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Software Quality Assurance ★ Test Automation ★ Manual Testing
Current Date & Time (Pacific) ★
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My QA Philosophy 🤔
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Thoughts on Software Quality Assurance 💭
- I see my role as an observer and communicator, not as the gatekeeper
- or ‘quality police.’ I report observations and provide feedback. If the
- team wants to ship something, my job is to make them aware of potential
- issues, not to hold things up. This approach has helped me build strong,
- collaborative relationships with both developers and PMs.
- Quality is a team effort, not just a post-coding activity.
- QA teams are there to complement and enhance quality efforts,
- not to replace them entirely. Developers, product managers,
- designers, and other stakeholders play a crucial role in maintaining
- quality standards throughout the development process.
- It's impractical to test every possible scenario.
- Additional defects found by exhaustive testing may not justify
- the resources invested in leaving no stone unturned.
- Not all parts of an application are equally important
- or carry the same level of risk.
- Testing should be concentrated on the areas that are most critical
- to the users and have the highest impact on the user experience.
- Not all bugs are worth fixing.
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A Holistic Approach to Quality
My approach to quality assurance goes beyond finding bugs. I
look at the application as a whole, identifying gaps in requirements
and assessing not just functionality but the overall user experience.
Often, I find areas where the code meets the technical specifications,
but the spec itself didn't fully consider certain user perspectives or
scenarios. My goal is to provide feedback that aligns with real-world
usage, helping teams anticipate potential issues and improving the product
for end users. I aim for software that’s as functional as it is user-friendly.
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Work Style and Collaboration
I value thoughtful, independent work and can produce high-quality
results in less stressful environments. I perform best in environments
where I have the space to think things through and manage my tasks at
a steady, efficient pace. I prefer fewer meetings and minimal
distractions, allowing me to focus on delivering quality work. While
I work best when I have time for deep focus and independent tasks, I
also thrive in smaller collaborative settings, such as working closely
with developers. I'm always ready to seek help when I hit a roadblock
or be there for the team when they need me. I do not thrive in
high-pressure environments with tight deadlines, constant hustle, or
excessive time constraints. These types of environments would impact
my ability to perform at my best. I am most effective with predictable,
manageable workloads, where I can focus on producing high-quality work.
I believe in clear communication from the start to ensure a good match
between my working style and the company’s needs. The goal is to work
at a place where I'm happy and productive, and the employer is getting
someone who is genuinely a good fit.
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Thoughts on Manual Testing 💭
I find value in exploratory testing. It's the freedom to approach
testing naturally, seeing the software through the eyes of an end
user. Without the confinement of scripts, it opens the door to
creativity and adaptability. This flexibility allows me to uncover
issues that might otherwise slip through the cracks. It also
encourages usability and UX observations that may not be considered
during a structured test. It's where testing transforms into an art,
using my curiosity, intuition, and testing instinct to uncover
unexpected issues. The value of human, exploratory testing.
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Thoughts on Automation Testing 💭
I'm all for automation, but I feel the idea of automating
everything should be approached with caution. I'm not jumping
on the automate everything bandwagon and recognize the pitfalls
of flaky tests and heavy maintenance burdens. It's not a
magic wand that makes manual testing disappear. There's a
misconception that it always saves time, but in reality, that's
not a guarantee. I believe in a balance between manual and
automated testing.
- Automation doesn't eliminate the need for manual testing.
- Automation won't always save time over manual testing.
- Not every test is a good candidate or suitable for automation.
- Creating an automation script requires an initial time investment.
- Automation scripts require an ongoing time investment (maintenance).
- Automation suite can grow too big and become unmanageable.
- Be prepared to deal with and troubleshoot flaky tests.
- Automation often leads to unexpected challenges.
While test automation is a valuable tool in quality assurance, it’s
important to understand that it's not a panacea, a universal remedy for
all issues. Just like the patent medicines of the 1880s that promised
to cure everything from headaches to serious illnesses, automation is
often marketed as a one-size-fits-all solution. However, these so-called
'miracle cures' failed to address underlying issues and, in some cases,
caused more harm than good. Similarly, test automation, when relied upon
too heavily or inappropriately, won't solve all software quality problems.
It has its place, but like any tool, it should be used strategically and
alongside other methods like manual testing to ensure a comprehensive
approach to quality.
Looking ahead is important. If the product roadmap says a part
of our site is getting a facelift in the next couple of months,
maybe we shouldn't go all-in on automation scripts just yet.
The last thing we want is to spend more time maintaining
automation scripts than we save by having them.
Also we need to keep in mind that automated scripts can be sensitive,
behaving differently between environments. What works perfectly in
your local environment, might throw a fit in the GitHub Actions runner.
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