Establish a Testing Knowledge-Base

The Problem:

There has been much discussion in Subud groups, and on Subud web sites, as to when testing something is not appropriate. However, how about those times when testing is appropriate — do the helpers always come up with the best tests for the situation? Often the questions tested are not very helpful, even with the best will of all the participants.

The Solution:

Establish a searchable testing knowledge-base on the Internet that helpers and members can consult at any time. Make it easy for helpers and members to add details of helpful tests to the knowledge-base (with any confidential details removed or disguised, of course).

The Details:

Good helpers will listen quietly to a problem that someone wants tested and try in this state of quietness to come up with a good question to ask. This process isn’t always guaranteed to come up with a suitable question to test, and more often than not, helpers will draw on their previous experience of tests done in similar situations, so the testing is at the mercy of that particular helper group’s experience, whether they have attended many gatherings, congresses and so on and have a wide experience of different testing situations.

This process does not need to be left so much to chance. Experience of testing can be shared through the modern and efficient communications medium of the Internet. Helpers and members could be asked to recall tests they have done in the past and write these up in a few sentences to be entered into the knowledge-base. The knowledge-base would be searchable by members and helpers for ideas for tests related to specific topics and situations. The knowledge-base could also share experience of where tests turned out to be misleading and ill-advised.