In the twilight zone of testing

Sometimes you have that feeling that the time is there to make a step forward. You have the feeling there must be more. Currently I'm also at this moment. I call it my own twilight zone of testing. James Bach triggered me to write this posting due to his post: Reclaim Your Personal Method.

Over the years I got familiar with test methods like TMap and ISTQB. In the last years I started to read more on the internet what other testers can teach me. Actually I was more looking for guidelines and guides who might help me to lead me on the path I like to wander.

When looking back I think you can identify the following phases:
- Knowledge phase: a period were you gain you basic and initial knowledge
- Awareness phase: a period were you become aware you have some knowledge
- Denial phase: a period you claim your knowledge is sufficient
- Consolidation phase: a period were you keep using your gained knowledge and start playing with other ideas, methods etc in your approach
- Innovation phase: A period were you are familiar with adapting other ideas, approaches, methods and make your own method.
- Destruction phase: This might be a period which should be avoided. A period were you stop learning and adapting

In my opinion these phases don't have solid boundaries. You will move sometimes unattended in the next phase. Sometimes you might have the feeling you know you are ready to make the next step only the guiding path is missing or just that extra push. It seems to be easy to just hop over to the next phase. Only you need more: you need confidence and trust in your capabilities with the danger not to exaggerate.

Currently I feel I'm in that twilight zone, ready to make the next jump, waiting for the chance to make the jump and working on opportunities which make me feel suitable to be able to succeed in the next phase.

For that time being, I'm keep on writing on this blog and reading others work and discussing with people and when needed ask completely strangers to provide me some help.