“Wiki” (WWWWWH/KE) requirements testing mnemonic

This is an edited extract from the post “Dice Game: Key life skills for testers“.   This extract has been separated for reference in Lynn McKee’s “Testing Mnemonics” which is an extensive list of testing mnemonics created by members of our testing community.

In my role as a tester I’m often required to, or asked to provide feedback on the initial scope of a project be that one I’m responsible for or not.

Analysing requirement documentation requires you to really focus, and from over focusing you can sometimes miss potential issues.  That’s why using a mnemonic is often a good idea to trigger thought and provide more rapid feedback.

I use a simple mnemonic to test requirements “WWWWWH/KE”.  I remember it because it sounds like “wiki”

This stands for who, what, when, where, why & how combined with my knowledge and experience.

  • Who is this for?
  • What is this for?
  • When & by whom is it to be done?
  • Where is it being done? (Location code/team)
  • Why is it being done? (What problem does it solve?)
  • How is it being achieved?
  • What questions does my knowledge of this or related products/systems produce?
  • What questions does my experience of this or other related products/systems produce?

Obviously knowledge & experience are closely related & our experience might drive more passionate feedback due to direct interactions.  All of these obviously have one thing in common.  They provoke thoughts and lead off into sub questions of their own.  This allows me to quickly focus and defocus on what’s important & provide useful feedback rapidly.

Related posts:

  1. The power of Claims Testing
  2. Proactive testing: Tips from Michael Bolton