Why does bad software get released?

Why does bad software get released?

Have you ever come across a piece of software that just  does not work and wonder, ‘How the heck did this get released?’

Or maybe you have actually worked on a project were you tell the powers to be that the software should not be released, but lo and behold, they go and do it anyway. I had cause to reflect on this question just recently …….. why does bad code get released?

There are of course a myriad of reasons and circumstances that lead to poor code being released, however once cause can be the company culture.

If developers are highly valued, and testers are seen of less value, then it is easy to see why the voice of the tester can go unheard and their view ignored or trodden over. 

If testers are no tsufficiently technical or unable to write a coherent and convincing report, their message can get shot down in the general debate, or considered of little value due to the poor presentation.

If the release decision is taken place behind closed doors with no opportunity for the test report to be presented and discussed then the information regarding the true

state of the software might never be made available to those making the decisions.

Of course, there may be a number of reasons why, even though the test report is fully understood, the release is still sanctioned and bad code is released.  However these tend to be few and far between

in my experience, the main reason is that the test department of one reason or another is excluded from the process.

Who do I blame?   The test department. We need to do more to ensure we are respected, valued and listened to.

The chart below takes a slightly tongue in cheek look at an all too familiar release decision tree.

Interested article, original posted by: TONY SIMMS - TEST MANAGER