In this piece, I’ll provide looked-for standards of clients for software testers, based on my direct knowledge working with clients, both in person and remotely. This will cover a handful of communication media such as emails and voice chats.
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IT services are instrumental in the software sector, and client satisfaction is a key aspect in ensuring success. Given the complexity of each client or organization, their requirements, policies, and business models may vary. However, some elements are universally significant and crucial to all.
Let’s discuss these universally critical elements:
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Content Summary:
5 Things Clients Want From Software Testers:
#1) Budget Advantage
Expenses are a substantial consideration in purchasing or selling objects or services. It often weighs heavily on decision making. Just as people anticipate reduction sales such as Black Friday or online holiday sales, customers aspire to receive full value for their money transaction.
This perception extends to corporations and customers equally. A decent rate can improve customer-service relationships. However, service companies sometimes miss on contract opportunities because competitors provided cheaper price estimates.
The crucial inquiry is: how to convincingly show cost benefits to clients?
Here are some tips to think about:
- Prove the cost-effectiveness. Back up your price estimations with reasons and proof.
- Invent authentic means to trim expenses.
- Adjust your proposals. Rather than sticking to a standard cost that carries a fixed expense, propose more affordable options. For instance, recommend critical path testing as an alternative to comprehensive system testing.
- Be informed about your rivals. Stay informed about services and fees other service companies offer to clients to ensure market competitiveness.
#2) Work Quality
Quality and volume are two independent aspects of work.
The days when the number of tested cases or reported defaults was a measure of productivity or quality have passed. The scenario has evolved, as shown in the image below:
A) Grasp the concept of rejection when required
Every once in a while, we find ourselves in situations where we have to work overtime, answer calls over the weekend, engage in afterhours or morning assemblies, and more. However, it is essential to understand that we have the freedom to refuse when challenges become excessive. Rejection plays a vital part in maintaining work quality and our personal well-being.
Whenever refusal is necessary, it is essential to convey your difficulties in advance and highlight the necessity of maintaining quality.
Here is a scenario that emphasizes this point:
Your company successfully acquired a new task. As part of the transition from the previous service provider, knowledge transfer sessions have been arranged. Six employees from our team traveled to the client’s site. On the first day, we received a plan for knowledge transfer. I noticed that multiple modules were assigned to me simultaneously. One of those modules was entirely beyond my area of proficiency, and it was evident that it would not be comprehensible for me.
I consulted the knowledge transition supervisor and explained my predicament:
- Too many job items had been designated to me, which would endanger the quality and hinder my ability to entirely grasp the information during the sessions.
- The tasks assigned encompassed domains that were beyond my proficiency level, hence, I would fail to fully understand them.
The supervisor grasped the issue and adjusted the knowledge transfer strategy accordingly.
This instance demonstrates that not every task that is assigned should be accepted without question, especially when it may compromise quality.
B) Guarantee Test Case Completeness
Refining the method of composing test cases can significantly uplift the quality of our work. Here are some frequent mistakes to avoid:
Components of Test Case | Existing Issue | Solution |
---|---|---|
Objective | Objective is a vital part of any test case, but often lacks clarity. Multiple test cases for various functionalities might have the same purpose, without pointing out the distinguishing features of each case. | Ensure that the objective of each test case is explicit, conveying the functionality being addressed and the test condition. If the same functionality requires positive and negative testing, the objective should indicate the difference. The test scenario can serve as a useful guide in defining the objective. |
Pre-Conditions | Often, testers either overlook mentioning the pre-conditions or simply copy-paste them. Copy-pasting may cause mistakes when each test case is distinct. | Refrain from copy-pasting and pay minute attention while detailing pre-conditions. |
Test Data | Test data is usually ignored or not well-defined in numerous test cases. | Provide pertinent test data. In some instances, it doesn’t have to be entirely precise. For instance, for a user registration test, using random names like Anna or John would suffice. However, specifying requirements like a valid name must consist of all characters and range between 4 and 10 characters in length can provide further clarity. |
Test Case ID | Simplistic or vague designation or numbering conventions for test case IDs. | Utilize descriptive nomenclature for test case IDs to make them more expressive. For example, instead of using IDs like TC_1_Login and TC_2_Login, use IDs like TC_1_Login_Invalid_User and TC_2_Login_Valid_User. |
Reference Documents | Inaccurate copying from reference documents or utilizing incorrect documents. | Always indicate the accurate reference document with the precise version number. For some test cases, both the functional requirements specifications (FRS) and technical specifications may be referenced, so the test case should demonstrate this. |
Test Case Steps | Steps are often missing, usually due to assumptions made by testers familiar with the application. | Ensure that all steps are well-documented and in the right sequence. |
In conclusion, giving attention to minute details during the planning stage can significantly enhance the quality of test outcomes.
#3) Company Knowledge
Comprehension of a company’s modus operandi is one of the most critical expectations a client has from a tester. But it’s distressing to see some testers perceive their duty as writing test cases based on functional requirements specifications (FRS) alone, without making any effort to understand the business at large.
Understand the business operations before delving into the functionality. Doing this will enable you to better predict your client’s requirements and accordingly execute tests.
For illustration purposes, consider a requirement in the FRS that states, “A report should be generated with three columns: Date, Name, and Status.” Based on this requirement, the following test cases may be designed:
- Verify the generation of the report.
- Verify the existence of three columns: Date, Name, and Status in the report.
- Assess the data correctness in the three columns.
However, when you consider the business relevance of the report, you may need to test:
- What is the business utility of this report?
- Is this report generated every day?
- Who are the report’s target users?
- What is the source of data for this report?
- Should the report be produced even in the absence of data?
This is merely one example, but it effectively illustrates the perks of understanding the business at large to obtain better test coverage.
#4) Accessibility
Regardless of whether you are an individual assisting a client or a part of a team, your accessibility is important ().
Accessibility doesn’t always mean providing round-the-clock support. It is about having clear and open communication about your working schedule, planned leaves, alternative arrangements, and being reachable without disappearing.
Here are some models prevalent in the services sector:
- Staff Expansion Model: Should you serve your company as an exclusive resource under a staff expansion model, it is crucial to inform the customer about your work schedule and planned leaves so that necessary arrangements can be made.
- Managed Projects Model: In a managed project model, where task teams are managed by delivery or project managers, the onus of managing reserve resources falls on the project managers. What is required is that project managers need to cope with both planned and unplanned leaves. It is recommendable that project managers gather information from the team regarding planned leaves and strategize accordingly. In cases where customers require added support over the weekend or extended working hours, rotating the resources should be planned to ensure sufficient backup. The schedules should be communicated to the customer.
#5) Enhancement Opportunities
The pursuit of improvement extends beyond the software industry and can be found across the board. Improvements are not instantaneous; they demand constant reckoning and can be broken down into three steps:
Also read: How to Boost Your Testing Abilities and Outshine your Competitors
Step #1: Identify
Carry out comprehensive analysis and isolate areas requiring enhancement. For instance, when you find yourself repeatedly testing an identical functionality using the same process, you might feel the urge to alter the approach. Improvements materialize when we recognize the transformation required and strive to improve.
Step #2: Implement Enhancements
If tasks can be automated, look into automation possibilities. Automation doesn’t always necessitate acquiring automated tools.
Here’s a real-life situation:
At a certain juncture, I was part of a team carrying out database testing. Our work consisted of repeatedly running SQL scripts with varying parameters. As our familiarity with the system increased, we understood that executing SQL scripts as part of stored procedures would be more efficient than the manual updating of parameters and executing them.
Step #3: Evaluate Enhancements
Any time a new process is implemented, it is vital to ensure that it performs as anticipated and does not produce any undesirable effects. Following the example above, after the introduction of stored procedures, compare the output from the newly automated approach with the manual approach to verify their equivalency.
It is equally crucial to monitor the benefits yielded by the enhancements over time and present these results to your clients. In the case mentioned earlier, we were able to demonstrate a 30% reduction in the time spent on test executions, translating into cost savings.
Final Remarks
In conclusion, it’s crucial to remember that each individual has a unique set of skills and working styles. The tips shared in this article are meant to enhance the overall service experience that software testers bring to their clients.
About the author: This article is composed by Priya R., a member of the STH team. If you would like to write for us and share your experiences, kindly contact us.
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