Finding bugs is undoubtedly one of the most enjoyable parts of being a QA tester. After all, nothing beats the satisfaction of hunting down a critter that’s been bugging (haha) your developers for months!
Still, bug testing is challenging work and with multiple testing routes to try, it can be difficult for inexperienced QA’s to develop efficient ways of working. That’s why I’m going to share four bug busting tips, that will improve your tracking processes.
Have a read and don’t forget to share your own tips in the comments section.
1. Adopt an Agile Mindset
Lots of organizations make the mistake of working in silos. Developers work on a piece of software until it’s deemed ‘complete’ and then it’s passed on to QA.
But it shouldn’t be this way.
Bug testing should be an ongoing part of your agile software development cycle. By testing constantly, you’ll be able to tackle issues in a timely manner and there will be plenty of time to send bugs back to QA ahead of any product launches.
2. Standardize Your Reporting Process
Now, I know that everyone has their own rhythm when it comes to how they approach bug reports. But standardizing reporting is key. Particularly if you work alongside a team of testers.
Standardizing your report avoids communication issues and makes it easier for developers to make adjustments based on your findings. Imagine how difficult it must be to pull information from 10 totally unique reports!
3. Set up a clear tracking process
How are defects passed through the organization? Is there a clear structure regarding who is involved at each juncture or is a case just thrown around until it eventually gets some attention?
Make sure that everyone knows:
- How are bugs assigned and prioritized
- Who is responsible for each task
- The criteria needed to resolve a bug as ‘fixed.’
4. Always prepare test cases
A test case is a set of actions that you execute in order to verify a particular feature or function of the software you are developing.
Prepare functional test cases that include risks you’ve identified in your bug reports. Test repeatedly in different environments to see if any patterns emerge and make sure these patterns are shared with the responsible developer.
As a bug tester you should be testing like you’re trying to break the system, so give it all you’ve got.
Need Support with Your Bug Testing?
By following the steps above, you’ll make your bug testing process slicker than ever. Still, you’re always going to encounter them in your work- the sneaky mites get everywhere!
Creating a thorough testing plan requires time and expertise. If that’s not available to you internally, another great option is to hire a freelance QA tester who can manage your bug testing for you. As freelancers are experts in the field, they can also help with standardizing ways of working.
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