Manual testing is an essential part of quality assurance, but it can also be challenging to communicate effectively with developers who write the code. How can you avoid misunderstandings, conflicts, and delays when reporting bugs, requesting features, or suggesting improvements? Here are some tips to help you build a positive and productive relationship with developers.
One of the best ways to communicate effectively with developers is to have some basic knowledge of the code they work with. You don't need to be an expert, but you should be able to read and understand the logic, syntax, and structure of the code. This will help you to write clear and concise bug reports, reproduce the steps to trigger the error, and provide relevant screenshots or logs. It will also help you to appreciate the complexity and limitations of the code, and avoid unrealistic or vague requests.
Clear bug reports, detailed steps to reproduce, and regular communication through meetings or discussions enhance effective communication between manual testers and developers.
Yep! Learning a bit of code is like unlocking the secret developer handshake. You may not be fluent in binary jokes, but understanding the code dance can help you avoid accidental debugging interpretive dances!
Effective communication between manual testers & developers is crucial for a seamless software development process. Testers should adopt a collaborative approach, providing clear & detailed bug reports with steps to reproduce, expected outcomes, & actual results. Utilizing a common bug tracking tool, such as Jira, fosters transparent communication and allows for real-time updates. Regular team meetings, where testers can discuss test scenarios & developers can address queries, promote a shared understanding of project requirements. Additionally, fostering a culture of open communication, feedback, & mutual respect ensures that both testers & developers work together harmoniously, ultimately leading to the delivery of high-quality software.
Manual testers benefit from a basic understanding of code. While they don't need to be developers, grasping the fundamentals allows them to communicate issues more precisely and understand developer responses better.
Comunicación testers y desarrolladores: Claves: Claridad y concisión. Información útil (capturas, videos, pasos). Respeto y colaboración. Proactividad. Canales adecuados (seguimiento de errores, email, reuniones). Beneficios: Mayor colaboración. Menor tiempo de resolución de errores. Mejor calidad del software. En resumen, la comunicación efectiva entre testers y desarrolladores es clave para el éxito del desarrollo de software.
Another key factor for effective communication is to use the right tools for the right purpose. You should use a bug tracking system, such as Jira, Bugzilla, or Trello, to report and manage the issues you find during testing. You should use a version control system, such as Git, SVN, or Mercurial, to access and review the code changes made by developers. You should use a collaboration platform, such as Slack, Teams, or Zoom, to communicate and coordinate with developers in real time. You should use a documentation tool, such as Confluence, Google Docs, or Markdown, to share and update the test cases, test plans, and test results.
When testing, it is very important to have a clearly documented log that details the events that occurred during each test. This includes the levels of firmware/software that we’re using during the test case, the test execution steps, and the output of the device under test. These logs serve as a record of the test event, along with proving additional details and understanding in the case where a problem was encountered that needs debugging. These logs can be documented in tools such as MS Word, Google Docs, or event typed directly into a system log channel in Slack.
When a tester is going to communicate with dev team during the phase of execution then right and fir QA (QMS) tool will play crucial role for test scenario-test cases and defect logging tools. In that tool how effectively, tester mentioned the excepted scenario for which test flow and what it is deviating supports them for clear communication.
Utilize testing and issue tracking tools that developers are familiar with. This ensures seamless sharing of test cases, bug reports, and progress updates.
A third tip to communicate effectively with developers is to follow the established process and protocols for testing and development. You should respect the agile methodology, the sprint cycle, the code review process, and the testing standards that the team follows. You should also follow the naming conventions, the formatting guidelines, and the priority levels that the team agrees on. You should avoid interrupting or distracting developers when they are coding, and instead use the appropriate channels and methods to communicate your feedback and queries.
While processes exist for a reason, when it comes to testing it is important to enable your testers to go beyond the documented process. We call it devious testing or artistic testing. During artistic testing we allow our testers to use their insight and skill to add creative steps in addition to the detailed test cases. This creates a more complex test scenario, in hopes of uncovering more defects.
For good communication we all have to follow a clear and defined process. In the world of QA process is very important, from the process we are going to follow all nomenclature. If we are following the process after logging clear defect or issue dev team is going to understand what we want to communicate with them.
Adherence to established processes is essential. Understand the development lifecycle and where testing fits in. Consistency in following processes streamlines communication.
A fourth tip to communicate effectively with developers is to be respectful and constructive in your communication. You should avoid blaming or criticizing developers for the bugs you find, and instead focus on the facts and the solutions. You should also avoid making assumptions or judgments about the code quality or the developer's skills, and instead ask questions and seek clarifications. You should also acknowledge and appreciate the developer's efforts and contributions, and provide positive feedback and recognition when they fix the issues or implement the features.
Try to understand that: 1. the other is a human like you 2. there is only one team, not two teams (QAs and DEVs) 3. the other is doing his best to help the team 4. you also can do something wrong
Be careful of unintended verbiage. "It's still broken" "This happened again" "Same bug/issue as last time" The goal is to be as unbiased as possible. Provide facts, steps, workflow, etc without giving opinion. Your opinion is important to provide context and priority. eg. "Given that this is a common workflow I feel it should be a high priority."
All discussion should be respectful. Either we are talking about vaild defect or invalid defect ,P1 defect we all have to talk respectfully. QA team and Dev team should listen each other and with clear communication they should come to a positive result.
Maintain a respectful and constructive tone in all interactions. Rather than pointing fingers, collaborate to identify issues and solutions. Developers and testers are a team, not adversaries.
A final tip to communicate effectively with developers is to learn and improve from your communication. You should review and reflect on your communication style, tone, and content, and identify any areas where you can improve. You should also solicit and accept feedback from developers on your communication, and act on it accordingly. You should also seek opportunities to learn more about the code, the tools, and the process that developers use, and apply your knowledge to your testing. You should also share your insights and best practices with other testers and developers, and foster a culture of continuous improvement.
Continuous improvement is the key to effective communication between QA professionals and developers. By actively seeking feedback, learning about the code and processes, and sharing knowledge, we can create a collaborative environment that leads to better software quality.
Continuously expand your technical knowledge. Attend training sessions, learn about new technologies, and keep up with industry trends. This knowledge empowers testers to provide more valuable feedback.
Be active in the team, ask questions, contribute, give advices, raise problems but give solutions also. Help your team, always. When your team understand that you are there to help, the relation will be perfect.
One of the a great collaborative way is work with developers while creating test scenarios and cases as the same requirements are going to be used by both. It will improve the overall efficiency and communication and faster testing cycle
On eof the good ways to communicate effectively is involve them in test case creation process; if they also know in advance the scenarios and what are you going to test - they can make their builds of high quality
Effective documentation: Provide clear and comprehensive bug reports with steps to reproduce issues. Regular meetings: Schedule meetings with developers to discuss testing progress and address any questions or concerns. Version control: Familiarize yourself with version control systems used by developers to access the latest code. Test environment: Ensure you have access to a test environment that mirrors the production setup.
Ask questions! Just because you don't know the code doesn't mean you can't provide detailed reports and feedback. Ask what information would be helpful. Ask to be shown in a console what values are needed. (Ask how to if you don't know.) Ask to be shown in the DB which are the relevant fields. And always, always, always ask for a demo and in reverse give a demo of your workflow.