Testers are always facing a time crunch. As part of a recent assessment, a senior manager asked, "How long should the testing really take? It takes our testers from four, five, six, to thirty (insert your number of choice here) weeks, and we need it to take less time. Why can't it take less time, and how can we tell what's going on so we know how much testing we need?" In this column, Johanna Rothman answers with a timeline. By estimating how many testing cycles will be needed, plus how long each will take, she can map out the entire testing process. From this viewpoint, she is able to pinpoint where the process can be streamlined thus reducing the time spent testing.

Why is software testing perceived as dull? How many other jobs can list "crash," "hang," and "death march" in their daily vocabularies? In this week's column, Harry Robinson encourages testers to embrace a little pride and excitement in what they do, and Harry has just the mottos for bumper stickers that announce Tester Pride. Author's note: Feel free to add your own favorite slogan in the comment section at the end!

Your test group has an abundance of data but what does it mean to developers, project managers, or senior managers? In this column, Johanna offers a solution for delivering information to all of your customers in one place, that will be as handy as your car's dashboard.

The choice of the right test techniques is critical to achieving a good return on the test investment. Some tests happen before we can even run the software. Some tests involve analyzing the structure of the system, while others involve analyzing the system's behavior. Each technique can involve special skills and particular participants, and might appropriately entail the use of tools-or not.