Top 10 Essential Software Testing Skills

Top 10 Essential Software Testing Skills

# 1 Analytical and logical thinking

In order to effectively identify the hidden errors, software testers must be able to analyze the given business situation and judge all the possible scenarios. They should be able to identify and solve unfamiliar problems. This requires someone with strong analytical skills who can validate the application under test.

# 2 Critical thinking

Critical thinking is a vital skill for a software tester. Testers should be able to ask questions, gather relevant information, understand them effectively and draw his/her own well-reasoned conclusions and solutions.

# 3 Basic knowledge

A good tester applies knowledge that is attained with years of experience within the domain of testing processes. The knowledge may be about the process, product, customers, possible mistakes and ways to succeed. The tester must have a grasp of fundamental communication, along with theoretical knowledge and software application skills, so that these capabilities will become handy in practical situations.

# 4 Creating real-time business scenarios

A tester must be able to envision real-time business situations throughout the software development process. So he can create logical test cases with business value. Real-time business situations should constitute an important place in the testers’ mind. This way, they can anticipate complex problems easier and envision the final product as it is supposed to be. For this aim, conceptualization skills through mental mapping are very important.

# 5 Creativity and natural curiosity

Being intellectually curious is a big part of being a good tester, which is all about asking the right questions. They should be curious about the various scenarios, cases, potential situations and should not be easily discouraged.

# 6 Adopting a holistic approach

Software development is without a doubt a complex process. Often, the designed software system has numerous stakeholders and it is not always easy to deal with such systems. Testers must be able to effectively deal with complexity-marked business situations and numerous interactions with third-parties. They must foresee and recognize how the software under test interacts with other components of the system. In addition, they should be able to isolate the smallest units of the system. Validation also should be done while taking into account the behavior of the system as a whole. It is important for the testers to be able to detach themselves from the system and look at it as an outsider.

# 7 Effective time management

Planning is outlining the future. A tester must have a detailed test plan and develop an extensive strategy and test approach, which should be applied before the software tests start. Additionally, this plan should involve the elements and features to be tested. Test levels, pass/fail criteria, suspension/resumption criteria, timing, and requirements should be evaluated. This outline should be continuously monitored and checked with validated feedback. If the tester manages to stay true to the plan, then just monitoring the progress will ensure timely delivery.

# 8 Communication!!!

It is very important for a tester to be able to communicate well and effectively. They must be able to express their thoughts and ideas, using various tools and media. Testers need to develop and use this skill continuously. By this way, they can communicate effectively with the interested parties to avoid any ambiguity.

# 9 Up to date

As we all know “times they are a changing” even for organizations and business environments. So approaches and processes that work well today can easily be obsolete tomorrow. For this reason, a good tester must be aware of and adapt to the changes. They must be open to learning from everything in life, not just depend on training or certifications. Since they have the necessary fundamental knowledge the rest can be obtained by self-learning. Basic learning should be a lifelong ambition.

# 10 Intellectual integrity

A tester should be able to demonstrate intellectual virtues such as honesty, impartiality, and openness to the views of others. A tester should be able to examine the software to be tested. He/she should be capable of analyzing the resulting process by focusing on the determined specifications and understand the behavior of the software. Their performance should not be prevented by prejudices or intolerances.

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