?? Stop Automating Blindly! Be a QA First.
Vijo Varghese
??? Engineering Excellence at Scale | ?? QA & Project Mastery | ?? Supercharging Teams with AI Magic
Automation is great, but here’s the truth:
?? Bad testing = Bad automation
Imagine building a house without checking the foundation first. That’s what happens when we automate without proper QA fundamentals. Testing isn’t just about running scripts; it’s about thinking like a user, exploring edge cases, and ensuring real quality.
So before you hit "Run" on that automated test, ask yourself:
? Have I manually tested this first?
? Do I know the product well enough?
? Am I covering real-world user scenarios?
Test first, automate later. Here’s how to apply this mindset:
? QA First Principles
?? Know Your Product – Understand the features, users, and purpose before testing.
?? Think Like a User – Don’t just follow requirements—test real-world scenarios.
?? Find Bugs Early – Manual testing catches what automation can’t.
?? Automate Smartly – Automate regression tests, but always manually test new features first.
?? How to Apply QA First in Testing
?? Scenario 1: E-Commerce Checkout
? Automated test: Add item to cart → Checkout → Payment successful.
?? Missed bug: Cart quantity resets when the page refreshes!
?? Lesson: A manual test would’ve caught this before automating.
?? Scenario 2: Banking App Transfer
? Automated test: Transfer funds → Success message.
?? Missed edge cases:
? What if a user enters a negative amount?
? What if the internet disconnects halfway?
?? Lesson: Manual exploratory testing reveals these issues early.
?? Scenario 3: Mobile App Usability
? Automated test: Login works with the correct credentials.
?? Missed usability issues:
? What if a visually impaired user tries voice commands?
? Does the keyboard’s auto-suggest break the login form?
?? Lesson: Testing for accessibility & user experience matters!
?? Scenario 4: Ride-Hailing App Performance
? Automated test: Book a ride → Payment → Ride confirmed.
?? Missed performance issues:
? What if 1000 users request rides at the same time?
? What if the driver has no internet for 5 minutes?
?? Lesson: Load & offline testing should be done before automation.
?? QA First in Action:
?? Explore before automating – Click around, break things, find quirks.
?? Write solid test cases – Cover happy paths, edge cases & negative scenarios.
???? Test usability & experience – Would YOU enjoy using this app?
?? Balance manual & automation – Not everything needs a script—test wisely!
?? Final Thoughts
?? Automation supports testing—it doesn’t replace it.
?? Start with manual testing to learn the product before scripting.
?? A good QA doesn’t just execute tests—they think like a user.
Being QA First means quality first, and automation second.
?Let’s build software that works—for real users.
?? Share your thoughts in the comments below.