to start is with your competitors. Take a look around the development community and see what tools and methodologies are in use. This doesn’t mean you have to use them, as the creative spark might be to do something entirely different, but it is a good place to start.
It is also a good idea to keep an eye on what is happening in your organisation. If the team in the next office or on the next floor is doing things differently, ask yourself why and whether its methods might work for you.
You should also stay on top of what is happening in the wider industry. Read blogs and subscribe to RSS feeds to give you an idea of what others are up to. Networking, conferences and seminars can also be useful.
Learn from the past
When we talk about creativity, using the past as a reference might seem strange; however, none of us want to reinvent the wheel and older methods and techniques may still be applicable when using testing services such as bug finders to check your latest project.
In the same way that you shouldn’t be afraid to learn from the past, you should be open to combining ideas and methods that have worked elsewhere. Two heads are better than one, according to the proverb, and using steps from different techniques may allow you to see things in a completely new way.
You can also look at how you can expand existing ideas. What can you do with an existing technique to make it more effective? You may be able to do things in a different order or add in extra steps to make the testing more effective or thorough.
Whatever you do, it is important to remember that this is your project and needs to be completed in the way that is right for you − even if everyone else does it differently.
