Software Testing: Is It Really Necessary?

“To err is human” goes the famous saying. Yes! We are human and not God. So it is very natural for us to commit mistakes which can be reverted as well. While developing a software, it is but natural to write flawed codes which will give rise to bugs. But these mistakes can be rectified too, thanks to software testing. Software testing is the process by which the bugs and shortcomings of the software which has been developed are caught and hence rectified for the creation of a better software altogether. It goes without saying that software testing is one of the most important part of the software development life cycle and is absolutely necessary.

As most of the mistakes in software development are developed due to erroneous assumptions and blind spots, so detecting your own mistakes can be impossible at times. So software testing does the job for you. Usually, software testing is done by a different set of people, with different skills, than the ones developing the same and hence the mistakes are easily detected.

Following are some of the points which make software testing absolutely necessary.

1:: It helps in detection of all the bugs and glitches that were created when the coding or development of software was in process.

2:: Software testing is necessary because it helps in betterment of the software and hence helps in increasing customer reliability and satisfaction of the customers.

3:: The best way to gain the confidence of the customers is by providing them with a quality product and software testing helps you to create such products which are high in term of quality as they have been already checked for bugs which could have caused the error.

4:: Another necessity of software testing lies in the fact to check whether the software is delivering the desired results for which it had been created in the first place. Delivering a high quality product also reduces the maintenance cost of the same, thus ultimately reducing the overall cost of the process.

5:: Software testing brings forth the stress level and optimum performance issues of the software, which can be improved upon if any kind of lacking is noticed. This will help in improving the performance of the app on a whole.

6:: Software testing helps in reduction of post production error rectification. Once the software is up for mass production or has been shipped to the stores, it becomes very expensive to recall the product to revert the errors. Software testing helps in prevention of this loss.

7:: Software testing helps you to deliver quality product in a short period of time so that you can hold on to your customer base and thus make improvement in the business.

Although these are just a few points which emphasizes the necessity of software testing in the software development cycle, the whole scenario is beyond the description of words. The immense importance of software testing is slowly being discovered and more and more companies are taking heed of the topic. If the various tests available are taken into consideration, then a software can be made absolutely flawless with the help of software testing. It also helps in the betterment of performance.

Now that you have a hang of all the necessities, you should absolutely include software testing in the product development cycle.

Mindfire Testing Practice has a unique combination of skilled software engineering & experienced testing teams with proven expertise in testing tools and methodologies for a wide range of solutions. Should you be in need of the quality testing services at Mindfire Solutions just drop in a mail with your requirements to sales at Mindfire Solutions dot com.

Will Automated Testing Replace Manual Software Testing in Future?

Software testing is, in a way, the pillar of success when it comes to software development. The testing procedure starts even before the developmental test, with the help of the feasibility testing process to check the plausibility of the software and ends with the beta test which is done after the whole developmental life cycle has been completed.

As the importance of software testing in the software development life cycle becomes more and more evident, the myths related to the same topic are clearing up. In this age of technology, everything is being automated. Manual processes are being replaced by automation and it is a huge myth which states that manual testing of software will be replaced by the automated testing procedure in the near future. However, it is very obvious that both manual and automated testing procedures hold their importance in the software testing life cycle.

But before we get into the replacement myth, let us get a fair idea of what actually automated and manual testing are. Automated testing of software is nothing but a method by which certain coded scripts will check the software for the performance and bugs which were fitted in the code. Manual testing on the other hand comprises of a lot more than just conducting some tests. It also deals with planning the whole process and documentations of the available results.

Companies providing automated testing services may come up with certain written codes which test your software in a mechanical manner. But it also helps in saving time and money. In cases like regression testing where you check the integration of existing system with newly added features or smoke testing where you perform basic level testing of the software, automated testing is a boon. Automated testing should be conducted anywhere which requires same kind of scripting just to see whether the system is performing as per requirement. This will save the hassle of performing step by step manual testing of the system.

But manual testing has its own importance. The primary job of a manual tester is to create the testing plan so that maximum test coverage is achieved in order to provide the customers with as bug free software as possible. There are certain parts of the software which simply can’t be tested without the manual testing procedure. They are as follows:

1. Functional Testing.
2. Usability Testing.
3. Requirements Analysis.
4. Tacit Test Procedures.
5. Domain Testing (or data testing).
6. Risk Testing.
7. Sympathetic Testing.
8. Lateral Thinking.
9. Bug Investigation.
10. Perspective/Prospective.
11. Consistency Oracles.
12. Playing.
13. Claims Testing.
14. Galumphing.

These are just the tests that have to be done in the manual process. Apart from this, manual testing also has to record and analyse the testing results for future use of the same.

After weighing the scenario, it is pretty obvious that although automated testing procedures have made a marked progress, it will never be able to completely abolish the manual testing procedure as automated testing lacks one major thing that appears to be a huge advantage of the manual testing and that is brain. The trick lies in balancing the two kinds of testing and rip the advantages of both ultimately gaining a super good software as a result.

Mindfire Solutions has the largest number of certified QA testing professionals in India and has been providing quality software testing services since the last 15 years. If you would like to avail our expert testing services just send in your query to sales at Mindfire Solutions dot com.

The Future of Manual Software Testing

When it comes to software testing, most people have a myth that a good developer will definitely suffice to become good testers too. However the scenario is quite different in reality. A good developer doesn’t necessarily mean a good tester. Software testing is a hugely different league of jobs which include the testing of the performance of the software, bugs available as well as the stress level which the software can endure. Based on the report provided by the software testers, the developers tweak the software to make it better and get customer satisfaction.

Before getting into the future of manual testing, let’s take a sneak peek into manual testing. Manual testing of software is nothing but testing and detecting the various defects that software may have by testing it manually. The various stages of manual testing are as follows:

1. Unit Testing
2. Integration Testing
3. Software Testing
4. System Testing
5. User Acceptance Testing
6. Release or Deployment Testing

It also deals with the planning process of the tests to be held in order to check whether the software is in good working condition or not and also in preparing a detailed report of all the glitches that needs fixing to make the software better and in turn gain customer satisfaction by providing them with a quality product. Documentation is a very important part of software testing procedure as it helps a lot in future references.

Today’s world is hugely dependent on technology, which seems to take over almost all the aspects of our life. A similar scenario is seen in the case of software testing too. Most people are harbouring the idea that it is now time for automated testing to take over and manual testing of the software is going to take a back seat in the industry. But when it comes to actual working scenario, although automated testing has made quite some advancement in its field, manual testing can’t be rejected altogether. On one hand, automated testing is perfect for tests like regression testing or unit testing, but similarly other tests like usability and exploratory tests require manual testing to accomplish the desired result.

It is true that most companies are opting for automated frameworks for testing their software and needs automated testers to maintain or upgrade these frameworks, but they also need manual testers for certain jobs. Yes! It is obvious from the current trends that purely manual testers are suffering on the job front, but the cases with purely automated testers are same too. Most companies are looking for hybrids who have a diverse knowledge in both automated and manual testing techniques. These people can take good care of the automated framework as well as tackle the manual side of the testing too.

Manual testing of software is very important to check the aspects which will be handled or faced by the end users, like user friendliness of the software or the ease with which the people will be able to handle the software. Also, when it comes to planning or strategizing the software testing procedure, which is a critical operation, manual testers have a huge role to play. Apparently if you have good skills and updated, cutting edge knowledge about your subject, you are bound to have a good future even in the field of manual testing.

Mindfire Solutions has been providing quality software testing services and has a team of qualified and certified QA professionals who have provided excellent services so far. To avail our quality testing services drop in a mail to sales at Mindfire Solutions dot com.