Tools are straight forward objects. Designed to do a specific task, they have a simple purpose, regardless of the complexity of the task that they need to perform.

It is in their simple purpose that they need to be tested, which is why making sure a tool works is so important.

A tool that doesn’t do its job is useless and can even be a hindrance to the user and other tools it might require to work with. A useless tool becomes unwanted and discarded, perhaps suited better for a different purpose than the one initially intended.

A tool should be continuously tested to make sure it is up to the task at hand. It should be tested above and beyond its original functionality. This is called testing for reliability.

A reliable tool becomes of great use to the person who needs it. A tool that can be depended upon on many different jobs and perhaps other jobs that it was not originally intended for.