Software testing is actually not the thing it may seem at first sight. To understand what is so hidden and unexpected web product testing can contain, we’ll analyze the top ten most popular myths associated with such activities.
Myth 1: Testing is easy
A lot of people in IT (but not testers) believe that software testing is not hard. It’s just clicking buttons in a graphical interface. But in practice, everything is not so simple. QA engineers, first of all, have to study a product comprehensively, gather information about it, make and refute hypotheses, etc.
Simply finding defects does not make you a tester. To be a first-rate QA engineer, you must be able to understand the software and theory of testing, ask the right questions, and find relevant information effectively.
Myth 2: Software testing is boring
Someone may think that testers’ daily routine is boring – clicking buttons and comparing design with the layout. But if it were that simple, there would be no QA engineers left – all such work would be done by machines.
Every day testers interact both with the business and the actual needs of customers. They look at the way software work inside. And the types of testing are quite diverse – from availability tests to performance testing and web security.
Myth 3: QA engineers want to hack everything
Indeed, testers hack not programs, but developers’ illusions. They don’t want to break anything; they just try to see how everything works. And sometimes test results do not coincide with one’s expectations at all.
Myth 4: Perfectionism is the key to success in the tester’s work
In fact, the case is just the opposite. Excessive perfectionism only hinders proper testing (as it does in any other area of activity). A classic perfectionist cannot realize exactly when to stop testing. And it is also extremely difficult for him to accept the fact that there will never be a perfect web product without defects.
Myth 5: A tester does not have to “look under the hood” of software
Actually, first-rate testers should be able to understand modern technologies and analyze software architecture. The basics of programming languages help with that. You don’t have to create your own program code, just understand at least the basics of how everything is set up and works.
Myth 6: There is automation for everything, manual testing will disappear
Under no circumstances you should not divide the work of QA into automation and manual testing. Automated and manual testers work with their head, and their tools are not that important. Of course, you can (and should) use advanced technologies but don’t forget that you can’t completely automate testing, just like you can’t automate research processes.
Myth 7: Tests slow down the development process
Some employees of product companies quite seriously consider the testing process to be a simple activity. And they are sure that there are either no defects in the program code or their number is insignificant. Therefore, when programmers finish their front end, they think that the big task of implementing a web product is almost complete. But sometimes, a lot of additional work hides behind this “almost”. Software testing is the same process of creation, as many others. It all depends on the tasks and risks to be overcome.
Myth 8: QA engineers and programmers always struggle
There are a lot of funny stories on the Internet about programmers and testers who put a spoke in each other wheels. But in practice, it’s not so much the same. Problems can arise only when the development department thinks that the testers control them. Or when departments are evaluated by the work done and the list of bugs found.
Myth 9: The testers are happy with every bug they find
The excitement from finding bugs may occur only with junior testers. But over time, it passes. Skilled employees get more frustrated because it means that they will have to do extra work. Also, it postpones the start of the task (launching the site, unloading the mobile app, and so on). The effectiveness of quality assurance does not depend on the number of bugs found. The result of their work is a quality-tested product that generally meets the needs of interested users.
Myth 10: If you write good code, you won’t need testers
This opinion is very common in product companies, where the philosophy of writing automated tests prevails. But the faster the software develops and the environment around it changes, the more relevant the testing process becomes.
And this list can go on. But the main thing is that no one except the testers themselves can be a specialist in this field. Accordingly, only QA engineers can say with confidence what’s true and what is not.
