We are all familiar with optical illusions: we see something that turns out to be not as it first appears. Isn’t it strange that some part of our mind knows that another part of our mind is being deceived?

However, we are subject to self-deception in technical areas as well: these are cognitive illusions. This presentation explores some of the ways in which we deceive ourselves and why we do it. Examples are taken from the way Inspection is often practiced, testing issues, attitudes toward complexity, and the way in which “groupthink” can influence technical decisions.

There are a number of ways in which we “turn a blind eye” to issues which are vitally important such as quality and planning. Addressing these issues may help to explain why measurement programmes often fail, why post-project reviews are seldom done, what causes anxiety for developers, managers and testers, and how to counteract a blame culture.

How our mind plays tricks on us: self-deception

What is visible and not visible: turning a “blind eye”

Blame culture: what causes anxiety for developers, testers and managers, and the effects

Dorothy has worked in software testing for over 30 years. Originally from the US, her first job was developing testing tools for Bell Labs in New Jersey. After emigrating to the UK, she worked as a developer for Ferranti Computer Systems in Manchester for 7 years. She developed training courses in software engineering for the National Computing Centre before becoming an independent consultant specialising in software testing. She founded Grove Consultants in 1988. During her 20 years with them, Grove gained a reputation for the high quality of their training materials and presentations, and established a world-wide client base. In 2008 she left Grove to work again as an independent consultant.

She is co-author of three books. Software Inspection with Tom Gilb, Software Test Automation with Mark Fewster and Foundations of Software Testing with Erik Van Veenendaal, Isabel Evans and Rex Black.

Dorothy is Programme Chair for EuroSTAR 2009 and was Programme Chair for the first EuroStar conference in 1993. She also organised the speakers for the BCS SIGIST for its first 7 years. She has been on the boards of conferences and publications in software testing.

She was a founder member of the ISEB Software Testing Board, and was a member of the working party that developed the ISTQB Foundation Syllabus.

Dorothy is a popular and entertaining speaker at conferences and events world-wide. She was awarded the European Software Testing Excellence Award in 1999.

Her favourite hobby is singing, and she belongs to a number of choirs and small groups