Learn Software Testing from Business Cards

In this blog Learn Software Testing series, I would like to share my experiences, experiments, tips and tricks by correlating software testing into real time scenario. When I joined Infosys Limited in the year 2006, I was skeptical about my career. Though I am an avid developer, initially my conscience doesn’t accept me as a tester. Testing training was not much complicated as today. I enjoyed those training days in a beautiful campus.

When I got my posting into southern part of India, I was not much interested since it is far from my home town Coimbatore. I thought since Journey is part of our life; we cannot ignore it.

Learn Software Testing Series
Learn Software Testing Series

First few weeks in a new location were not easy. Food, Accommodation, Commutation was a major problem. Later I used to it. After few weeks, my senior manager arranged one session on software testing. He have had recently attended popular testing conference. I think it was STAREAST or STARWEST, I couldn’t remember it exactly.

Learn Software Testing

He distributed a bunch of business cards to everyone and asked us to test it. Everyone shared their thoughts, defects like font color, font face, two-sided print, thickness of the paper etc. What is the requirement? One guy asked. It wasn’t me. (Though, I thought it in my mind).

My manager praised him by his question/answer. Yes. The starting point of testing is asking questions, collecting requirements, and analyzing the needs.

Assume that you are ill. You visited a doctor. First question doctor will ask series of questions e.g. what is your problem? How long you have been suffered? Where is the pain in your body? Are you allergic to anything? Have you taken any medicines or visited other doctor before? Are you going any other treatment? What is your age? Which one you prefer an injection or tablets?

If you are NOT providing any valid response, then your doctor will not be able to treat you properly. First thing in testing is collecting and understanding the client requirements.

My manager (i.e. client) never gave any requirement to test his business cards (i.e. code/software). It is not ideal to start testing without understanding the actual requirements. Even if you started testing, how will you compare the results to report your observations?

Later my manager listed out the requirements to test the business cards. We will see it in detail in the next blog post.

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3 thoughts on “Learn Software Testing from Business Cards”

  1. How come, If you are providing any valid response, then your doctor will not be able to treat you properly. – If we are giving a valid reason, he can have somethoughts to work on our medication?

    Reply

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