With how much software is in use these days, it’s not hard to see the importance of good QA testing. That being said, some projects and teams are often cutting corners in order to meet deadlines, so testing tends to be the one to take the hit.
For those looking to improve their QA teams, looking at the best QA companies isn’t a bad idea, as it gives them a look at what makes the best who they are. However, it’s also important to take a look at the people; a team is nothing without the individuals that make it up, after all.
Here are a few qualities that make up a good QA tester.
Curiosity
The question at the core of QA testing as a whole is “What happens if…?”. The impulse to try out different things, the ability to think outside the box and look at things from different perspectives, even unlikely ones, are all important for QA testers, as part of their job is literally coming up with situations that most wouldn’t.
Communication skills
Testers and devs need to work on a lot of things, which means that their time is precious. The best qa companies and teams know this, so they won’t waste the devs’ time with back-and-forth; they know what to talk about, and how to talk about it. A good QA tester knows how to report and document issues, and how to present it to people so everyone can get it.
Quality-oriented
A tester doesn’t just find the faults in software, they do more than that. Testers don’t just break software, but also determine and point out what aspects of it need refining and improving. The end goal of a tester is to help the product become the best that it can possibly be.
Attention to detail
An extension of the above point: not all bugs are obvious, which can be a problem as even the smallest errors can lead to massive issues. A QA tester needs to be able to spot even the tiniest of issues regardless of how deeply-hidden they might be, even if they need to triple-check things.
End-user perspective
At the end of the day, developing is done for the sake of the users. Since QA testers do their job for the sake of the users, having a good grasp of what users need helps a lot. They need to be able to ask and answer questions like “Who’s going to use this software?”, “Why?”, and the like, as these can narrow down the scenarios the product is most likely to see.
Patience
Truth be told, not even the best QA companies want to deal with more bugs than absolutely necessary. Bugs can be a pain, there’s no getting around that. That’s why a good QA tester needs to be patient and persevering, ready to respond to bugs, and approach things from different perspectives on short notice. With development being what it is, bugs can pop up at any time, and QA testers need to be ready.