Mastering the Art of Software Testing: Your Guide to Becoming a Successful Tester
Introduction
Have you ever been playing your favourite game or were using an application on your mobile device and it suddenly freezes, crashes, or starts acting weird? Frustrating, right? A lot of the time, this happens due to software bugs that cause small problems in the software. This is where testers of the software are extremely important. Testers of the software take a thorough look at the software to make sure that it works before it reaches its user.
If you are thinking that you want to become a tester of the software, do not worry! You do not have to be a computer pro! Anyone with a great curiosity and an eagerness to learn can be a tester of the software with proper training and experience. Do a google search and you will find tons of resources for beginners, specifically Software Testing Courses, which lay everything out step-by-step, even if you have not coded before, or have little coding experience.
In this blog, you are going to learn about what the role of a software tester is, what capabilities you will need including technical and soft skills, and how to start your journey as a software tester. At the end, you will have all the road maps for how to start your career as a software tester.
Who is Software Tester & what do they do?
Software testers, like detectives, work for computer programs to find bugs (mistakes) to then have them fixed by developers before anyone uses it. For example, if your favourite app keeps shutting down unexpectedly, or the start button in a game doesn’t work, a tester is accepting responsibility their job to make sure that doesn’t happen.
Software testers do not randomly click or navigate around the application. They are going through thorough tests on every screen, button, and feature they can so they can validate those features and the application is indeed working how it should. At times, a software tester might purposely enter incorrect data, or click much too quickly to test if the application is bugging out or if it can handle the task required by the user. The user might not always handle the software as the developers expect, so a software tester job is to ensure that the experience is going to be easy, fast, and reliable for end users. Without software testers, end users may face bugs and problems!
Role in the Software Development Life Cycle
The development of software is done in phases, just like building a house. This chain of events is called the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). Here is a brief overview of each rountine:
- Planning – People identify what it is that the software will do.
- Design – People are drawing diagrams or blueprints of what the software will look like and how it will work.
- Coding – Developers write the actual software program.
- Testing – Testers run the software to try and find bugs.
- Fixing – Developers fix bugs found by testers.
- Releasing – The final product is now released for use, and people can use it.
The tester’s job primarily takes place during step 4, but they will often partner with the developers to identify issues in the early stages of the SDLC. Testers do their best to ensure that the software is secure, functional, and free of bugs before anyone uses the software.
Responsibilities and Duties: Test Case Writing, Testing, Bug Reporting
The software testers have myriad duties that keep the process in check:
- Writing Test Cases – Software testers author test instructions that the testers use when testing the application. These guides inform testers what they should test and how. A sample test case would be: “Open the application, press the login button, enter a valid username and password, and verify if you can successfully log in. Test casers enable the testers to go through the instructions step by step without missing out on any part.”.
- Running Tests – Testers run these instructions since they comply with instructions and test the software. While running the test cases, testers will press buttons, enter data, and inspect every feature for issues or bugs.
- Reporting Bugs – When software testers find an issue, they will write a clear, concise bug report that describes what went wrong, how to repeat the process to see the problem, and how severe of a bug it is. A good bug report will provide enough information to help the programmers know what the issue is and how it can be fixed quickly.
By crafting test cases well, running enough tests, and reporting bugs accurately, testers are attempting to help developers make improvements to the software as well as resolve software issues promptly and efficiently.
Types of Testing: Manual, Automation, Functional, Regression, etc.
There are different ways testers can test a software application:
- Manual Testing: This is where testers test the software themselves to find bugs! Think of this as taking a tour of an app to see if it functions properly.
- Automation Testing: Since certain tests need to be done a certain number of times (Can you log in every time?), certain tests can be automated based on scripts (think of scripts like small programs). So instead of risking user fatigue where a tester could miss a bug, the automation will run the tests quickly and accurately.
- Functional Testing: This is checking the feature of the software does what it is suppose to do. For example, if you click on “Add To Cart”, does the shopping cart add the item? Then you would consider the feature functional.
- Regression Testing: When developers fix a bug and/or add to a feature, the most important thing to do is to make sure nothing you worked on is broken by the bug fix. This is called regression testing where you will test features that are old to ensure they still work like they are suppose to.
Some examples of different types of tests are:
- Performance Testing: Runs the software to check for performance against scenario standards and ensure nothing crashes.
- Security Testing: Check for the security of the application and attempt to hack it.
- Usability Testing: To see if the application is easy to use and fun to use.
Different projects require different types of testing based on the needs of the test.
Technical Skills Needed
To be a great tester, it does help to learn some technical skills:
- Knowledge of Testing Tools: There are many different tools to simplify the testing process, for example:
- Selenium automates the testing.
- JIRA tracks bugs and organizes workloads.
- Postman tests APIs (how different components of the software communicate with each other).
- Basic Programming Knowledge: Knowing basic programming languages such as Java or Python helps you write your own automated tests, and understand how the software works from the backend.
- Understanding of databases and SQL: Applications usually store lots of data in databases. SQL (Structured Query Language) is a language used to view and modify that data. Having SQL knowledge helps the tester validate that data was saved and displayed accurately.
- Familiarity with API Testing tools: APIs act like a messenger that allows two different parts of software to communicate. Using tools like Postman or REST Assured, allows testers to verify that data/messages were sent and received accurately, and helping to ensure effective communication between various parts of the software.
- Understanding software development life cycle (SDLC) and software testing life cycle (STLC) in addition to Agile Methodology: Knowing the basics of how software is created and tested helps the tester establish themselves within the team and implement effective processes. Agile Methodology is a popular way for teams to stay on schedule through constant changes via smaller iterations.
Non-Technical Skills That Matter
Being a tester is more than just technical knowledge and skill. Who you are and the way you think is incredibly important:
- Good Communication Skills: Testers communicate with developers, managers, other testers, etc. Your job is to communicate bugs and issues so that someone else can fix them quickly and effectively.
- Good Analytical and Critical Thinking Skills: Good testers do much more than just find bugs, they consider why that particular piece of functionality is broken and how it can be improved.
- Attention to Detail: Sometimes, a tiny bug can cause a big issue. A great tester will notice the tiniest of mistakes.
- Curiosity: Ask yourself a lot of questions such as “What happens if I do this?” and try doing things in an atypical manner. This can help you discover bugs that may be hidden from common testing techniques.
- Team Player and Flexible: Software testing and development happen rapidly and in the course of a day, project requirements and scope can change significantly. Being able to work effectively with people and adapt to changing situations is critical.
Planning Your Software Testing Career
Starting your software testing career can feel overwhelming at times, however, it doesn’t have to be! Here are a few simple steps you can take:
Select Your Learning Path: You can learn using a variety of paths:
- Your own self-education from blogs, videos and books.
- Join a bootcamp or workshop.
- Sign up for a certification program to accelerate your career.
Use Free / Paid Resources:
- Many Youtube channels have beginner tutorials for no cost.
- Udemy has many affordable courses.
- The Ministry of Testing has a great community for you to learn and ask questions.
Practicing with Projects: Practice by testing live websites or apps. Look for open-source projects or small businesses that want testers to volunteer. They need you, for the experience and to master your skills.
Certifications That Boost Your Career
While certifications are not always necessary in career development, regardless, they can help with your resume and knowledge;
- ISTQB Foundation Level: A standard entry-level certification recognized throughout the world.
- CSTE and CP-SAT: Demonstrate you are a competent plat-form tester or are interested in automation.
Having certifications on your resume may not be the end-all-be-all, however, it could demonstrate to an employer, you understand the foundational components of testing, and that you’re committed to your career.
How to Become a Successful Software Tester
What is more imperative in a today’s fast-paced software development environment is that ensures a tester stands out the rest? It is far beyond just running test cases. It is all about mindset, curiosity, and responsibility and growth. Hence the following are some must-have habits and skills for the success of software testers:
Develop a Quality-First Mindset
Good testers don’t test for bugs, they test for the quality of the product. Always ask yourself:
- Is the application intuitive and easy to use?
- Does it start quickly?
- Will it fulfill user expectations?
Thinking beyond functional correctness will help you find usability and performance problems that are important to actual users.
Ask Better Questions
To be effective, you should think like a user and imagine what can go wrong in different situations. Ask questions like:
- What if the user types in an incorrect input?
- What if they have a slow connection?
- How will the system respond to unpredictable behavior?
Asking thoughtful, detailed questions brings out hidden problems early.
Take Ownership
Treat each project like the product is your own. Don’t merely track defects — be concerned with overall software success. This involves being committed to quality throughout, collaborating closely with developers, and assisting the team in creating something of real value.
Remain Current
Technology changes rapidly, and so do testing practices. Keep up by reading blogs, following online courses, following industry thought leaders, and discovering new tools. Upgrading your skills makes you relevant and able to introduce new concepts to your team.
Be Proactive
Don’t wait to be instructed. Seek out ways to make a valuable contribution — whether that is crafting extensive, informative bug reports, proposing usability suggestions, or spotting potential issues before they become actual issues. Being proactive makes you an integral contributor, rather than a tester.
Balance Manual and Automation Testing
Know when to manually test and when to automate. Manual testing is optimal for exploratory and UI testing, whereas automation is best suited for repetitive and regression tests. Knowing how to strike a balance between the two efficiently aids you in increasing coverage and effectiveness.
Participate in QA Communities
Connect with fellow testers in forums, social media groups, and meetups. Collaborating with others in the community and sharing experience, tips, and knowledge with them keeps you learning new things, motivated, and supported in your own tester growth.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
To grow faster, try to avoid making one or more of these mistakes:
- Automating Too Much: While automation is useful in software testing, understanding basic concepts and manual testing are just as important.
- Skipping Documentation: Always document your tests and bugs.
- Not Communicating Well: When communicating, being friendly and clear will help in ensuring the problems get fixed.
Conclusion
Working as a software tester is a great career where you can help build better software today than the day before. You don’t need to be a programming “ninja!” You need to be curious and want to learn and practice.
Start small: Understand how to use a tool, watch videos and tutorials, practice on apps, and check out Software Testing Training that is available for free. The more you understand, the better you will become. Before long, you will be a successful software tester that will be contributing to making apps and games better for everyone!
