Balancing Technical Testing and End-User Perspective

Balancing Technical Testing and End-User Perspective

3 July 2024 Stephan Petzl Leave a comment QA

In the realm of software testing, the concept of “shift left testing” emphasizes involving testers early in the software development lifecycle. This approach helps in identifying conflicting requirements, reviewing developers’ tests, and implementing integration tests before end-to-end tests. However, a prevalent concern among testers is the potential loss of the end-user perspective when delving too deeply into the technical aspects of the system under test.

Combining Technical Proficiency with User Perspective

Becoming proficient in both technical testing and maintaining an end-user perspective is not a binary choice. Instead, it involves advancing specific skills in each area and combining them through practical work. Here are some key skills to focus on in each aspect:

Technical Tester

  • Unit tests
  • Mock and stub
  • Integrated tests
  • Programming skills
  • Writing DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself) code
  • Separation of concerns
  • Isolating application units under test

End-User Perspective Tester

  • Learning the business domain
  • Understanding current business objectives
  • Knowing how and where revenue is earned
  • Understanding reasons for new and changed features from a business perspective
  • Learning about customer needs and viewpoints
  • Studying feedback surveys and customer service feedback

Maintaining Balance Between Technical and User Perspectives

To avoid focusing too much on the technical aspects and losing the end-user perspective, testers should practice using different personas and perspectives. This skill takes time to develop but is crucial for effective testing. Additionally, involving others and paying close attention to customer feedback can help maintain a balanced approach.

Grey Box Testing

An approach that bridges the gap between black-box and white-box testing is grey box testing. This method involves having access to control state without knowing the code internals. Examples include:

  • Setting or seeding a database appropriately for a test
  • Controlling a web session and visiting a specific page of a multi-form flow

Conclusion

In summary, balancing technical testing and maintaining an end-user perspective requires a combination of skills and a conscious effort to consider both aspects. By practicing different personas, involving others, and paying close attention to customer feedback, testers can achieve a holistic approach to software testing.

For those looking to streamline their testing processes without compromising on quality, tools like Repeato can be invaluable. Repeato is a no-code test automation tool for iOS and Android that leverages computer vision and AI to create, run, and maintain automated tests efficiently. This tool can help testers maintain a balance between technical proficiency and end-user perspective by simplifying the setup and execution of tests, allowing more time to focus on understanding customer needs and business objectives.

For more information, visit our documentation or explore our blog for additional insights and best practices in software testing.

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