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The BDD hype cycle is over. Recently, there's been a lot of backlash against popular BDD libraries like Cucumber. Some developers blame their test frameworks for brittle test suites and long build times. Others go so far as to claim that acceptance testing is simply not sustainable, period. In this talk, we'll do some root cause analysis of this phenomenon with shocking results - it's not the test framework, it's not the methodology, it's you. You've abused your test framework, you've cargo-culted the methodology, and now you're feeling the pain. We'll show you a way out of the mess you've made. We'll discuss the main problems BDD was intended to solve. We'll show you how to groom your test suite into journey, functional, integration, and unit tests in order to address build times. We'll teach how to mitigate against brittleness and flickers, and how to let your tests reveal the intent of the application and actually become the executable documentation we've been waiting for.

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In the talk "It's Not Your Test Framework, It's You" at LA RubyConf 2013, speakers Matt Parker and Robbie Clutton examine the challenges and backlash surrounding Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) methodologies and the test frameworks associated with them. They argue that the root issues affecting developers' experiences with BDD are often rooted not in the frameworks themselves but the misuse and misunderstanding of how to implement them effectively.

**Key Points Discussed:**
- **The BDD Hype Cycle:** The speakers discuss the rapid adoption of BDD, followed by criticism regarding its sustainability, particularly focusing on brittle tests, inefficiencies, and poor communication between developers and product owners.
- **Cargo Culting:** They highlight the dangers of adopting methodologies without fully comprehending them, which often leads to ineffective practices.
- **Understanding BDD's Origin:** The talk traces the history of testing, from unit testing to Dan North's introduction of BDD, noting how it was meant to enhance communication about requirements by defining clear features and scenarios.
- **Collaboration with Product Owners:** Importance is placed on conversations with product owners, ensuring all requirements and scenarios are understood, which helps prevent common pitfalls like miscommunication and misunderstanding of intent.
- **Common Problems:** Issues like brittle tests, flickering tests, and slow build times are identified as major pain points developers face while using BDD tools like Cucumber. 
- **Good Practices in BDD:** The speakers encourage developers to write acceptance tests that focus on desired outcomes rather than just testing steps, advocating for a transition to domain-specific languages (DSL) for clarity.
- **Improving Test Suites:** They suggest re-evaluating test strategies, consolidating redundant tests, and employing journey testing to streamline build times without sacrificing quality.
- **Maintaining Tests as Living Documentation:** The importance of maintaining readability in tests, making them accessible, and ensuring they serve as effective documentation is emphasized.

In conclusion, Parker and Clutton assert that developers must take responsibility for their use of BDD and testing frameworks and ensure that tests are treated with the same care as production code. They advocate for thoughtful, effective practices to alleviate the challenges associated with BDD and improve the overall quality of software development.

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