ST-Magnitude of three Dimensional Skill Set
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The document discusses the importance of software testers having a three dimensional skill set including: 1) Quality and testing proficiency including understanding different testing techniques and approaches. 2) Domain awareness to effectively test applications in different domains like banking, healthcare, etc. 3) Technical proficiency in areas like programming, databases, cloud computing to thoroughly test applications and identify issues.
ST-Magnitude of three Dimensional Skill Set
- 1. You Dream…We Perceive. Excellence Delivered! Outlook Software Testing Magnitude of three dimension skill set - Amit Bhardwaj Lead, Quality Engineering Samin Tekmindz India (P) Ltd. Abstract The white paper enlighten the importance of three dimension skill set essential for software testing professionals. Now a day’s testers have developed as major stakeholder in quality software delivery. They are anticipated to be cross boarder workforce, technically sound as well as domain skilled. With the inception of Cloud computing, tester’s involvement is growing gradually toward cloud focused testing. This doesn’t mean a tester should be capable of hard core coding and core domain knowledge. Despite of core testing skills, they are expected to have operational understanding on backend implementation such as client server architecture, database, java scripts, AJAX, security requirements along with domain or verticals (such as BFSI, Mobile, e-Commerce, ERP, FMCG etc ) understanding for effective analysis and testing.
- 2. International Confluence 2012- Amity University, Noida Page |1 Introduction Couple of year back, software testing was not even considered to be a part of software development life cycle. (Perhaps, competition as well as the willingness wasn’t comprehensive like these days). Gradually since the inception of Waterfall modal, testing was established as integral part of software development life cycle. Though, Introduction of testers was limited to post development & coding stage only. Applications were getting started toward bit maturity from quality as well as customer satisfaction prospect. However, the misconception like tester need not to be technically sound was evident. It was because tester’s role was restricted toward end of software development. Later it was realized, introduction of testing in later stages was turning out to be a critical factor. Various organizations got trouncing and forced to scrap the developed application & products because whole product or application found to be inconsistence as far as initial requirements and implementation is concern. Despite of this, until now testers were anticipated to be verifier of system rather than a technically skilful resource who can participate in each SDLC stage. This triggered obligation for innovative approaches of software development and subsequent SDLC modals were introduced e.g. Spiral, Iterative/Incremental, Prototype and V-Model …etc. Now industry has steadily realized advantage of having testing and testers in early stages. Companies have started adoption of quality activities by introduction of testers in early stage. Thorough requirement analysis, design (mock-ups, html pages) review, smoke/sanity & regression tests last but not the least automation /performance activities are getting more pace and gratitude. Content The need for proficient & technically sound testers continues to grow every year. Applications and technologies are getting more and more complex and most of the developments than ever are taking up prototyping, v-model & agile philosophies that push testing ever earlier in the development stage. This gives impression that testers are expected to have three dimensional skills set. Just to rationalize their existence, recognition & function. Following are three categories of skills that need to be considered as necessary for new age software testers. 1. Quality & Testing Proficiency 2. Domains Awareness 3. Technical Proficiency Now, what should be considered to strengthen these skills and dimensions? I tried to blend up facts & information acquired from testing conferences, assorted blogs and personal experience in software testing field. Let us put some light on each skill in chorological order. Outlook - Magnitude of three dimension skill set
- 3. International Confluence 2012- Amity University, Noida Page |2 1. Quality & Testing Proficiency Software testing is an integral part of software development life cycle (SDLC). It is believed that testing a piece of code effectively and efficiently is equally important, if not more, to writing it. To maintain the equilibrium software testing life cycle (STLC) came into picture. It sometime emerges to be a fictional approach while structured tested approach is not followed. More often it’s considered as standard & systematic way of test approach like SDLC. It simple comprise of the following stages: Requirement Test TC Test Bed Test Reporting Analysis Planning Designing Setup Execution & Closer There are different types of testing methods or techniques used as part of the software testing methodology. Below are enlisted a few of these. White box testing Regression testing Smoke testing Black box testing Usability testing Compatibility testing Unit testing Performance testing System testing Usability testing Integration testing Alpha & Beta testing Performance testing Regression testing Eventually the purpose of any kind of testing is to validate deviation between actual and expected behaviour of application or software. What matters is the scope & occasion when kind of testing efforts are performed. The software testing techniques described above can be implemented in two ways - manually or by automation. Manual software testing is done by human software testers, who manually check the piece of code, test and report bugs in it. Usually, test cases are written based on requirement documents which afterwards executed on developed application. Automated software testing the same process is performed using various tools such as Win Runner, QTP, J-meter, Selenium, Load Runner, Test Director, etc. (Among few are Open Source while rest are Licensed) Scenario identification, recording, scripting, parameterization & other associated activities are performed using these tool. This needs to be noticed that automation testing can only be triggered post manual testing or until application/software is not stable at an extent. Typically testing efforts can be encapsulated using following approaches: RBT – Requirement Based Testing usually based on written requirement documentations. SBT – Scenario Based Testing usually based on thorough understanding of associated domain and subject area. Last but not the least testing activities must be planned in effective manner and organizations should adopt structured approach toward software testing vertical. Apart of usual testing skills: Outlook - Magnitude of three dimension skill set
- 4. International Confluence 2012- Amity University, Noida Page |3 Testing Professionals have to be good in documentation, verbal as well as written communication. They should be diplomatic, articulated & polite. They should be able to think beyond the usual way. They should be able to put themselves in customer shoes while testing an application. They should be able to analyze risk associated with respective applications. 2. Domains Awareness This skill enable tester to put him in customer shoes. Until unless testers are not aware about domain they are working into, they cannot deliver quality output. It turns out to be critical when you are working for product based organization. As explained earlier, testers are not anticipated to be specialist like subject matter expert instead they should have operational knowledge of anticipated domains. Otherwise it would be impossible to test the scenarios associated with domains which can only be uncovered using thorough domain understanding. Like in case of banking or financial applications, basic & intermediate accounting & operational knowledge should be acquired to verify obscure scenarios related to transactions and other related business rules. This also facilitate for raising improvement & suggestion (apart from defects) to make productive & essential improvement within the software or application. Similarly all other domains should be understood appropriately for effective testing. Following are few key domains which are driving IT sector most: ERP Mobile & Telecom BFSI FMCG/Manufacturing Ecommerce Healthcare & Aviation 3. Technical Proficiency These days’ testers are playing a vital role in software development. At present, they are not restricted to perform testing in end of the development life cycle and find out defects rather than they are deployed in each phase of SDLC as customer advocate and this can be firmly understood by V-Model approach where diverse testing activities take place simultaneously with requirement, design, coding & customer release. It’s extremely significant to keep updated from technical point of view. It ultimately turns out to be helpful to dig out the root cause of defects and to pass the comprehensive information to developer while reporting issues. This also facilitate for raising improvement & suggestion (apart from defects) to make productive & essential improvement within the software or application. Following are couple of technical terminologies which must be well understood by tester: Scripting Knowledge (VB Script, Pearl etc) HTTP & HTTPS Linux & Mac OS Operational Skill HTML, DHTML, XML Static & Dynamic web pages Network Protocols (Relevant) JavaScript & AJAX Database Queries. Cloud Computing Client Server Architecture SDLC approach e.g. Agile Quality Standards – ISO & CMMi Outlook - Magnitude of three dimension skill set
- 5. International Confluence 2012- Amity University, Noida Page |4 Conclusion This endeavour is to present a comprehensive analysis on software testing importance and skill set necessary to accomplish this high priority activity in effective and prompt way. This paper is the mere attempt to entitle the affixed facts leveraging software testing activities. It also highlights importance of associated skills set for effective testing activities. Eventually, strong requirement of structured testing approach within organizations. This fraction of document realized based on various input including discussions with speakers from testing conferences, online bloggers and personal experiences gained over the period spent in software testing field. Hoping this writ-up would help those who are planning to adopt software testing as career path and also to those who are new to this field. They should consider these facts and prepare themselves accordance to latest trend and technology. Moreover, continual learning and up gradation of skills based on new initiatives and technologies should keep going on. Information summarize in this document, is not limited to written facts only. It is recommended to dig out this topic and go through the detailed information associated to particular section or area. References No part of this paper has been directly referred from any copyright martial. The following links have been used to get basic understanding of testing amicability for past and current software development activities. Item Description STC 2009 http://www.qaiglobalservices.com/minisites/stc-2009/index.htm Cloud Testing- Issues, http://seij.dce.edu/Paper%201.pdf Challenges, Needs and Practice Biography of the author Amit Bhardwaj, Lead, Quality Engineering – Samin TekMindz India (P) Limited, has over 7 years of professional experience in software Quality Assurance and testing. As a quality & testing professional, he is accountable for the responsibilities of QA test cycle maintenance, requirement & release management, creating Metrics and asset (tools and processes). He holds a Masters degree in Computer Science from UP Technical University. He has extensive experience in functional automation, performance and QA testing of various domains products; also he has been involved in high level QA activities since the inception of testing career. Apart from this he is a profound intellectual toward software testing concepts, new initiatives, process setup etc. He has presented /submitted white paper “Estimator Metrics: Assessment of QA time & Resource” at international conference STC 2009 held at Bangalore. Earlier in year 2007, he was selected in the final of Accenture software testing challenge 2007, where he delivered presentation on the solution comprising Test Plan, Strategies & Test Estimation for the case study provided. He can be contacted at amit.bhardwaj@tekmindz.com Outlook - Magnitude of three dimension skill set