As a software engineer, one the reasons I like to write tests is because it forces me to think about everything that could go wrong.

Once I write tests for all the things that could go wrong and verify the correct behavior, I feel a lot better than if I only test the happy path (when everything goes right).

I wish software developers would take more time to think about how things could go wrong.

> I wish software developers would take more time to think about how things could go wrong.

I wish more PMs understood the need to spend developer hours on it.

I wish customers would pay for the developer hours needed to be spent on it.

PMs shouldn't have any input in how development is run (that's an EMs role). Dev time should be quoted to them including the time to test otherwise you're implying testing is optional and can be skipped

Fair and good point, but this depends a lot on the structure and health of the organization.

Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield wrote about the very same thing in discussing preparations for space flight. Kinda cool. https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780316253017

That's called negative visualization and has roots in stoicism.

https://dailystoic.com/premortem/

Writing down everything that can go wrong is the only proper response to Murphy's Law.

Only when you've written them all down, do you have a list of things to actively expect to go wrong, and prevent or mitigate.

It is the difference in handling risk between using knowledge, skill, technology, and planning to manage risk, vs relying on Pure Dumb Luck and hoping to get away with something.