  As software systems are becoming more pervasive, they are also becoming more
susceptible to failures, resulting in potentially lethal combinations. Software
test-ing is critical to preventing software failures but is, arguably, the
least understood part of the software life cycle and the toughest to perform
correctly. Adequate re-search has been carried out in both the process and
technology dimensions of testing, but not in the human dimensions. This work
attempts to fill in the gap by exploring the human dimension, i.e., trying to
understand the motivation/de-motivation of software practitioners to take up
and sustain testing careers. One hundred and forty four software practitioners
from several Cuban software insti-tutes were surveyed. Individuals were asked
the PROs (advantages or motiva-tors) and CONs (disadvantages or de-motivators)
of taking up a career in soft-ware testing and their chances of doing so. The
results of this investigation identi-fied 9 main PROs and 8 main CONs for
taking up a testing career showing that the role of tester is perceived as a
social role.
