Most people tend to underestimate the importance of software testing. As a consequence of this misconception, their business takes the hit, and often the fall. So, what is it that a modern business owner should do in order to stay prepared? Well, for starters, you have to stay innovative and informed when it comes to tech trends in the moving industry. Once you do that, you’ll be able to make the right investments and upgrades to your moving company software. And that will lead to the all-important step of testing those new software updates and installations. So, let’s get into the importance of it all.
The issue with recognizing the value of software testing
Recent studies have shown that over 85% of software testers feel unappreciated for the work they do. Now, why is it that this is happening and is such a popular opinion? Could it be that the people doing the testing have an ill perception of “recognition”? Or could it just be that the value they consider important is a matter of perspective?
Recognizing the value of software testing is not always objective
There are always those aspects of testing that provide a visible and obvious ROI. However, aspects such as these are few, which begs the question of whether or not investing in quality control is smart? This is where the difference of opinion between testers and non-testers becomes interesting:
- Non-tester personnel tends to dismiss software testing as a waste of time and resources on looking for worthless bugs in the system.
- Actual software testers understand and point out the value of gathering information about software that they can then present to stakeholders.
No matter how low the chance for an issue with moving company software is, bugs are a by-product of upgrades and tests are a matter of necessity. Otherwise, the company might be headed downhill. So, at the end of the day, the true issue is the lack of communication between teams.
Recognition goes beyond chats on lunch breaks
Recognizing the value of software testing goes a bit above the regular chats on breaks. Sharing and distribution of relevant information need to be done in such a way so as to generate value. To accomplish this, you need to be organized and work with a clear strategy:
- collecting data that relevant stakeholders need,
- organizing information accordingly, and
- making sure it is being processed correctly.
Too often do we come across situations where testers are not taking seriously. This usually happens due to failure to communicate the importance of testing and its effect. However, this is why we now have test management tools at our disposal. With the precise and clear information that these tools offer, they help structure internal communication.
The stronger your message, the more important the data you offer
An important by-product of software testing is gathering as much data about a product or services as possible. It is then up to testers to decide which part of the information matters and which plays no role. So, you need to always ask yourself whether or not your stakeholders have use of the data you mined. Otherwise, your stakeholders can experience a great loss of investment. On the other hand, if you were to combine all the data you gather into a wider picture, it would prove easier to understand your target audience.
Interpretation is just as important as the data itself
In order for communication to bring results, it has to fulfill certain criteria. The best measure here would be the SMART approach:
- Simple. Use one-liners instead of paragraphs to convey your message. Rely on graphs instead of words whenever possible. Always remember and count that your reader has a limited attention span.
- Measurable. Opinions and descriptions are nothing in comparison to numbers and stats. This doesn’t mean that your opinions are worthless. A gut feelingthat comes with years of experience can be good, but supporting this feeling with hard data and evidence will make it more credible.
- Actionable. Instead of only pointing out flaws, data analysis is most effective when it offers simple solutions. In many cases, the best source of knowledge are the software testers.
- Repeatable. When you are providing information, you should strive to have historical information whenever possible. People will most certainly ask what was the previous status of the issue. The most common question you will hear is, “Is this a potential issue?” This means that your checks and tests should be repeatable.
- Timely. When you offer relevant information, you need to know when to share it. Perfect timing leads to the right calls and actions by your stakeholders. On the other hand, if your information is provided too late, it will bear little to no impact. For example, if you find an issue that will take weeks to solve when you are only days from the release date, it means that your team will either ignore the issue or they will have to delay the release. Keep your release date in mind so that any issues can be addressed before it’s gone time.
Remember this always – testing never trumps information
If all we are doing is running tests, then we are not really helping the process of delivering great products to the field. So, complaining about the lack of testing environments or simply putting together tables with tons of data that people cannot comprehend only slows the process down.
The main task of software testing is to help make decisions. Decisions that will deliver a better product, on time, and within the scope! It’s about time we all understand that fundamentally. This is a harder job than simply running tests and reporting issues. We all are responsible for helping sail the ship in the right direction, especially in today’s rapid delivery environment.
