What do you think?
Rate this book
Taking Testing Seriously: The Rapid Software Testing Approach
Elevate your software testing approach with a methodology from industry leaders who dedicated their careers to studying, practicing, and teaching the craft of testing.
Dive into the world of expert software testing with Taking Testing The Rapid Software Testing Approach. This book arms software professionals with the knowledge required to master the Rapid Software Testing (RST) methodology. Written by two co-creators of the RST approach and supplemented by material from respected testers who offer valuable insights, it is an essential read for anyone seeking excellence in the craft of testing.
Taking Testing Seriously offers a rich exploration of the RST methodology through insightful interviews, expert discussions, practical case studies, and real-world examples. It thoroughly covers key topics such as the psychology of testing, the science behind it, the fundamental processes and heuristics of test design, and much more. This book provides concrete strategies for addressing common software testing challenges and integrating new solutions with existing systems.
You
Gain insights from experienced software testers through in-depth interviews and expert advice Learn how to the skills of testing are needed more than ever in an AI-powered IT industry Discover strategies to leverage the latest automation technologies to refine and expedite your testing processes Escape from the echo chamber of “best practices” and learn to think critically about testing Focusing on the mindset and skillset of excellent testing, Taking Testing Seriously is a must-have resource for software engineers and technical leaders eager to improve their testing proficiency. Whether you are looking to advance your career or simply want to ensure your next project meets the highest standards of quality, this book provides the tools you need. Order your copy today and start transforming the way you and your team approach software testing.
Dive into the world of expert software testing with Taking Testing The Rapid Software Testing Approach. This book arms software professionals with the knowledge required to master the Rapid Software Testing (RST) methodology. Written by two co-creators of the RST approach and supplemented by material from respected testers who offer valuable insights, it is an essential read for anyone seeking excellence in the craft of testing.
Taking Testing Seriously offers a rich exploration of the RST methodology through insightful interviews, expert discussions, practical case studies, and real-world examples. It thoroughly covers key topics such as the psychology of testing, the science behind it, the fundamental processes and heuristics of test design, and much more. This book provides concrete strategies for addressing common software testing challenges and integrating new solutions with existing systems.
You
Gain insights from experienced software testers through in-depth interviews and expert advice Learn how to the skills of testing are needed more than ever in an AI-powered IT industry Discover strategies to leverage the latest automation technologies to refine and expedite your testing processes Escape from the echo chamber of “best practices” and learn to think critically about testing Focusing on the mindset and skillset of excellent testing, Taking Testing Seriously is a must-have resource for software engineers and technical leaders eager to improve their testing proficiency. Whether you are looking to advance your career or simply want to ensure your next project meets the highest standards of quality, this book provides the tools you need. Order your copy today and start transforming the way you and your team approach software testing.
560 pages, Hardcover
Published November 10, 2025
30 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 3, 2025
❓ Why you should read "Taking Testing Seriously” (if you are software tester, software developer, manager)
1️⃣ It’s the first book about the approach the authors have taught for decades—Rapid Software Testing. The more I learned about it, the more I realized I had been practicing some parts on my own, even before I knew about RST's existence.
2️⃣ The book is full of testing terms and techniques. But you can’t skip it. Why? Because on each page, on each term, James and Michael challenge your assumptions. They are asking you: Is it really … like that? Are you sure?
That’s why I have pages of notes left after reading this book. I think I will review them many times, especially as I start practicing approaches (from today).
❓ You may ask: Is it worth reading “Taking Testing Seriously”? I can say - YES.
What exactly can you find inside:
✍ Which cultures of testing are there, and how is RST different
✍ Why testing is a difficult job and how it really differs from programming
✍ What does it really mean … to test
✍ How testing and automation are connected
✍ Which tools can help you test and experiment
✍ How to create a test strategy that really works
✍ How to use AI in testing
✍ How to talk about testing with other people so they WILL LISTEN
✍ What are HTSM, prospective testing, deep, and shallow testing
✍ Tips to apply RST in usability, testability, and signal-based testing
And much more! Including real-world stories from other testers and how they applied RST at work. It is fascinating to read. 🙄
👉 Read this book if you care about testing as a career, as a craft, as a profession.
👉 Read this book to understand that testing is not only about automation and tools.
👉 Read this book if you want to upgrade your knowledge of testing to a deeper level.
💡 P.S. It’s ok to challenge assumptions about RST terms and approaches from the book. By the way, the authors even encourage you to do precisely this. Because that's how the industry is moving forward.
💡 P.P.S. This book is a great choice for a testing book club 🙂
1️⃣ It’s the first book about the approach the authors have taught for decades—Rapid Software Testing. The more I learned about it, the more I realized I had been practicing some parts on my own, even before I knew about RST's existence.
2️⃣ The book is full of testing terms and techniques. But you can’t skip it. Why? Because on each page, on each term, James and Michael challenge your assumptions. They are asking you: Is it really … like that? Are you sure?
That’s why I have pages of notes left after reading this book. I think I will review them many times, especially as I start practicing approaches (from today).
❓ You may ask: Is it worth reading “Taking Testing Seriously”? I can say - YES.
What exactly can you find inside:
✍ Which cultures of testing are there, and how is RST different
✍ Why testing is a difficult job and how it really differs from programming
✍ What does it really mean … to test
✍ How testing and automation are connected
✍ Which tools can help you test and experiment
✍ How to create a test strategy that really works
✍ How to use AI in testing
✍ How to talk about testing with other people so they WILL LISTEN
✍ What are HTSM, prospective testing, deep, and shallow testing
✍ Tips to apply RST in usability, testability, and signal-based testing
And much more! Including real-world stories from other testers and how they applied RST at work. It is fascinating to read. 🙄
👉 Read this book if you care about testing as a career, as a craft, as a profession.
👉 Read this book to understand that testing is not only about automation and tools.
👉 Read this book if you want to upgrade your knowledge of testing to a deeper level.
💡 P.S. It’s ok to challenge assumptions about RST terms and approaches from the book. By the way, the authors even encourage you to do precisely this. Because that's how the industry is moving forward.
💡 P.P.S. This book is a great choice for a testing book club 🙂
December 11, 2025
The 'Blue Screen of Death' now is available in paperback.
To read "Taking Testing Seriously" is to accept that perfection is a lie sold to us by Project Managers who have never seen a line of code in their lives. Most technical books are dry toast; this one is a shot of vodka drunk in a graveyard of failed deployments.
The "Bad" News:
This text is not a casual browse; it is an onion of despair. You peel back one layer of methodology only to find another layer of cognitive complexity underneath, and yes, it will make you cry. Mostly - not physically. To truly understand Bach and Bolton, one does not simply "read"—one must study, repeating the process like a monk scrubbing a floor that will never be clean.
The "Good" News:
There is a dark, voyeuristic pleasure in the "horror stories" included here, specifically the British Post Office scandal — a monument to human hubris that proves software doesn't just crash computers; it ruins lives. The experience reports read less like technical manuals and more like Vietnam flashbacks from workshop survivors who looked into the abyss of quality assurance and saw the abyss blink.
The sections on AI are vital. I asked an AI to summarize this book, and it just printed a picture of a sad robot eating a dictionary. That is why you need the manual. The experience reports are not words; they are hallucinations you can touch.
This encapsulated wisdom is not just "recommended." It is a mandatory penance for the sin of believing software works.
To read "Taking Testing Seriously" is to accept that perfection is a lie sold to us by Project Managers who have never seen a line of code in their lives. Most technical books are dry toast; this one is a shot of vodka drunk in a graveyard of failed deployments.
The "Bad" News:
This text is not a casual browse; it is an onion of despair. You peel back one layer of methodology only to find another layer of cognitive complexity underneath, and yes, it will make you cry. Mostly - not physically. To truly understand Bach and Bolton, one does not simply "read"—one must study, repeating the process like a monk scrubbing a floor that will never be clean.
The "Good" News:
There is a dark, voyeuristic pleasure in the "horror stories" included here, specifically the British Post Office scandal — a monument to human hubris that proves software doesn't just crash computers; it ruins lives. The experience reports read less like technical manuals and more like Vietnam flashbacks from workshop survivors who looked into the abyss of quality assurance and saw the abyss blink.
The sections on AI are vital. I asked an AI to summarize this book, and it just printed a picture of a sad robot eating a dictionary. That is why you need the manual. The experience reports are not words; they are hallucinations you can touch.
This encapsulated wisdom is not just "recommended." It is a mandatory penance for the sin of believing software works.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews