I have come across several interesting testing mnemonics on MoT and elsewhere, and I have even created a few of my own.
However, I still struggle to apply them effectively in real testing work.
Do any of you use mnemonics in practice? If so, how do you integrate them into your actual testing process?
My old Quality Director was a big fan of SFDIPOT and we used it for test strategy. I’ve deliberately made this unreadable but in the mind map we had Structure, Function, Data, Interfaces, Platform, Operations and Time then branched from that.
Also I use STRIDE for threat modelling which to me is a testing practice ![]()
However generally I’m pretty rubbish at remembering mnemonics so I don’t really find them super useful. I had to Google what SFDIPOT meant (although back at my work I had templates to save me remembering). Having the MoT heuristics cheat sheet on hand is really useful with them in it, but in truth it is a heuristic that is useful… not being a mnemonic as my brain is rubbish.
i use “I Should Remember Client Server” to keep remembering the API error codes
1xx Information
2xx Success
3xx Redirection
4xx Client errors
5xx Server errors
Re: using mnemonics in practice. I think it comes down to how you generate your test ideas/cases. If you go straight into using a test case mgmt tool - you might find your self restricted.
But as @oxygenaddict stated - the use of mindmaps and other tools enables you to explore in different ways before committing to using a TCM tool. They can be set up in whatever framework works for you.
A mnemonic I use is SCARI. It helps me ask questions at both a widescale and narrow focus to help me determine the level of testing needed
- Scope - what, why, why now etc
- Complexity - using the Cynefin framework to gauge the level of complexity you are dealing with
- Assumptions - we think… it should… What claims are being made?
- Risks - risks to existing processes; technical risks; delivery risks etc
- Impacts - downstream and upstream
