1) Thorough analysis of the Test Results:
A good software QA testing professionals always tries to add some analysis to the bugs reported. Most of the times the error logs say a lot about the bug/defect. By adding that thing in the Bug Report, the tester makes it easy for the developer to fix the problem.
2) Try to attain maximum coverage:
Try to cover/test as many combinations as possible. Though it is not possible to attain 100% coverage every time, try to test the maximum combinations/scenarios those can be thought of and tested.
3) Go by the Golden Rule – “Divide and Conquer”:
To attain maximum test coverage divide the application to be tested into smaller modules and write separate test cases for each individual module. It helps in testing each module in detail and also ensures maximum test coverage.
4) Don’t forget negative scenarios:
Always write the test cases for the positive scenarios i.e. write the test cases to test that whether the system is working fine as per the specification under ideal conditions. After that, write test cases for Negative scenarios / invalid conditions. This will ensure that the system works properly when being given negative inputs and handles the errors/exceptions properly.
5) Think like a Tester – Where there is a TESTER there is a BUG 🙂
Start QA testing of the application with an intent of finding defects/bugs. Don’t come to a conclusion like there won’t be any bugs in the application. Think beforehand that there will not be any bugs in the application and you will actually end up finding no bugs.
6) Frame your test cases early:
Try to write the test cases in the Analysis and Design phase. This ensures that the test steps included in the test case cover all the requirements.
7) Get the Test case ready before the developer’s code for the functionalities:
Don’t wait for the release of the application for testing to write the test cases. You might think that you can log more bugs, but NO. Let the developers analyze your test steps to create a quality app. This actions would also help in saving the time spend on reworking on the test cases.
8) Take care of the notorious intruder – “Regression”:
Include some steps in the test case which refers to regression testing. This will ensure quick regression testing during the system testing itself thus saving the time for individual regression testing.
9) Make your application Huff and Puff – Test the “Performance”:
The Applications where the response time is a critical aspect should be tested thoroughly for performance. Try to find out methods to overload the application during the testing process to test the performance. “Load” and “Stress” the application as much as possible to test the performance of the application under unfavorable conditions.
10) One should not test the code written by him/her:
It is human tendency that we are sometimes unable to find out mistakes committed by us in case we check our own work. Therefore we should always encourage people (developers) to get their work checked by testers.
11) Think BIG. Go for some testing that is not mentioned in the requirements.
Try to test some scenarios those are not mentioned in the SRS or requirements specification. It would help in testing that the application does not do what it is not supposed to do.
12) Take the help from past experience/statistics/graphs/records/test results:
Referring to the past statistics helps a lot in determining the areas which are more prone towards defects. Using them while system testing or regression testing can be beneficial in determining the defect clusters.
13) Learn while you Work:
Whenever you encounter any new term during the testing process which is not familiar, just make a note of it. You can also note down the concepts you learn during the testing process. These data can be proved to be helpful during the preparation of Test Closure / Test Release report.
14) Make the TESTER an early bird – Involve a Tester from the beginning of the process:
It’s always advisable to involve testers from the early phases of the SDLC like Requirements Analysis and Design phase. This helps the software QA testing professionals get a more thorough idea about the application under test (AUT) and thus he can write better test cases with a better/detailed coverage.
15) Be the best by following the BEST PRACTICES:
Being a good tester, always try to follow the best practices. When possible share them too with other software QA testing professionals.
16) Be more social – Talk/Discuss with people/developers around you:
Discuss with the developers/Business Analysts to know more about the application. Whenever it is required, have a face to face discussion for resolving conflicts fast and to avoid misunderstandings. When you understand the requirement or resolve any conflict, make sure you have put it in a written format like emails. Do not keep anything verbal as it does not have any physical existence.
17) Prioritize your work:
Prioritize your QA testing work and plan the strategy accordingly. Don’t forget about risks while prioritizing.
18) Write an easy to understand and detailed bug report.
A good bug/defect report not only provides the bug’s symptoms but also provides the impact of the bug on the application. It is always better to do some analysis and add notes (if possible) for the possible causes of the bug. It helps the developer a lot while fixing the bug.
Author – Sudeep Pattnaik