Testing

Functional Testing is the process through which a QA verifies that something meets the requirements for its intended use. While the testing that you perform is important, it is the process of identifying what needs to be tested that is often the most valuable part of the exercise.

Common Functional Tests

The below are not THE way to perform testing, but they are some common functional tests that can serve to give you the methods that other people understand and have performed themselves.

• Cup Test - Checks for proper curing and mixing
• Soak Test - Checks that pigments cannot be dissolved out
• Stretch Test - Checks for potential tearing and delamination
• Tear Test - Checks that inclusions are fully bound into a material
• Rub Test - Checks that pigments do not rub out
• Scrape Test - Checks for potential delamination and general durability

Unreliable or Misleading Tests

These tests are not recommended as they provide unreliable results with indie toys.

• Flame Test - Identifies materials used in toys
• Turmeric Test - Checks for porosity of silicone

Identifying Needed Testing

Preparing for Functional Testing follows three steps: Define Functions -> Identify Requirements -> List Verification Methods.

1. Define functions. An indie toy might have functions like "Easy to use," "Durable," "Body Safe," or "Good for Anal."

2. Identify requirement(s) for that function to be met. "Body Safe" might give multiple requirements like "Encapsulates and contains pigments" and "Materials that touch skin are skin safe." "Good for Anal" might have the requirement "Base is 2X wider than shaft." If you struggle with figuring out how to categorize things, you may be overthinking the exercise. Requirements listing is to help you think through the possible issues, not to become a new issue of its own.

3. List the ways you can verify the requirement has been met. Sometimes direct testing is needed. An example would be the need to perform a rub test to ensure GITD powder is fully encapsulated if this is your first time using a new GITD powder. On subsequent uses you may not need or want to perform a rub test, and can instead verify simply that you used the same technique and materials you previously proved met the requirement. When direct testing is performed you should consider the use case and try to keep the testing specific, measurable, and relevant. The best way to do this is to consider the real world use case. You do not need to test a suction cup by sticking it to your SUV and taking it off-roading. That is not a real world use case. You may need to test it on both smooth and textured surfaces as these are real world use cases. Keep in mind that predictable misuse is also a use case. 

Goblin Note: Verifying does not always require testing. For example many pigments and silicones may already have a certification of skin safety, so the test for "Materials that touch skin are skin safe" is to check suppliers' labeling, not to perform a dermal sensitization test yourself. It is important to remember that you should not perform a test if you do not understand it or attempt to use information outside of your field / over your head to verify something. Functional testing requires that you are enough of a subject matter expert (SME) in the fields involved that you can ask the right questions and then interpret findings and results. Getting overly complicated with the verification process tends to quickly get people out of their depths and most often ends with a statement about safety that unnecessarily alarms the indie toy community.

Example Table