There are misconceptions about mobile application testers, and we’re going to discuss 5 of them, which happen to be some of the most prevalent around.
Some of the reasons why these myths exist are:
- Inadequacy of authoritative facts
- Flawed human reasoning
- The software industry is still an evolving industry.
Given this enormous challenge to the industry, we can make a small contribution by not spreading lies around. Check below for the most common false assumptions about mobile software testers.
Myth #1 – Everyone Is Eligible to Test Software Application
Some people think that even without an IT background, one can just get a testing course and afterward, get a job as a tester. The fact is the job requires knowledge in coding.
Gone are those days when one can do the job with a coding background. If it is a long-term career that’s being eyed, one needs to know how to code.
The job is a creative job, too. The very best testers are also artists in the plain sense of the word. They have that “creativity” itch that they need to scratch, and when in social situations, these people have those odd personality traits that make them less relatable to others.
So, you think about a nerdy guy who can even crash software so that he can find some potential bugs. Most developers would think that’s a crazy idea, but the “itch” that is in testers can be the only driving force for them to do so and for them, that is perfectly alright.
Myth #2 – They Can Make Absolutely Bug-Free Product
This myth is a very common one that project managers, management teams, and test services for mobile testing strongly believe in. Unfortunately, this claim is rather an expression of an absolute falsehood.
Defects in the system that is being checked can be missed by the tester. Additionally, the purpose of such tests is to detect the presence of bugs and not to pronounce with absolute certainty that there is zero presence of bugs after tests were executed.
Even if the tester has superior testing acumen, he can’t guarantee 100% that the application he tested has been totally debugged and that no problems will ensue when the product has already been deployed.
Also Read: Typical Process for a Successful Mobile Development
Myth #3 – They Only Test for Bugs
On the contrary, several tasks are performed when testing an application. That includes single-user performance testing, which is basically correcting performance-based issues on the client-user side. A tester can use this method by testing the application alone before he lets someone else use it.
Another is a unit test. Every time a modification is implemented, a unit test follows to check whether the application is working as expected or not.
Other tests include basic functionality testing, code review, and static code analysis. Tools for static code analysis are used for detecting weaknesses in the source code – things like concurrency issues and security vulnerabilities.
Given these various tasks, there is no doubt that testing applications are rather a more complex stage in app development than just a check-for-bug step.
Testers are therefore experts, and their expertise revolves around systems, applications, and products that they test. While developers focus only on a particular feature or function, testers are knowledgeable about the operation of an entire system. They understand the importance of products and the impact of the environment and users on the effectiveness of products.
For a complete list of testing techniques and requirements, check here.
Myth #4 – Product Quality Is the Responsibility of Testers
The misinterpretation that only testers should be responsible for the quality of the product is commonplace in the industry. The truth is all stakeholders in the development of the application are responsible for whatever success or failure the final product will end up with.
There is no doubt that the tester plays a major role in deciding whether the product can be released or further tests should be employed to fix the potential presence of bugs.
At any time that there is pressure on them to release the software, the testers feel stressed. Because when errors are discovered after the product is launched, they are the ones who will be held accountable for the oversight.
Myth #5 – If It Doesn’t Work in Production, Then the Testers Failed
If something went wrong in the production, the accusing fingers are pointed to the tester. Everyone is reminded that the code is written by the developer, and the tester only checks for errant sections of the code, not to make any changes to the code.
Sometimes the “bad” release is bad because of factors neither the testers nor the developers could have control over. Tracing it back to production, one would see work-related incompetence, such as communication mishaps, dependencies on other teams, or scaling issues, as the main reasons for malfunction in the final product.
Also Read: Challenges That Most Mobile App Developers Face Nowadays!!
