You’re a new software tester. What are the most common mistakes you should avoid?

Common mistakes made by new software testers:- 1) Asking for product documentation and reviewing it 2) Reviewing feature requirements 3) Reviewing Dev Code or high level implementation 4) Discuss tickets with PO, BA, Dev for improved testing 5) Communication is key 6) Document your tasks and testing 7) Recommend Automation testing whenever possible 8) Recommend API Testing whenever possible 9) Be curious to ask questions even though it sounds lame 10) Do not give signoff until you have tested correctly

Mistakes are part and parcel of our life, but we should consider it as a good opporturnity to learn and not repeat it Common mistakes, i've noticed in my team and to be avoided, 1.Testing without domain/product knowledge 2.Being reactive, as in waiting for tasks to be assigned 3.Not being transparent => Not communicating about the impediments faced with the manager/senior people, who can guide them

As a new software Tester avoid the below common mistakes: 1. Failure to communicate within the Team and also with development Team. 2. Being afraid of asking questions. 3. Begin testing before understanding the scope and requirements. 4. Insufficient Test coverage 5. Not documenting test cases and not reviewing it. 6. Neglecting edge cases and negative test cases 7. Not providing in-detail steps to reproduce the defect

These are the following points that our budding testers can follow to stand out from their peers : 1. Make sure to go through the stories before attending the planning session. 2.Have your estimation ready with the time split ups - Analysis, Scenario Preparation, Test Execution, Retesting,a buffer time, so that you will be well prepared and confident enough to counter. 2. Always maintain a good rapo with the development team, but draw your lines when it comes to raising bugs. 3. Capture evidences be it stories or Bug Retesting. You might never know , those evidences may save you from Live bugs ! 4. Never have put your mind on number of bugs found, Always have this in your mind "No one should find any bugs in this feature once I sign off"

Common mistakes for new software testers to avoid include: insufficient understanding of requirements, poor planning, communication gaps, inadequate testing coverage, lack of documentation, neglecting regression testing, disregarding user perspective, over-reliance on automation, overconfidence, and failure to seek feedback from experienced testers.

When writing test cases, software testers should never start without asking for requirements. It is important to focus on negative test cases rather than positive ones.

You should make sure to be a part of the requirement gathering process with a PM and engineering team from the start. You need to understand the project, what the client wants, and should first become a client yourself to be in their shoes to understand what they really desire from the product.

Testing without clear requirements can lead to ineffective testing, as it becomes challenging to verify if the software meets desired functionality. Ensure thorough understanding of project requirements to conduct meaningful and targeted testing, improving the quality of the software and reducing the risk of overlooking critical functionalities or introducing bugs.

Testing without Requirement is so confusing. You will be trapped in guessing the right thing about a particular feature. Not only that, it will create conflict in the team, because team won't know what is right and what business really wants.

Lack of communication: Failing to communicate effectively with the development team can lead to misunderstandings and missed issues. Documentation plays a crucial role.

Manual testing has both good and bad qualities. The good part is you can test every nook and cranny of the product however you want. The other side of the coin, however, is that it is prone to human error, and with the increasing number of test cases, it becomes nearly impossible to test everything manually. You need to know if the good outweighs the bad to continue doing something. In most cases, manual testing does not last long to be beneficial to you or the org.

In the realm of manual testing, diligence is key—executing each test case meticulously ensures thorough evaluation. However, there comes a pivotal moment when the reliance on manual execution might lead to oversight. Imagine envisioning a step or scenario as functioning without actual execution—a potential pitfall. Automation not only enhances efficiency but also mitigates the risk of overlooking critical steps.

Relying solely on manual testing can present several challenges and limitations in the software testing process: Limited Coverage: Manual testing can only cover a finite number of test cases within a given timeframe. This limitation may result in insufficient coverage of the software's functionality, leaving potential defects undetected. Repetitive Tasks: Manual testing often involves repetitive tasks, such as regression testing, which can be tedious and time-consuming. This can lead to errors and inconsistencies due to human fatigue or oversight. Inefficiency: Manual testing is generally slower and less efficient compared to automated testing.

When you're starting out with testing, it's tempting to use a lot of your time to try and find the most amount of bugs (however small and obscure they are) or the edgiest of edge cases. And while those are still good to find, you should focus more on the ways system under test is commonly used. Try to understand the user and ask yourself (and your Project manager or Team lead for that matter) what are the demographics of a typical user? What devices do they use? How do they proceed through the system? Creating analysis by answering those and many more questions about user's behavior will help you test in a way that will truly benefit the user and their experience.

1.Test the software like a user, using real scenarios and paying attention to their feedback. 2.Keep the user's perspective in mind during testing. Use real preferences and behaviors, and try out various testing methods. 3. Ensure the software aligns with what users really want for maximum satisfaction.

Ignoring user’s perspective may lead to below issues- 1. Testers may overlook important usability or functionality issues that could significantly impact the end user's experience. 2. Without considering the user's perspective, QA may prioritize tests based on technical aspects rather than what matters most to the end user. 3. Testers might fail to cover all scenarios that users encounter, leading to gaps in testing coverage and potential issues going unnoticed. 4. It may also result in not identifying design flaws or inconsistencies that could affect user experience. 5. Testers may misinterpret requirements leading to incorrect test cases and ultimately a product that does not meet acceptance criteria.

Ignoring the user perspective in software testing can lead to significant drawbacks and potential issues: Mismatched User Expectations: Ignoring the user perspective may result in software that does not meet user expectations or needs. Testing from the user's viewpoint helps ensure that the software aligns with user requirements and preferences. Poor Usability: Neglecting the user perspective can lead to poor usability issues within the software. This includes difficulties in navigation, unintuitive user interfaces, and confusing workflows, all of which can frustrate users and hinder adoption. Decreased User Satisfaction: Software that neglects the user perspective is likely to result in decreased user satisfaction.

Ignoring documentation or failing to communicate test results can lead to several issues in the software testing process: Lack of Accountability: Without documented test results, it's challenging to hold responsible parties accountable for fixing defects or addressing issues identified during testing. Inefficient Collaboration: Failure to communicate test results effectively can hinder collaboration between testers, developers, and other stakeholders. This can lead to misunderstandings, delays in issue resolution, and overall inefficiencies in the testing process. Difficulty in Reproducing Issues: If test results are not adequately documented, it may be difficult to reproduce reported issues or defects.

I recently started a personal project to enhance my knowledge of performance testing. Keeping track of project requirements and progress was made easier through clear documentation, even if something seemed irrelevant. Documenting everything not only helps the person who wrote it stay on track, but also assists other team members who may join the project later on.

As a new software tester, being aware of the common issues in the software development and testing that can impact the quality of the work and the overall development process is key information. Some common mistakes that should be avoided as a new software tester include not understanding the requirements and the current state of the application fully, skipping test planning, neglecting the importance of exploratory, manual and negative testing, ignoring non-functional requirements, over-looking the importance of acceptance testing and failing to remain updated with the testing trends and tools. However, after gaining all these information if the tester is unable to document it well, all goes in vain.

Here are the few things i observed =>>Not documenting the logs =>>Not including test data in Documenation =>> Not communicating with internal team whether same bug is raised or not ,this is leading to duplicate bug. =>> Not maintaining the proper file name for test logs.

In my experience, I would say that first thing which should be avoided is “Assumption”. - Do not assume anything - Ask queries and get it confirmed - Document all your queries, evidences, test cases Be a good at documentation and make it habit. Don’t ignore it at any cost.

A major missed opportunity is letting mistakes go to waste. Everyone makes mistakes, unintentionally or even deliberately sometimes. But the key to growth is turning those experiences into opportunities to improve. By reflecting on what went wrong, we can develop the skills and knowledge to avoid repeating them and achieve better results.

1. Stay curious and continuously learn in the field of software testing. 2. Ask for feedback and engage with communities to grow personally and professionally. 3. Reflect on your work, identify strengths and weaknesses, and set improvement goals. 4. Establish goals to enhance skills and stay current with industry advancements.

As a new software tester, make sure you're always learning and improving. Don't forget to document your tests and communicate well with your team. Test thoroughly, including edge cases, to deliver high-quality software.

Importance of Learning for QA Testers ? In this new-age software industry, each day brings something new. ? As QA testers, we must keep ourselves updated with the latest technologies and tools, not only to enhance our skills but also to sustain and survive in the industry. ? Therefore, learning is an essential part for any QA/QE. Software Testing Communities ? There are many software testing communities available over the web where you can learn about the latest testing tools, methods, and advanced practices for testing. ? In these communities, you can also post your queries and questions regarding any QA topics.

We should avoid the fear of asking questions. As a tester or a QA, we're supposed to question and get answers for it. Even if our inner voice says not to, you should ask your questions. There was one suck scenario where it was my first project and as a junior exploratory tester, I was afraid to ask questions, but still in the sprint meeting , I asked a few questions regarding the feature being discussed, which the scenarios I questioned was not even covered during the development phase. This led to the change in implementation and thus made the implementation more efficient.

Other factors to consider are: - Communication - team communication is most important. In cases where you aren't sure whether to tell someone or not, always choose to tell them. In this way you avoid the issue growing and there's no bigger mess to clean up. - Automate and pipeline the process - Automation is important, but also try to pipeline the process such that once the developer build is ready, it should automatically start to run tests on it. This way the errors are caught before you can personally run any tests you want, and if there are any breaks, they can be fixed before you need to look at them again.

As a new Tester, avoid staying on a single role too long, this can stagnate your growth. If you feel you are not learning new things, its time to move. You can discuss this with your manager, an internal move can sometimes work wonders too. Try different jobs/roles to learn various skills. You could consider joining a Consulting Firm, in this way you won't be stuck on a single assignment too long.

1. Skipping Test Plan: Without a roadmap, trying out becomes haphazard manner, growing the danger of oversight. 2. Limited Test Data: Repetitive information exposes a slim variety of situations, doubtlessly lacking important bugs. 3. Communication Gaps: Poor communication with developers can cause misunderstandings and delays in fixing troubles. 4. Neglecting Regression Testing: New features can deliver lower back antique issues. Ensure previous capability remains intact.

Common mistakes that new software testers should avoid: 1. Neglecting to understand the requirements thoroughly 2. Testing without a plan: Develop a structured test plan outlining objectives, scope, resources, and timelines 3. Skipping exploratory testing 4. Neglecting to document test cases and results: Proper documentation is crucial 5. Overlooking boundary and edge cases: Test beyond typical scenarios to identify vulnerabilities 6. Assuming software behaviour 7. Ignoring regression testing: Regression testing is essential after each update or modification. 8. Lack of communication: Failure to communicate effectively with team members, developers, and stakeholders 9. Failing to prioritize defects 10. Neglecting to seek feedback and learn