Re: Test first as specification


On Sun, 31 Jul 2005 15:10:49 GMT, Roger L. Cauvin <roger@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

"Robert C. Martin" <unclebob@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:vf0dd1tp1evjjmm3b5a2t16g3efuck2d0e@xxxxxxxxxx


You should specify the requirements in terms of automated
acceptance tests (e.g. take a look at fitnesse.org). The
developers (in india) should write the unit tests, and make
all the tests pass.

Just a bit of an off-topic quibble. While I cannot disagree with the notion
of acceptance tests as specifications, sometimes they are not, and cannot
be, exactly equivalent to requirements. For details, see:

http://cauvin.blogspot.com/2005/07/should-all-requirements-be-testable.html


Just to add another sub discussion to this ....

My own personal favourite counter-example for specfication by tests
is a programming language.

However this is an extreme example and most business IT systems are
more linear in nature and thus ameanable to specification by test.

Paul C.
.