 The most common misconception
about unit testing frameworks is that they are only testing tools. They are development tools same as your editor
and compiler. Don't keep this powerful development tool in reserve until the last month of the project, use it
through out. Your unit testing framework can help you formalize requirements, clarify
architecture, write code, debug code, integrate code, release, optimize, and of course test.
Unit testing frameworks
are not hard to create from scratch. It is worth the effort to create your own because you will understand it better
and be able to tailor it to your own needs. A simple change to the unit testing framework can often save you large
amounts of development time. But to realize this savings you must feel comfortable and confident about extending
your framework.
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Most languages already have
a unit testing framework available for download from XProgramming.com.
Use this free version as a starting point. See how it works, then create your own. The team must claim ownership
of the unit testing framework and be able to change any part of it. JUnit is
quickly becoming the standard for unit testing in Java. At the very least refactor JUnit to make it your own and
understand how to extend it. 
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