As we discussed in previous post individual skills of software testing professionals can be classified in three major categories, Software Testing Skills, Technical and Software Skills and Business & Domain Skills.
In this post we will learn about the key software testing skills required by Test Analysts, Technical Test Analysts and Test Managers. We will cover some core software testing skills and also other important skills required by testers.
Core Software Testing Skills: Some of the specific software testing skills required by Test Analysts and Technical Test Analysts are as follows:
- Should be able to analyze the requirements, design specification, user stories or other information about system.
- Participate in product and project risk analysis.
- Participate in test estimation.
- Prepare test cases by analyzing the requirements and other related documents.
- He/She should be able execute tests and log defects in defect tracking tools.
- He/She should be able to wrote automated test scripts if required.
Specific software testing skills required by Test Managers are as follows:
- Should be able to manage the project as testing is a sub-project of larger project.
- Should be able to do test planning and write test plan document.
- Should be able to track the test progress and implement appropriate control if deviation from project schedule.
- Manage defects and organize defect triage meetings.
- Report test results effectively to stakeholders.
Good Interpersonal Skills: Apart from core testing skill needed by testing professionals, good interpersonal skills are must for any testing role. Testing role requires influencing and negotiating (For example: Defect findings need to be explained to Developers in case they are not able to reproduce and get those defects accepted by Developers or the other example can be negotiating with Business Analysts for the enhancements that you feel should be to good for end users) as you need to get the work done.
Very Organised: Testers also need to be very organised because as a tester role you generate a lot of information in the form of Test Plans, Test Cases and Defects. So, it is very important that all the information that is generated is well organised in the appropriate testing tools.
Excellent written and verbal communication: As a tester you produce lot of information so it is equally important to convey that information in effective manner to other members of the team, so excellent written and verbal communication is of extreme important for testing role.