Test design technique: Funday Monday
In Short:
Pose an arbitrary rule for using the product and then try to go through the main scenarios. The goal is to learn more about the product, using the extreme situations to get ideas for normal operations.
In Long:
Pose an arbitrary rule for using the product that limits the usage in an extreme and/or fun way. For example:
- You can only use right mouse button
- You must always double-click
- You must always cancel your changes once before you are allowed to save them
- You are only allowed to use dial-up speed of network. (limit the network link to 56 kbps)
Then try to go through the main usage scenarios. Investigate if you can work around the problems with the rule. Play around with the product. Learn what it can do in these circumstances.
To boost the ‘fun’ – pair up, pose the rule for each other and share the results.
The goal:
The goal is to learn more about the product and how it can be operated and used. Using these extreme situations will give you ideas for testing under normal conditions. Trying to imagine new rules prompts you to think about different ways to test. And any bugs that are found are a bonus.
And to have fun.
The history:
I did not invent the idea. I only put it into testing context. The idea comes from Day[9]. More info on him from Testers Tower Live, Episode 1.
