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Unrepresentative Testing – The Papier Mâché Rhino

Unrepresentative Testing – Obvious flaws in simulation testing with a Papier Mâché Rhino at Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo.

INTRIGUING THINGS happen in Japan, but these scenes from Ueno Zoo in Tokyo are an extreme outlier in unrepresentative testing.

Rhinos (depending on species) range in weight from 750 pounds to 8,000 pounds and stand anywhere from four and a half to six feet tall. Rhinos can run up to 40 mph and turn 180 degrees in a distance equal to their body length.

Simulation Training: Fundamentals and Applications : Improving Professional Practice Through Simulation Training

Unrepresentative Testing on a Large Scale

In this simulation, an escaped rhino is used to test responder capabilities. The obvious flaw is the lack of realism. The rhino is a papier mâché model propelled by zoo staff.

Unrepresentative Testing with a fake rhino

Simulating a rhino escape with a human propelled papier mâché model

This is a quintessential example of ‘unrepresentative testing’ and lends its name hereafter to the ‘Papier Mâché Rhino’ Anti Pattern.

Further Reading on Systems Testing and Simulation

By Steve Nimmons

Steve is a Certified European Engineer, Chartered Engineer, Chartered Fellow of the British Computer Society, Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, Royal Society of Arts, Linnean Society and Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. He is an Electric Circle Patron of the Royal Institution of Great Britain, a Liveryman and Freeman of London and serves on numerous industry panels. He is a member of Chatham House, the Royal United Services Institute and the Chartered Institute of Journalists.