RCRCRC at scale

Chapter 9 introduced the idea of RCRCRC – of finding test ideas in recent changes, core functionality, risky elements, configuration, recent repairs, and chronic problematic areas. It’s easy enough to rattle off the letters RCRCRC and make it sound like a test strategy. With five people, you might get a flip chart, draw a bubble diagram of features, make a list, and spend a day testing. This isn’t scientific as much as heuristic. Heuristics are fallible methods for solving a problem. A simple real-life heuristic might be to shut the doors when the temperature is warmer outside and open them when it is cooler. This works in the summer for a house without air conditioning, at least so long as it doesn’t rain. The informal list the team makes before release might not be backed by a database, but it is quick, easy, valuable, and provides more differentiated coverage than we would get spending a day following some pre-planned process.

Then...