I know this is one of the weird post titles you would ever come across. But let me try to give a meaning to it at the end.
This should have been first post of this blog. Somehow, I took such a long time to draft this and publish it.
Let me briefly narrate the history of this blog. Some time back I was advised\forced by many\few that we testers need to do certifications like CSTA,CSTB,CSTC,CSTD,CSTE,ISTQA,ISTQB and many such certificates. I was also initially very happy that it would be interesting to test and get certified. I was under the impression that I would be put in the hot seat of testing some interesting applications. So I did a deep dive Google search and found many forums and CBOK for it .I was in a state of shock when I went through those syllabus full of (useless) theory, definitions and outdated contents. There is nothing to evaluate the tester’s ability to test, bug reporting or analytical skills.
Am I back to school? Reading the syllabus text book and answer the multi choice questions? I hate them because I don’t think one problem always has only one solution. There will be many solutions to any problem. All through the schools we were with multi choice questions which always have only one solution, and so we assume that all questions and problems are like that. Sorry friends that is not the reality.
When you were forced into such one solution mode, many times unconsciously you assume that problems have restrictions and boundaries, and create your own boundaries that aren’t there. Once you create boundaries your thinking and imagination would be restricted and will stop soon. I don’t want a tester who can’t think.
The other issue is I can’t raise any concerns, questions or doubts I have. This means I can’t think and I can’t question. If you stop questioning and thinking there is no progress. Questioning and thinking are very important skills to make progress in any field.
So I decide never to take any such multi choice, impractical certifications. But I have to prove myself against such certified people, so I decided that I will write my learning, experience, views, options and criticism in a blog.
I know many companies force\encourage the testers to do such certifications and even reimburse on clearing it. For all those who say “why don’t we just do it since company is paying and also it will be adding to our appraisals?”
Here is my reply
“I Can’t Nike, because I Reebok…” Oops! Still does it look weird? OK let me replace the brand names with their famous tag lines
“I Can’t Just Do It, because I am what I am. I practice, follow, try new ideas that inspire me, I don’t religiously follow useless practices just to impress others. I question them, always”
Do things that inspires you, not to impress others.
Addendum Added on April 21,2010
Further Reading Unveiling! *The Uncertifiable*
The Pragmatic Tester 
Nice post Dhanasekar & an answer for me.
I am the only one in my offie who has no QTP certification due to which I lost a good appraisal,no higher designation either. my manager’s target for me is to be certified & I am denying it…at least I can now say “I Can’t Just Do It, because I am what I am”.
Hope you don’t mind if I borrow your quote.
Cheers,
Jassi
Hi Jassi,
I would be more than happy if my quote helps. 🙂
Go head and speak out. QTP certificates are also of no use. I hate all such certificates. I always wonder does a person with real experience need such useless certificates. They are worth only if you similar to a CISCO networking certificates
Here are some other links from James Bach and Michael Bolton (I knew you follow them in twitter, but not sure if you had read those articles), that will definitely give more valid points to speak out
http://www.satisfice.com/blog/archives/36
Click to access notyetcertified.pdf
–Dhanasekar S
Nice article Dhanasekar.
My point when faced with certified testers asking for why I’m not yet certified: I challenge them for test of testing skills. 🙂
There’s always this discussion going on similar to ‘Test Cases – Good or Bad’
Regards,
Ajay Balamurugadas
True,none of these certificates test your testing skills.
Coming to Test Case if the question is it necessary or not? My answer would be it is not necessary for skilled testers.They can learn quickly and can test with simple checklists.
But when it comes to good or bad. The perspective differs. From company perspective it is good because countries like India where job hopping is common, they need a very detail test cases,so that a tester is productive from day one of joining(mean starts executing the test cases blindly). But that is bad for a testers,because most of the testers are more than happy just executing them,they don’t add any value to company or to themself just be executing them.I would blame the testers for not coming out of it.
Hmmm, I’d disagree to /some/ extent with your statements:
“Coming to Test Case if the question is it necessary or not? My answer would be it is not necessary for skilled testers.They can learn quickly and can test with simple checklists.”
Skilled testers might use the Test Cases document as a source of information.
Regards,
Ajay
Ajay,
Agree,from my experiences also Test cases are the first source of information available for any one who joins very late in the project.But i mean a skilled tester will learn even without a test case but might take a little longer. But that will pay back in terms of uncovering new bugs and new test cases.
— Dhanasekar S
Good article Dhanasekar!!!
Keep it up!!
Sanka,
so nice that you spent time on reading an article related to testing 🙂
Super!!!!! Am not certified!!!!
We are Certified as Uncertified Testers 🙂
Good one!
– A certified tester who is proud to be uncertified
Parimala Shankaraiah
Hi Pari,
Do UCTE (Uncertifying Certified Test Engineer) certification.This will Uncertify* you from all other certificates. 🙂
This certification has 60 multi choice questions.
*- need to carry UCTE every where to show that you are not certified 🙂
–DS
@Dhanasekar S,
Good post. I see that most of the testers who blog are writing about certifications opposing them. But is anyone listening or any impact that is happening ( There is some impact on those who read our blogs but how many are not aware of the blogs? Even they do not what are blogs 🙂 ]? ISTQB and other certifications are not scared of such articles because it cannot be spread to the whole world and they still they can use the certification as their cash-cow.
It is like few drops out of ocean doesn’t matter to ocean. Only when there is a big natural calamity some change can happen.
Let’s spread the news through every medium and I think that would bring at least little bit of change 🙂
Thanks,
Santhosh Shivanand Tuppad
awesome post, just a required piece of information at rite time 🙂 thanks.
Raja,
I would be more that glad if my information helps you to stand up and speak against certification
–Dhanasekar S
Hey Dhanasekar,
Really liked your points and the Tagline with respect to your title…though i am a certified Tester,I still agree with your point and appreciate your thoughts…:-)
Grt Job:-)
Great post Dhanasekar!
Thanks you bjosman,
Very nice post indeed…
One small correction.
Do you want to rephrase the quote as “I can’t just Nike because
I amReebok”?Santosh,
I do had the the same idea initially to have “I can’t just Nike because Reebok”,but that didn’t sound catchy
–Dhanasekar S
Hi Dhanasekar,
It’s a very nice post. I have cleared ISTQB foundation level and based on that i got job also after a break on 2 years but now when i tried for othres..its of no use…it was like I forgot all the things that i by hearted that time…then i felt that…testing comes inside the soul and heart..not clearing these kind of examinations…those can never test your self as a tester…and I decided not to participate any such kind of examination……I just want to remain just what I am!…..
keep writing this kind of post….
Purvee,
That is so nice that you understood the reality,also make the people around you to understand the reality.Encourage you to participate in weekendtesting (in case you are not aware of it) to learn the real testing.
–Dhanasekar S
nice post
Very nice post with best phrase..I am new in this field and learning myself and applying for jobs but since an year no success!! Therefore planning for a certification