Recent events, like the global tech “Blue screen” outage on July 19, 2024 remind us that there are consequences to buggy software!
The event generated massive news and cost billions of dollars including physical disruptions:
Crashed 8.5 million machines around the world
This disruption affected countless sectors including banking, hospitality, manufacturing, retail, aviation and many others.
Cost Fortune 500 companies about $5.4 billion in damages, according to insurance company Parametrix.
The media reported that the issue was related to a company “CrowdStrike” who in turn, blamed their testing software.
What measures can testers take to prevent such issues?
Simple answer: “Test, Test, Test…..and Test!”
Thorough testing of any new features, including local developer testing, content update and rollback testing, stress testing, stability testing and more. In practice, major testing proportions should be completed manually as well as incorporation manual reviews for critical updates.
Using realistic test data and covering diverse scenarios, including edge cases, is essential. Testers should deeply understand validation tools, perform manual spot checks, and conduct peer reviews. Regular audits of test configurations and robust change management are vital.
A well balanced testing system ensures accuracy, reliability, efficiency, risk mitigation, and consistency, improving the quality and reliability of the product.
Why is a balanced testing system so crucial?
Complex SoftwareToday’s software is complex, with many moving parts. Automated tests are good for routine checks but might miss unexpected issues.
InsightHuman testers can think creatively and spot issues that automated systems might miss. Humans do human things!
Evolving threatsThe cybersecurity landscape changes rapidly which in turn creates situations where automated tests do not catch the threat.
ValidationAutomated tests simply carry out programmed instructions with any deviation or interpretation, humans are needed to validate the script and results. Manual checking and oversight of automated test scripts and results is mandatory in our opinion.
Real-WorldLet's face it, humans do unexpected things. This is a good thing when it comes to testing as automation may not fully capture how users actually interact with software.
Oversight Overall oversight still remains the task of a human which in our opinion will never change
Conclusion
This worldwide “Blue screen” outage serves as a stark reminder of the critical role manual testing plays in ensuring the reliability and security of complex software systems and that automation testing is not by any means infallible.
Human testers are needed to bring invaluable oversight, creativity, insight, and adaptability to the table, capable of identifying problems that automated systems will overlook.
At Zamaqo we strive to maintain a good balance and combine rigorous automated testing with thorough human review and oversight.
We believe this is our only way forward!.
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