In this diverse world, everything around portrays a range of opportunities and choices for us. Factors ranging from our genes to the environment in which we live influence our decisions to choose from the spectrum of available options. This assortment gives us an opportunity to stand where we deserve to be among the billions. In the same way personal caliber, skills, and experiences incline us to follow a certain profession, which can help us to fully apply our potentiality.
It is true that every job requires a skill set and characteristic common to that area. By discovering your potential you can fit yourself better in the professional landscape. Some position requires a better interpersonal skill while another might need you to be more analytical. The case of a tester or a QA is no different, as they also stress on certain skills specifically. Let us understand certain aspects that might be required to choose a testing profile according to your ability.
Productivity
Productivity in testing can be better assumed by taking a real-time scenario. For example, there are testers who can take a very little time to explore some moderate bugs, while others could trace fewer bugs being equally productive.
Such situations often arise due to the mixing up of infrequent scenarios. This proves to be a serious troublemaker and makes the productivity definition rather ambiguous. However, in order to be productive in a given time frame, you need to meticulously apply your capabilities.
Analytical Thinking
The key to QA activities lies in a prudent investigation. Factors like originality and creativity that are fundamental to critical thinking can assist to anticipate any absurd situation. The strategy also plays an important role leading to analytical thinking. It plays a much bigger role in testing, as it is required while selecting a test and data from a considerable number of possibilities. An overall understanding and persuasive use of finite resources helps in clarifying things and setting priorities.
Management
Defining objectives and creating plans are crucial for any process, especially for testing. There are various factors in between, which plays an important role in executing the defined test in a given environment. With a disciplined approach you can perceive and carry out the work gradually and logically.
Aptness
A balanced insight and pragmatism deserves a place more than anything else in an organization. These aspects are extremely valuable that can be either inherited or learned through experience. However, things like red tapism and formalism must be avoided. Such an instance of pragmatism can be found in exploratory testing, where a tester has more freedom of anticipation.
Considering Key Aspects
A tester who gives attention to details is not just a spectator. The ability to examine things more closely gives him an edge and differentiates him from a mere bystander. This helps in identifying bugs more precisely, which otherwise looks gloomy. Some possible and substantial errors are a result of a sequence of actions. In order to maximize the statement of errors, a QA professional must be highly alert.
Communication
QA is practically impossible in an isolated environment, especially with complex software structure and its deployment, where the endeavor lies in a collaborated team effort. With the emphasis more on cloud sourcing these days, it looks even more difficult with the disseminated team with distinct culture and languages.
The ability to speak and draft things has equal importance. However, in this business-oriented competitive world, customer satisfaction is more than anything else. Today, the business demands that you be more emphatic and amiable.
Personality
The character can define your profile ranging from an average tester to a brilliant tester. However, personality can take different forms depending upon the situation. It requires different character and intimacy to deal with peers and superiors within an organization. Clients and stakeholders also need a certain level of grit and generosity.
A tester’s attitude towards a flaw or an error might be different from that of a developer. Most often, it can create confusion between the two. However, efforts need to be taken to endorse a healthy work culture, which otherwise could hamper the work productivity.
Inspiration
We do express our inmost emotions with varying circumstances. A professional tester can go through a fluctuating career of achievements and promotions to disappointments and frustrations. However, in order to bring stability in the career path, a tester must be determined. Diligence and resilience are the two other important factors, which can help you keep going.
The same applies for the managers handling different segments. By presenting and portraying things with a positive frame of mind, they can bring enthusiasm and self-belief among the staff.
Preferences
Not all testers are same. There are professionals who have a natural tendency to do things differently; however, some prefer to follow the tradition. For example, technology and methodology works in with close collaboration with each other. Methodology aims at focusing on things and is backed up by the technology. On the other hand, technology has its own purpose.
There could be different aspects to look into this. Technology always brings innovations, which helps in speeding up the process, whereas methodologies are preferred for bringing stability. A testing manager must have the flavor of both the aspects.
