Software testing, conducted by a software tester, is a crucial part of the software development process. It ensures that the software meets the requirements, specifications, and expectations of the customers and stakeholders. It also helps the software tester to identify and fix any defects, errors, or bugs that might affect the quality, functionality, or performance of the software.
But what does a software tester do daily? How do they plan, execute, and report their testing activities? What are the challenges and rewards of being a software tester? In this blog, we will take a look behind the scenes and explore a day in the life of a software tester.
Morning: Checking Emails and Updates
A software tester’s day begins by reviewing emails and updates from the project manager, developers, and clients. It’s crucial to stay informed about the latest changes, requirements, and deadlines. This involves prioritizing tasks and planning the testing strategy accordingly.
Common emails and updates cover:
New features or functionalities for testing.
Bug fixes or enhancements for verification.
Test cases or scenarios to be designed or updated.
Reviewing or submitting test results or reports.
Addressing feedback or queries from clients or developers.
Timely and professional communication and coordination with the project manager, developers, and clients are essential for clarification and issue resolution.
Afternoon: Testing, Testing, Testing
After planning, the software tester dives into testing using various techniques, tools, and methods. These include:
Manual testing: Manually executing test cases to observe software behavior.
Automated testing: Using scripts or tools for performance, reliability, and security testing.
Black box testing: Testing based on input and output without internal code access.
White box testing: Testing with knowledge of the internal code for logic and design assessment.
Functional testing: Ensuring the software meets intended functions and features.
Non-functional testing: Assessing non-functional aspects like performance, usability, and security.
Systematic execution, documentation, and reporting of test cases or scenarios, including test steps, data, expected and actual results, pass/fail status, screenshots, and logs, are crucial during this phase.
Evening: Reporting and Reviewing
At the end of the testing phase, the software tester reports and reviews their activities and results. This involves:
Bug reporting: Providing detailed information on defects, including description, reproduction steps, severity, priority, screenshots, and logs.
Bug tracking: Monitoring bug status, following up with developers, and retesting after fixes or enhancements.
Test reporting: Delivering accurate information on test cases, data, results, coverage, metrics, and summaries to the project manager or client.
Test reviewing: Reflecting on the testing process, identifying and improving gaps or issues, and learning from testing experiences and feedback.
Timely and professional reporting, along with effective communication and coordination with the project manager, developers, and clients, ensures software quality, functionality, and performance meet standards and expectations.
Conclusion
While being a software tester poses challenges, it is a rewarding role. The satisfaction of seeing software work as expected and contribute value to customers and stakeholders is significant. The role requires flexibility, adaptability, and creativity to handle changing requirements and scenarios. Software testers play a vital role in the success of a software project, contributing to its quality and functionality.
