It’s like the old story about little frogs who lived in a well, thinking that was their entire universe. But once they left their well, they were amazed at the immensity, beauty, and complexity of the outside world!
Is that ringing any bells within your professional experience? Believe it or not, you are not alone in this. Let’s jump into the fascinating universe of testing, a reality that is at once challenging and enlightening :).
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Today, I’m eager to shed light on four slip-ups I’ve committed during my initial days of software testing. There’s a strong possibility you might be making these mistakes too. Read on.
Overview of this Article:
- Top 4 Mistakes Usually Made by Software Testers
- #1. It isn’t always required to ask questions
- #2. Mastering automation is quite intricate and time-consuming
- #3. All is well within the documented test scenarios, no need to look further
- #4. My mission is solely to uncover glitches, not to interpret patterns
- Concluding Thoughts:
The Four Usual Missteps of a Software Tester
As a tester, how frequently these have crossed your mind throughout your profession?
#1. There’s no need to question everything
Every one of us has some shortcomings. According to studies, adult individuals mainly fear appearing dumb. This imaginary fear blocks our path to development. We’ve been conditioned to make assessments instead of raising inquiries.
During the trial of an online ticket booking app, I observed that users were barred from cancelling their reserved tickets before 24 hours had passed from the booking time. This was extremely upsetting for the users. However, rather than questioning this issue, I presumed it to be a precondition. This single mistake led to the app’s unpopularity in the market.
A colleague of mine, a tester known for his curiosity, once told me he faced mockery for raising queries about everything, from coding techniques to fault identification systems or about the bug fixing process. However, this approach only helped him in building his confidence and led towards better understanding.
Never refrain from posing queries or expressing your concerns. As a tester, it’s within your rights to question the software’s unusual performance and real-time usage statistics.
#2. Automation learning is an uphill battle and needs lots of time
“Automation“ is a term that somehow seems formidable to many testers.
Their beliefs often include:
- Automation learning demands a lot of time
- Automation is too complex to understand
- Automation isn’t really beneficial
These beliefs are merely the aftermath of fears such as fear of change, fear of learning something new, and fear of stepping out of the comfort zone.
I encourage you to accept automation testing and continually hone your skills if you want to make strides in this volatile industry.
#3. Every aspect is covered within the documented test approaches, there’s no need to explore further
The conventional practice has been to investigate requirements, comprehend functionalities, hold brainstorming sessions, document the test approaches, and then submit them for revising. After the revision process, testers strictly stick to the documented test scenarios. The essence of real-time exploratory testing seems irrelevant to them as the team brainstormed during the documentation stage.
Upon completing the revision process, testers strictly adhere to the documented test scenarios. Thus, the merits of real-time exploratory testing are often ignored as the brainstorming took place during the documentation process.
This sort of approach is fundamentally flawed. So, to better clarify, here’s an example:
Imagine looking at a painting for a long time, say 10, then 30, and on to 60 minutes. You initially appreciate the artwork, but with time, you start to spot its imperfections. After 60 minutes, you feel like you’ve known the art piece for a long time and have identified all of its pros and cons. Let’s leave it for the day.
When you look at the painting again the next day, do you see the color combination in the corner that you missed the previous day? Doesn’t it look odd now, or maybe ruin the overall impression of the painting? Are you surprised you didn’t notice it before? Well, such misperceptions occur. Every day brings a new perspective, a different viewpoint, which in turn changes our perception.
I hope this illustration helps stress the point of not solely relying on documented test cases during a testing process.
Try out random things and see how the software reacts.
#4. I am here just to sniff out glitches, not to examine patterns
Often, we’ve been advised to mind our own business and stick to our primary duty- detecting bugs. Anything beyond that appears to be out of scope for many.
Let me encourage you to alter this mentality today using the best example I’ve utilized for years.
Suppose there’s a newly opened restaurant, but despite all efforts, it doesn’t get the anticipated footfall. An expert is summoned to scrutinize the situation. He notices that the restaurant, irrespective of its various offerings, ambiance, pricing, etc., fails in attracting recurrent customers. He contacts the one-time customers and discovers that the food doesn’t taste good (regardless of variety) due to lack of flavor. Consequently, new experienced chefs are appointed, and the restaurant starts attracting a long queue of enthusiastic customers.
In this case, the tester’s role is analogous to that of the expert analyst. Our duty isn’t just to identify what’s wrong but also to evaluate the extent to which other factors have been affected by the bug and establish any existing patterns within the software.
As you gain more experience, you are expected to contribute analytical insights rather than performing average testing.
Closing Remarks:
The aim of this article was both to guide newbies and to remind seasoned folks that the industry, its requirements, and expectations are always changing.
Stay informed, keep acquiring new and in-demand skills, share knowledge, share challenges, and don’t shy away from aiming for higher quality. Always be prepared to contribute to the common objective.
About the Author: This motivational write-up is by Bhumika M., a member of the STH (Software Testing Help) team. As a project lead, with over a decade of experience in software testing, she brings her passion for testing to everything from software and beyond.
By sharing these mistakes from my testing journey, I hope to help others avoid them.
Are you making these mistakes in your testing profession?
And as always, happy testing 🙂