Two faces of communications test
Richard A. Quinnell, Technical Editor -- Test & Measurement World, 9/1/2003
In "Worst is best in optical test" (p. C5), I discuss two philosophies of test: One aims to understand how a system behaves; the other determines whether a system can perform under worst-case conditions. The first approach is often used by scientists when performing experiments and by engineers during product development when establishing the limits of a system's capabilities. The second approach is popular during manufacturing and field maintenance testing because of its speed and simplicity.
The trick, of course, is knowing when to use each approach. Consider the case of optical testing. For years, optical testing has concentrated on the first approach, striving for highest precision in measurement. This approach was appropriate when optical communications was an emerging technology. Developers needed this insight in order to stretch system performance to its limits. Interoperability issues were minimal because there were limited choices for system components. Now, optical communications has matured and component vendors have proliferated, making interoperability a concern.
As a result, both the ability and need to perform threshold testing have developed, forcing a change in test philosophy. This kind of shift occurs in all new technologies as they mature. Look for these shifts; they represent an opportunity to lead the field through the transition.
Contact Rich Quinnell at richquinnell@att.net .
