Michael Bolton first highlighted the difference between testing and checking. The output of checks are binary results (true/false, on/off, black/white). Checks can be executed by humans or automatically by machines. The output of testing is questions, facts and information. Tests can only be executed by humans. Unfortunately, a lot of people continue to use these words interchangeably which can lead to confusion and mistakes. To become better testers, I believe we need to start with the basics; our vocabulary. Continue reading →