Hey, we aren't insurance actuaries, we're entrepreneurs. We take risks. He had a point. Not a logical point, really, but certainly an emotional one. Without testing, projects blunder along in the dark, tripping over obstacles and falling over cliffs.
Testers support the grand mission of creating great products and running the business.
The testing process focuses light where it's needed to help developers and management know where they are, where they ought to go, and when they have arrived. The test process is complete when we think we have enough information to make an informed decision about releasing the product. How specifically testers fulfill this role depends on the situation. The nice thing about this concept is that it can be fulfilled, in whole or part, even in the most chaotic e-business project or on the most aggressive schedule. It gives testers something to strive for that seems feasible and respectable, and that's an important first step to rethinking testing for the new century.