Initial step by step process for a new tester

Question

I have the client requirements, initially I write test cases because some people want the record of which use cases I have tested so far, which where the documentation is useful. This is something my senior told me about writing test cases and executing test cases. Actually, I don't like writing test cases because I waste time in writing the tests.

What should I do first? I want to go through a step by step process. My goal is finding bugs in the software our developers are writing. I don't see how writing test cases will help. May I write automation script initially?

I have read in blogs that I do not need to write test cases, I need to test. The blogs say that preparing test cases is optional and that I can find plenty of bugs without preparing test cases.

Others told me that if I know about the features then I must be ready with test cases for all the use cases.

I am a beginner in testing. I want to go through the right path as I learn. Is there an accepted step by step process for a new tester to learn how to be a good tester, and if there is, what is it?

Answer 1

my goal is finding bugs.

I like the (agile) testing manifesto, which states preventing bugs over finding bugs.

The goal should not be to find bugs, this might make you feel successful on the short-run, but your product is in it for the long-run. The goal should be to prevent bugs as you will not have to time to manual test and find each bug over and over again. Finding a strategy to prevent issues is far more valuable.

In my ideal world you would:

• Create automated test-cases while building the product
• Do a time-boxed exploratory testing session to find gaps in the test-cases
• Create more automated test-cases for the gaps you found

I don't like writing test cases

Nor do I most of time, nor do I like to do the dishes, but these are tasks that need to be done every now and then. If you really do not like writing and extending a test-suite of test-cases, delegate it to developers or business-owners. So you can focus on test-automation or others parts you do like. Still you have to make sure systems are in place to prevent bugs, whatever works for your products or teams.

Personally I like to train people to get better at testing, teaching developers to do a better testing job is showing to be worthwhile.

Answer 2

You're asking if you should do Exploratory Testing, if you should work with Test Scripts instead, or if you should automate tests.

Your job as Tester involves all of the above and more, including the ability to judge how much effort to spend on each approach - which depends on the team, the actual project, and the available resources.

This is at the core of being a tester, so you'll benefit much more from reading a few good books about testing than from reading an oversimplified rule of thumb in a blog or a stackexchange answer.

Answer 3

In initial phase of manual testing you should focus on below mentioned areas:

1. Understanding the workflow of complete product

2. Create one liner test cases, as it will also help you in creating the documentation

3. Start testing the application and break the functionality into smaller pieces

4. Keep including the one-liners as you go deep in the product testing
5. Incremental product iteration approach would be a perfect approach

Answer 4

The agile testing manifesto is a good place to start.

Also, to answer about avoiding test cases, one way would be to write down test scenarios and use them for testing. In that case, if you find a defect due to a failure, you can mark that scenario as failed.

Another way to go about it, is by creating checklists, like release checklist. This will let you go through checkpoints before you give the go-ahead for any release.

After few sprints or releases, you can identify the common scenarios or checkpoints and use them for smoke test purpose as well.