What is Manual Testing, Myths and how it can improve your Software / Application
Testing is a process to evaluate a system or its fundamentals with the aim to find whether it satisfies the descriptive requirements or not. It certainly a method to dig out any gaps, errors or missing requirements. In manual testing one validates and verifies a software program / product, which meets the business specific requirements basis given instructions.
A manual tester prepares a test plan document which is used as a guideline document in testing process to complete the test coverage. If testing methods are implemented from the initial phase of the project, it surely reduces the cost and time to develop and create a bug-free software product. It can be started right from the Software Development i.e. Requirements Gathering phase and till the end of deployment of software.
Below are some of the techniques which are used in manual software testing:
- Unit Testing
- White Box Testing
- Black Box Testing
- System Testing
- Integration Testing
- User Acceptance Testing
Myths in software testing
Myth 1: Anyone can Test a Software Application
Reality: Most people think pointing a bug and getting the issue fixed is all about testing but thinking unique and flip side scenarios, crashing a software with the intent to explore hidden bugs is not possible for a developer who developed it or any other non QA person.
Myth 2: Completely Developed Products are Tested
Reality: Undoubtedly, testing methods depends on the source code but reviewing requirement specification, developing test scenarios and test cases is independent from the developed code. However, iterative or incremental approach as a development life cycle model may reduce the dependency of testing on the completely developed software.
Myth 3: A Tested Software is Bug-Free
Reality: Most of the people believes in a common myth: “A Tested Software is always Bug Free” however given hundreds of permutation combinations of scenarios may violate the testing scope and any un-documented scenario may occur issues in the application. So this depends on the testing scope and project requirement.
Myth 4: Testers are Responsible for Quality of Product
Reality: It is a very common misapprehension that only testing team should be responsible for product quality assurance. Quality actually comes from Development and QA only validates it. Basically, a tester’s responsibilities includes the recognition of bugs and share with stakeholders. Then it is business decision whether they wish to defer it or prioritize to resolve
Myth 5: Testing is Too Expensive
Reality: If testing is introduced in the early phase of a project, it reduces the cost of the project otherwise you have to pay more for maintenance or correction / updation. Early testing plan saves both time and cost in many situations. Reducing the cost of a project by excluding test plans may result in various bugs in the application and may cause the uselessness.
Conclusion
So performing process oriented testing with a pre-plan will increase the application quality and performance. Unlike the myths among the people regarding testing methodologies and usefulness, it certainly helps in improving the software quality and performance. Testing should be done under good guidance and pre-requisite plan hence it solves the software testing purpose.
Writer of this blog is a Senior Test Engineer at PulpQA.com.