The Professional Tester’s Manifesto

I, as a professional software tester, believe:

That standards compliance is no substitute for knowledge and skills, and that possessing a certificate demonstrates neither.

That companies have been convinced that only certified testers should be hired.

That organizations who use certification as a surrogate for rigorous selection processes place the quality of their testing at risk.

That organizations who make money from creating or promoting standards and certifications are biased in their thinking by the potential financial rewards of convincing organizations that only certified testers are professional testers. Those organizations may include those who sell training, consulting or other related services.

That testing benefits from diversity and not homogeneity: that testing is not a profession that can be standardized but instead needs to remain an intellectual professional activity.

That choosing not to be certified does not mean I do not take my profession seriously. It is because I take my profession seriously that I choose not to be certified.

Sandro Ibig

The Professional Tester’s Manifesto