Software testing is an important phase in the Software Development Process. Here are a few tips to consider, that may help you improve the testing process and make it more optimized.

1. Get involved as early as possible
The sooner you get involved with the software development life cycle, the better you will understand the product. It will also help you to get on the same wavelength with the developers.

2. Communication.
The ability to communicate in a clear and compelling manner, in spoken and written form is critical. Whether you are managing a team, or negotiating with clients, getting your point across clearly is key. But most importantly, don’t forget that communication is a two-way street, it requires both listening and speaking.

3. Write good, clear & descriptive bug reports
Try to include as much relevant information as possible. Write detailed steps to reproduce bugs, also provide the solutions, if you can. Details like browser versions and operating system version can help to fix the obvious problem quickly. It is also helpful to make a bug report template to speed up the reporting process.

4. Store intelligently
It is good practice to keep documents and reports in a centralized location (always have a backup). Don’t scatter your documents all over the email. That said, it is also a good practice to have conversations with clients and developers in email form, don’t keep only verbal communications.

5. Don’t assume
There’s a Chinese proverb, ”Ink is better than the best memory”. Never assume anything. Have good documentation. Have everything in black and white. And if something isn’t in the documentation, make sure it gets there.

6. Break it
Let’s face it, it’s fun to break stuff. Luckily in SQA that is not a bad thing, you just found a bug. Try to do things that the product is not meant to do. Sometimes it will have unexpected results. It is also fun.

7. Think like the user
Your job is to make sure that the product is free of bugs before it reaches the end user. Try to put yourself in their position. What would you/they do, click, mess up. You can find the most valuable bugs this way.

8. Never stop learning
Continuing you education in the field is essential for quality work and competitiveness.  It is also helpful to learn things outside the field. Are doing QA for Web Sites? Then a course in HTML or CSS can help you better find and describe bugs. Doing desktop software QA? Just learning a few programming concepts, will greatly improve your communication with the developers. Also, the Internet is full of articles and blogs. You have no excuse not learn. None.

Similar Posts from the author: