New to Software Testing

I often see new testers on the Internet asking new testers how to get started and how to get started. In order to help new testers get started with this operation and reduce their confusions, let's talk about my experience here.

1. read at least one test book systematically and comprehensively twice.

There are a lot of books on the market for testing, but a lot of content is similar. A newbie often buys a pile of books and rewrites each book. This is not only a waste of money, but also a lack of systematic understanding of the test. We recommend that you choose a system to introduce the software testing book and read it at least twice from start to end. Because every book has its own knowledge system structure. If you constantly change books, and every book cannot read or only read a part of them, the knowledge you have absorbed from the book will be very limited, it is not a system.

When I started the test, the test was still a very new industry in China, and there were few books on testing in the market. At that time, I bought 《Test procedureManagement, I can't read this book three times. Now let's look back and think about it. This book helps me smoothly integrate into the testing industry.

2. Apply the knowledge in the book to practical work

Reading and learning are just methods and means to quickly improve your skills so that you can quickly integrate into your work. Some new testers read a lot of books at the beginning, and now there are a lot of materials to collect and learn online. However, after a while, they always feel that they are not in the status. The reason is that after reading the data, we have not tried and tested it in practice. When I first entered the software testing industry, I just switched from the traditional industry to the IT industry, in addition, I have no contact with software before (my understanding of software only stays at the point I learned at school). Therefore, I am reading books in my spare time, then try to Apply the methods described in the book to actual work. Fortunately, my colleagues in the company's project team were very good at that time and they supported my attempts. Maybe they want to test the project.

3. Have a solid knowledge of Testing Theory

Maybe it's a feature of a technician. I don't like theory, including me. However,TesterFor example, I think I have mastered certain testing theories,Software EngineeringKnowledge is necessary. Because testers need a lot of communication, includingDevelopmentPersonnel, Project Manager,RequirementPeople, even customers, if the words you say or the documents you write are not professional, how can you reassure people that your technology is professional, your testing experts. One of the manifestations of professionalism is the ability to express the actual phenomenon in the terminology of the test.

4. Do not blindly learnTest Tool

As I mentioned in my views on software testing, many testers now come up with some testing tools. Therefore, many new testers now misunderstand the use of software testing = testing tools. In fact, the use of testing tools is only part of the testing system. First, you must have a solid testing theory,Test processKnowledge and masteryManual testMethods and skills, understand the problems in manual testing, and then you can understand why to use the testing tool, and how to better apply the testing tool. This is a gradual process.

5. Learn moreQualityManagement Knowledge

In addition to testing knowledge, it is best to learn more about testing edge fields. Of course, this does not mean that testing does not require development knowledge. Testers need to have development knowledge, which is already widely recognized in the industry, so I did not mention it here. However, testers must have or understand edge testing knowledge, such as quality management,Configuration Management,CmmeSystem. Why do testers need to understand this edge knowledge mainly from the integrity of a knowledge system. This is because testers need to have too many people and roles. If they can have a systematic understanding, it is very good for testing. In this edge knowledge, testers especially need to understand the configuration management knowledge. for specific reasons, refer to the "quagmire" of software testing by configuration.

Article from the collar test software testing network http://www.ltesting.net/