[andrewcooke]

it sounds like he(?)'s a relatively new programmer whose jumped from a place where they don't test at all to somewhere where they are forced to be written before code.

fact is, they're a tool. i don't write tests for everything. and i don't care much if they are unit or integration or regression or xxx tests. i write tests where i know they will help (and i write my code so it can be tested, but how can you separate that from "good design" anyway?). that comes from experience and requires freedom - the freedom to decide when to use them and when not.

which sucks if you're new and clueless and in a shop with "rules". but then the rules are there because you're young and clueless and this is your first job where you get to write tests...

if the poster is reading this, all i can suggest is: suck it up, get better, and get to the point where you know what to do, and where you're good enough to get a job where you're trusted. it will happen with time, if you stick at it.