Richard Estra is a Senior Software Test/QA Engineer.He holds a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and has been working in the software industry for the past 35 years.He has participated in the complete range of testing responsibilities including requirements analysis, test strategizing, test planning and documentation, testing execution, defect recording, root cause analysis, defect avoidance, metrics gathering/reporting and customer support. He has extensive knowledge of increasing the software quality and end user experience by utilizing software test process improvement and optimization techniques, and is looking for his next challenge in testing/QA. Email Richard at [email protected] or on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardestra/
The test team shouldn’t have the onus to improve the software quality, rather the quality should already be built into the software. A few subtle indicators can reveal if the quality isn’t being built into the software.
Evaluating a test team member’s abilities is crucial in recognizing deficiencies within the team, and it provides an opportunity to outline a strategy to remedy the weaknesses. Selecting the proper method for evaluating the test team’s abilities is vital.
When your released software is infected with problems, there is the possibility of a pandemic defect, when a wide geographic area and an exceptionally high proportion of the end-user population is affected. Just like with the coronavirus, following proper guidelines and taking mitigation steps can reduce the spread.
Requirements only go so far in identifying areas to test. Sometimes testers are given no information at all, leaving it up to them to determine what to test. Don’t accept the need to indiscriminately test with no clear understanding. Your testing should be targeted, and these techniques will help focus your test effort.
We’re not all created equal, and it’s counterproductive to act like that’s the case on a team. Every individual has their own unique set of strengths, and knowing what everyone’s strengths are contributes to the team’s success. When you're putting a team together, you first have to discover each person’s strong suits.
Some defects require a fix, without a doubt. But not all defects are created equal, so careful thought should be applied before a defect is fixed. The goal isn’t to fix every reported defect; it’s to return value to the customer and profit to the company. These eight questions can help in the decision-making process.
Releasing untested defect fixes into production is a real possibility. Being aware of how this can occur may help reduce the possibility of it happening. Let’s explore the common reasons defect fixes go untested—insufficient testing or resources, and undocumented fixes—as well as the steps we can take to prevent them.
