Important Challenges faced by Software Testers

Famous book 'Surviving the Top Ten Challenges of Software Testing - A People-Oriented Approach', written by William Perry and Randall Rice, wonderfully describes following Ten challenges faced by the software testers. I am briefly mentioning these challenges here just to generate a healthy curiosity among my software tester fellows. For in-depth details, please go through this wondeful book & enjoy.

CHALLENGE – 1: TRAINING IN TESTING
IS TESTING A NATURAL-BORN INSTINCT?
Core Issues are :
($) Lack of education in testing
($) The large majority of testers have never had formal training in software testing.
($) Many testers and their management are unaware of training sources for testing.

Solutions for Training:
($) Obtain formal training in testing techniques
($) Certification : CSTE (Certified Software Test Engineer)
($) Attending conferences
($) Reading books and articles

CHALLENGE – 2: RELATIONSHIP BUILDING WITH DEVELOPERS
WHOSE SIDE ARE TESTERS ON?
Core Issues are :
($) Lack of teamwork
($) "Us versus them" mentality, seen most often in organizations with independent test teams. Here Them refers to the Developers.

Solutions to the Teamwork Challenge:
($) The goal is to get to "Us and them"
($) Each person on the team can have a role in testing like
- Developers: unit and structural testing
- Testers: independent testing
- Users: business-oriented testing
- Management: to support testing activities

CHALLENGE – 3: USING TOOLS
TESTING WITHOUT TOOLS:
Core Issues are :
($) Lack of understanding of the usefulness of test tools
($) Without upper management support, it is difficult to acquire test tools.
($) A process is needed for the tools.
($) People should be trained in the use of test tools.
($) People must accept and apply the tools.

Solutions for Acquiring and Using Test Tools:
($) Identify a "champion" for obtaining test tools.
($) Base the case for test tools in costs vs. benefits.
($) Have a basic testing process in place.
($) Train people in tool usage.
($) Measure the benefits.

CHALLENGE – 4: GETTING MANAGERS TO UNDERSTAND TESTING
Core Issues are :
($) Management is not fully aware of what is required for effective testing.
($) Management is often focused on the product, not the process. This leads to lack of management support and involvement for testing.

Solutions to Educating Management in Testing Issues:
($) Cultural change is needed.
($) Focus your message to management on:
- reducing the cost of rework
- meeting the project schedule
($) The benefits of testing must relate to these two things to be persuasive.

CHALLENGE – 5: COMMUNICATING WITH USERS ABOUT TESTING
WOULD THE REAL CUSTOMER STAND UP?
Core Issues are :
Core Issue No. 1 - A lack of understanding of who the customer really is. We must understand the difference between: Customers & Users

Core Issue No. 2 - Lack of customer involvement in testing.
Solutions to Identifying and Involving the Customer in Testing:
($) Involve the customer and users throughout the project by performing reviews and inspections.
($) Include users on the system test team.
($) Perform user acceptance testing.
($) Understand the difference between the customer and users.

CHALLENGE – 6: MAKING THE NECESSARY TIME FOR TESTING
TOO MUCH WORK – TOO LITTLE TIME :
Core Issues are :
($) Arbitrary schedules and estimates do not allow enough time for testing.
($) Realism: There is never enough time to test every possible combinations of test conditions.

Solutions to the Time Crunch:
($) Base schedules and estimates on measurable testing activities.
- Scripts to be executed
- Cases to be tested
- Requirements to be tested
($) Have contingency plans for schedule slippage.
($) Integrate automated testing tools to the project.

CHALLENGE – 7: TESTING "OVER THE WALL" SOFTWARE
OVERCOMING THROWING STUFF OVER THE WALL:
Core Issues are :
($) Developers depending on testers to find bugs.
($) Seen most often when independent test teams are used in an organization

Solutions to Overcoming Throwing Stuff Over the Wall:
($) Developers must take ownership and responsibility for the quality of their work.
($) Quality control is most effective when performed at the point of creation.
($) Train developers to become excellent testers.
($) Get management support for developer responsibility for quality.

CHALLENGE – 8: TRYING TO HIT A MOVING TARGET
Core Issues are :
($) Software and systems that undergo rapid and/or constant change.
($) Software development techniques such as Rapid Application Development can produce a new version of the software very quickly.
($) You can’t perform a four-week test every day manually.

Solutions for Hitting a Moving Target:
($) The testing process must accommodate change.
($) Focus on testable requirements.
($) Use automated testing tools.
($) Manage the rate and degree of change.

CHALLENGE – 9: FIGHTING A LOSE-LOSE SITUATION
Core Issues are :
($) Testers are often the "bad guys" when they find defects, yet if the software goes live with problems, testers are blamed for the defects.
($) Since independent testers have no control over the software development process, they cannot guarantee software quality.

Solutions for Fighting a Lose-Lose Situation:
($) The perception of testing must change.
- Testers are paid to find defects
- Each defect found is one more the customer or user will not find
($) Testers are not to blame for bottlenecks. It is management’s responsibility to have an efficient process.

CHALLENGE – 10: HAVING TO SAY "NO"
Core Issues are :
($) Testers are often the bearer of bad news.
($) Problem: Management doesn’t like to hear bad news.

Solutions for Having to Say "No":
($) Most responsibility is on management to:
- have a quality software development process in place.
- have contingency plan in place in case of problems.
- understand that testing is only an evaluation activity.
- accept the honest facts.
($) Keep the test results objective

SUMMARY - APPLYING THE LESSONS LEARNT:
($) Most testing problems seem to be human in nature.
($) "Quality is everyone’s job, but it’s management’s responsibility." Dr. Deming.
($) There are three key parts of the testing picture: Process, People and Tools.

Keyword: Testing, Challenges, QTP, Quicktest, Automation