Testers checklist

It’s been more than the month between my last blog and the one you are reading now. I was wondering for the topic to write. Later on I got few topics to write on to share my ideas. But before that I decided to write again something for the testers who start their career in software testing. As, I am personally interested in educating such people, I just want to share few things that are running in my mind. Here are some of the checklists I have prepared for those starters. Some I have listed could be even suited well for the people who have been working in this field for some “X” years.

If you see software testing as not only your profession but a passion too, I hope this would be useful and you would have been following probably.

1.      Communication:

When I mean communication most of us think about speaking/Writing in English. Remember English is just a language. There are some countries that don’t prefer this language. So, when people ask about communication don’t have such mindset. Communication is the ability to communicate with other people. It could be of any languages. But when it comes to your project yes it is “English” mostly. Because if your are being working for the US/UK/Aus, then the medium of communication preferably be English. It could be tough to learn some “X” language to communicate with the clients/ colleagues those who don’t speak English in their countries. So, in that case English would be bit better if you couldn’t able to catch up their languages or learn the language they prefer you to speak. But most of the Indian industries go with English because of clients.

Speaking along doesn’t come under communication skills even writing too. Writing is another way of communicating with people. But this need much more care when compared with speaking. Because writing doesn’t hold natural humans expression/Feelings. So, it could be mis-understood sometimes for the people who are reading in another end. So, have an extra effort in practicing writing more than speaking through word of mouth.

2.      Interest:

Interest is like a tool that would help the people to walk forward with more enthusiasm.  Rate of your career growth depends on the rate of your interest that you hold probably. It is like an engine that will help you keep moving in better way with love and joy. This could even make your life colorful. Because your profession is also associated with your personal feelings/life.

3.      Accept the Challenge:

Things that are nearby you will never be on your favor all times. Sometimes it would hurt you as you never expected. Same being in any profession you can’t relax with the role that you hold today. Tomorrow it may not be yours because of the competition world. So, ready to take up any challenges. Don’t be scared to learn and fear that you can’t do that. Try once before you have those feelings.

4.      Thinking ability:

Thinking is another most important skill among the other that I have mentioned so far. How good you could thing is how your testing ideas/test cases are designed and this is how your testing probable be. So, improve the skills of thinking to make your testing better. This is another way that will show the difference among other people.

5.      Courage to listen:

Listen to the people whom you are speaking with or approaching. Allow them to speak to let you know their ideas on your decision.  It would be unfair if you don’t have the courage to listen on your colleagues/ any concerned people ideas and you might be on wrong path if you stick to your ideas without listening others opinion.

6.      Boldness to speak :

Whatever you want to share you should be able to speak by facing their face. If you don’t have much courage to do that, you might be missing some points that are running in your heart/mind and you won’t express yourself in a better way as you expected. So, try to get rid of shyness,fearness if you have such character.

7.      Sharing your thoughts:

Share your thoughts with your colleagues. So, that they would probably share their thoughts with you. This would help you to learn much better sometimes or they may learn better from you.

8.      Know what testing is :

The most important thing is to know what testing is than just going with some “X” document or following it blindly.

9.      Skills vs. knowledge:

There is a difference between skills and knowledge. The things that you know and haven’t practiced yet, and then it is knowledge. When you have practiced then it is a skill. Following document and applying it sometimes act as knowledge no wonder it could be test case/ design/ test ideas. When it is made by you then it is a skill.

10.  Programming interest:

It is not that a tester who tests manually, should’t need of programming skills. It is good to know how to code. Choose the platform that you want to learn and have a good idea about it. So, that you would learn what testing to approach based on the conditions.

11.  Social media connection:

Connectivity is an important for the testers. What you have learned from people would be shared among the four walls of your organizations. But engaging in social media would help you to connect with different people across the world. This would give you a platform to showcase your identity. So, make use of social media.

12.  Blogging:

Blogging would help you to share your thoughts, create an identity, and also help you to improve your writing skills. So, it is good to have a habit of blogging.

13.  Faking result:

This is what one should not have thought career. Faking result I mean saying “YES” for what all you’re Lead/ Manager says which doesn’t interest you and feeling that that is a wrong one. To impress someone we should not fake ourselves. Be strong on your decision that you feel is right.

14.  Bug reporting:

Bug reporting is the proof to represent your testing job.  To know much about bug reporting refer my blog post that I have published previously.

15.  Presentations skills:

A presentation skill is not only that you present your work to your boss/ colleagues or any concerned people .It is also to learn how to represent ourselves with others.

16.  Not blind believer:

Don’t solely believe on the report that you got though some tools that you are using for testing. Sometimes tools would also produce a fake result. So, have a cross check once before you submitting the report.

17.  Learn and test:

Learn and test would be preferably suited for the people who know what testing is. People who depend on domain skills than the testing skills may not follow this “learn and test” ideology all times.

18.  Following people

Follow the people whose work interests you.  If possible ask them to coach you. Learn from them and apply it in your own style.

19.   Attending Conferences:

There are lots of conferences going on in many cities. So, attend the conference that you prefer it would be helpful for you to learn something new or better. At least be aware of conference happenings.

20.  Keep practicing:

To me there is no term called an “Expert”. So, don’t have the mindset that you know many things or I am much experienced in something. The people whose names are most familiar in the world doesn't mean that they are an expert, they are keep on practicing things and they don’t have the mindset of stop learning. They don’t say themselves as an expert because they know the meaning for it.

Some of the skills listed below would be even more be better if you have/follow these.

21.   Caring for the product quality

22.   Interactions

23.   Honest in report

24.   Reading books

If I have missed something or misunderstood something, please feel free to send your feedback.

My Contact Details:

E-mail: ktg.pradeep@gmail.com

Phone:07639959901

Skype: pradeep.lingan

Test Report-Template (Designed by me)

Project Name:

URL:

Tester Name:

Module’s to Test:

Total Time Taken:

       Type of Test Performed- (Overall Status):

Test Kind	No. of Defects	No. of Suggestions
Functional Usability Performance Security	5 12 31 22	12 3 21 22

    Module wise: 

     Defect Status:

     Module Name: xx1

     Test scenario:

     Time  Taken:

ID	Test Kind	Status
#12021 #12022 #12023	Usability Performance Functional	New Fixed Deferred

        

        Suggestion Status:

ID	Test Type	Status
#12025 #12026 #12027	Usability Performance Functional	New Fixed Deferred

       Defects Status

       Module Name: xx2

       Test scenario:

       Time  Taken:

ID	Test Type	Status
#12027 #12028 #12029	Usability Performance Functional	New Fixed Deferred

         Suggestion Status:

ID	Test Type	Status
#12031 #12032 #12034	Usability Performance Functional	New Fixed Deferred

Graphical Representation: (Overall):

A baby who walk alone for finding the destination

I am a growing baby in the software industry. I am just 1.4 years old in the field of software testing.  In this age, somehow I managed to walk alone without holding other’s hands for sometimes. I know at this age it is impossible to walk alone for a long distance without the supporting hands. I am getting slip down sometimes but again I will manage to get up and keep walking alone.  My aim is not to walk alone. Rather I wish to run as soon as possible. So, doing some exercises to make myself get prepared for that. But I don’t know the exercises that I am following and practicing is good or bad. Some time I get hurt/pain .So I look for the people (expert) whom I know for help. Based on their advice I do some practices. Being a baby I commit some mistakes .But the quality I learned is that learning and correcting me from those mistakes. This helped me to learn better.

I have tested many websites (I don’t say tons of it, but at least 50+ right from my training).I have the habit of “caring for something”. Being a tester I used to report the issue I see in the product I use. I personally feel that a professional tester must do that. It is the way of representing the passion in our work. Some of the issues may be more serious and even it may harm the human life based on the product. Some products like medical equipment/ mobile phones, if when something went wrong at some cases it could harm the human life.

Technology is closely related to the human life and needs. So, something wrong with the products that are developed could cause damage to the life sometimes. So, it the responsibility of the tester or any people to make an awareness (report) about the issues when it occurs. That’s why I used to say “caring is a kind of quality a tester must have”.  “Don’t care” kind of people could never be a good professional. They are selfish to the society. I have no words to say for those people other than saying change yourself.

Some of the qualities I gained in walking alone:

1. I don’t say that walking alone will have more benefits. Every thing has its own advantage and disadvantage. So, in this case walking along have some benefits.
2. I am free to walk on my own style.
3. No need to follow the comment of the bad-boss (who doesn't know how to support) for walking.
4. Learning and experiencing a lot from pains and gains.  
5. Showing my own identity to the society.
6. My work could turn as a research
7. Freedom to think.
8. Choosing my own path for reaching my destination. It could be a hard or easy. Tough would turn as an experience and the easy will resemble as an example.
9. Getting things quickly, that could be possible probably after some years, if I have walked on someone’s shadows. 
10. Support  from the community people

I wish to be a marathon winner not in the running race but in the field of software industry. Hope I will make it soon.

Your Feedback are most welcome !

Some tips on performing usability testing

 Some of the things normally I consider before I start testing an apps are like

• Learning about the product functions
• Knowing the end users for that product
• What business rules are involved
• Who are the competitors for that product
• What test approach to perform
• Get into testing activity (The above mentioned is also considered as a testing activity)

There are “N” types of testing available. Few are known types and some are unknown. I am not going to speak about the fake types. I just want to share something that I consider in performing usability testing. Before that let me tell one thing. The issue remains as an issue. No matter what kind of issues is that, whether it is a functional or usability, accessibility. The things that we see as an uncomfortable one in a product could be an issues. All issues are not fixed or considered. But those unfixed and unconsidered are not that it is not an issue, May be due to severity/Priority it could have be changed. But still that could remain as an issue.

What Usability Testing mean to me?

Testing the application to see how well it is suited (easy to use) for the different end-users.

“The usability issues may not harm the product directly but it could harm the customers. So, indirectly it harms the product”.

List I consider for usability testing

Usability is all about how you see the product. Usability testing is also an important aspect like other testing types. Sometimes it could be harm to the product if the customers are not able to understand (easy to use) the product.

Search option could be one of the better examples to tell how well the product is easy for use.

Few things I consider are

• What flexibility the product has?
• How easy to understand the product when different customers are involved.
• How easy to use
• How can we get more customers?
• What makes end users attracted?

•   For example let us say, there is a setting option mentioned with the icon and the name is not shown in a tool tip or shown near the icon. So, for the people who frequently visit the websites like techy users, there is no need to educate them more. Just an icon is enough to tell what that option is meant for. But for the people who are not aware of those things need a tool tip.
•   Let us consider an app, it’s one of the page contains some five features and each feature has some images to be shown. If every feature is shown up with the image by default, for example the first features that has some 100 images and are shown by default the remaining features could be seen only by scrolling it. Sometimes, the user might not be aware of that. Or may feel hesitate to scroll to view the remaining features images. So, in such cases it is good to show up the features with images hidden. On clicking it the images could be shown up or else we can list the features at the right/left side of the pages and by clicking on any features the images could be shown and the images for the first features could be shown by default here, else the page looks blank. So, based on how we like to showcase the order should be changed
•   If the user wants to order some product, let the user be allowed to browse the product then after ordering now we can ask the user for login/register. Instead, if the user is forced to login or register to view the product, sometimes the user might skip to view those products. This would lead to losing the customers.
•   The options for registration should not be complex in case of some retail product. If, that is the case the user might not register at all.
•   More number of features in one page will have a bad look and feel.
•   There need to be sufficient space between the options.
•   If the product supports for desktop/ tablets/mobile, how well it is shown and used in those things.

So, these are some of the points I consider while performing the usability testing. 

I appreciate people who want to add some of the things to consider for usability. You can contact me on

Mobile:  07639959901

Email id: ktg.pradeep@gmail.com

Skype: pradeep.lingan  

A freshers approach on search of jobs

Few years/ month back I was in search of job. After completion of my graduation, I normally used to apply for many companies for many roles. I haven’t known which sort of jobs will suit me (my interest). Lots of struggle to get into IT concern. Later on I realized my faults, known my interest and worked on that. I settled in a job (my favorite).  And today I am in one concern working as a Software Tester and some other roles too.  In case of job search same situation is happening even now among the fresher’s. The problem what I have faced is almost same when I see some people who apply for the job in my concern. I have interviewed two kinds of candidates, people applying for testing job and who have no idea about choosing the job.

Most of the fresher who complete their graduation will gain the knowledge in some X technologies but haven’t developed their skills. I believe skills are what the industry expert from the candidate than having just knowledge alone. So, I suggest a fresher’s (College passed out) to develop their skills along with the knowledge.  

I see some people coming for an interview with no idea about the position they have applied for. I am the person who believes more on the interest than the knowledge they have. So, before checking their knowledge, I just look into their interest. On questioning about their interest, few says that yes I have an interest.But when I asked about the measurement they have taken for that, they say sorry I didn't do anything. Few say I got this interest last month before that my interest was different. So, for those people I just stop going further and give them time to know/ think about their interest and if they are clear with that I would ask them to apply again.

 When I have interviewed few people they just come with the blank idea saying that they want to work in a software job. But don’t know what they are really looking in the software job. Few thinks that software job is all about coding and testing .They don’t consider even web designing as a part of it. It is not the responsibility of an interview to educate about the varieties of jobs in the software company. It is the responsibility of the candidate. Sometimes it is the responsibility of her/his staff in college.  Teacher must be much dedicated and should help his/her student in choosing the career when they are helpless. Sometimes I feel it is the responsibility of the teacher to create awareness about the happenings in the IT industry.

Here is another case I was speaking with one person who appeared for an interview after completion of interview process .I made a formal chat with that person. He is interested in web designing but want to get into programming because his dad wants him to get into programming. But he is not interested in that. To those people he/she should convince his/her parents and let them know their child’s interest. Some parents/student believes that programming is the top level in the IT job and one could have a fastest growth and best salary if they are into programming.

Some people learn their engineering subject in just sake of clearing the semester exams and some will have good knowledge on particular subject’s .But as far as the industry concerns it is not enough.  I don’t blame all the students’ way of learning their subjects. Some will develop skills along with the knowledge. Kudos to those people.

Because of demand on job search few do some certification believing that it would help us in getting a job. There are some institutes who provide a service just for their business sake and there are some companies who don’t even consider the course certificate. So be aware of that. Course certification is like an eye/brain wash it will not always help you in fetching the job .Unless you realize your interest and develop your skills it is tough for you to get into the job.

Nowadays the degree certification has become a gate pass for applying for the job. With the help of such certificate alone without skills there is no use in having such degree certificate. No matter what the value that degree certificate holds or the grades you got.

So, learn engineering in such a way that you could develop the skills along with the knowledge.  Know/Develop your interest work on that. Reach your dream. Make it true and enjoy your life.

All the Best!!!

If I am wrong in my approach/ opinion, Please send me your feedback.  Feedback sometimes acts as a sign for “Caring”
                                                                              - Pradeep Lingan

Caring is a kind of quality a testers must have in his/her work

I normally used to test when I use some product. Sometimes I see BUGs that are dancing in front of my eyes. What should I do when I see such bugs in those products?. I am not working on such product company. Should I leave that? No.  Being a tester I will not leave that. I used to make a bug report and send it to the concerned person.  Because it’s not just to say that I care for the product (any). But I love my job. I personally feel caring is a kind of quality a testers must have in his/her work. This could also be a way of representing that I care for the quality of the product and the job I do. Some of the BUGS/Suggestions that I seen in some apps are listed below. I used to report it to those concerned person and then I used to update it in the social media.


How some one could update something into my profile. How will I ( any user) feel it as a secured

The message that wish me saying that I finished this section successfully though I got an error in the output.

This I made it purposely. I just changed the line of the code to see how it respond for that change. 

 I was asked to enter a password after successful completion of log-in to my account

 I didn't send any request or made some changes in it. But, I don't why it is asking me to log out and sign in. 

Bug reporting is one of the important skill a tester should have. But here it is shown as a duplicate skill.

Wrong content is entered 

Having a forgot password option in user profile setting page makes no sense.

Google in Tamil : Looking for Tamil words but I see both English and Tamil

My new style of designing the test case

I just want to make (follow) some new style of working in testing. I just started and trying to do a research in creating (test case design) and following the testing style.

I have gone through few test case document creations. But I am entirely against to it. Because my testing approach (Exploratory-learn and test) is quite against to following test cases for testing. I have done some work to have a new style of designing the test document that contains two or three columns if it is documented in excel. The columns are “Questions/Check”  “Results got”  “Comments/Notes”. I don’t prefer to have a lengthy column sections for the test case design like “Test strategies Test scenarios, , Test Steps, Expected Results, Actual Results, Status. I haven’t followed any test case document. But, I just want to know how well it works with my new approach.

I have learned and believe that testing is about questioning the product. So, we test by questioning to ourselves over the product. I believe “Product quality goes blind and deaf is the tester doesn't knows how to see and speak with the product”.

So, as a tester we need to know how to communicate with the product. How well you communicate with the product and that much the quality that product will have. 

My new design has few features

Module name will help us to know which module/Unit we are working with .This will help us to know about the trace-ability matrix. Followed by test designer name and people who executed the test cases and along with that time required to execute the test.

I see this will be the simple way to have a test case document preparation.

This could be created in other kind of document like Mind mapping. Mind mapping is another way of representing the document in picture form. There could be any (many) style of having a document through mind mapping

If the test case is prepared through other document file like word, excel:  (sample document):

Test case Document Module Name:         Designed By:      Executed By:          Duration:
Sl.No	Questions/Check	Results found	Comment/Notes
1 2. 3.	Does the username field contain rectangle shape? Does the data’s in the password field are encrypted? Does the min/Max length of the password is X, Y?

This is the sample of my work not the result of my research work. All the changes I make in preparing the document will be updated in my blog post.  I will be happy if anyone provides me a feedback for my work and I will be happier if you try to create a new documentation style and test case following approach.

My Contact Information:

Email: ktg.pardeep@gmail.com

Phone: 07639959901

Skype: pradeep.lingan