# What key skills regularly help you tackle testing tasks? **URL:** \ **Category:** Discussions\ **Tags:** skills, soft-skills, mot-stec\ **Created:** [17 October 2024 20:02 UTC](https://club.ministryoftesting.com/t/what-key-skills-regularly-help-you-tackle-testing-tasks/80298 "2024-10-17T20:02:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sarahdeery](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/club.ministryoftesting.com/sarahdeery/32/11833_2.png) [@sarahdeery](https://club.ministryoftesting.com/u/sarahdeery)\ **Post date:** [17 October 2024 20:02 UTC](https://club.ministryoftesting.com/t/what-key-skills-regularly-help-you-tackle-testing-tasks/80298/1 "2024-10-17T20:02:41Z")
When you’re faced with different testing challenges, which skills do you rely on most? Here are some scenarios to explore: which skills do you think are essential? - **Investigating a bug report:** A customer reports a bug with a login feature, but the steps to reproduce the issue are unclear. What skills help you figure it out? - **Collaborating on a new feature:** You’re in a meeting with developers and the product manager, discussing a new feature. What helps you ask the right questions and think about potential risks? - **Conducting exploratory testing:** You’re asked to explore a new release for issues not covered by test cases. What skills help you decide what to test and where to look for problems? - **Prioritising bugs for a release:** There are multiple bugs, but not all can be fixed before release. What skills help you determine which ones to prioritise? We’re curious to know: - Which skills or traits do you find most valuable for completing these tasks? - And do you have any tips on developing these skills to help others in the community? ---
**Author:** ![kiwi\_in\_oz](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/club.ministryoftesting.com/kiwi_in_oz/32/14292_2.png) [@kiwi\_in\_oz](https://club.ministryoftesting.com/u/kiwi_in_oz)\ **Post date:** [22 December 2024 23:25 UTC](https://club.ministryoftesting.com/t/what-key-skills-regularly-help-you-tackle-testing-tasks/80298/2 "2024-12-22T23:25:42Z")
Prioritising bugs for a release Background- the current team I work in is lean (2 developers/1 BA/1 Tester/1 Product Owner) so as a result- we are very collaborative within our internal team, and also our stakeholders. Communication - communicating to the Product Owner/ team so they can understand the reason why the bugs have been prioritised in a certain order. This can be at daily standups and/or reporting. This also needs to be communicated to the stakeholder in language they can understand - esp if the bug is time critical and is impacting a large amount of users. Attention to detail- knowing what conditions to replicate the bug, so you’re not holding up the process to make the decision. i.e. I get the conditions incorrect the first time, then having to redo the test again with changes, which then delays the before making a decision on which bugs go in before release. Time management also factors in here! Collaboration - I often collab with our BA/Developers when assessing bugs, as they can give me another “pair of eyes” on the task, and give feedback on something I may have missed. Can’t think of any tips at the moment! ---
**Author:** ![ramanan49](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/club.ministryoftesting.com/ramanan49/32/15686_2.png) [@ramanan49](https://club.ministryoftesting.com/u/ramanan49)\ **Post date:** [23 December 2024 05:05 UTC](https://club.ministryoftesting.com/t/what-key-skills-regularly-help-you-tackle-testing-tasks/80298/3 "2024-12-23T05:05:59Z")
Nice question @sarahdeery , Here is my response below 😊 **Investigating a bug report:** Investigating bugs involves analyzing error logs, network properties, and the console. **Collaborating on a new feature:** Start by briefly discussing whether the story is a priority. If it is, the next step is to finalize the acceptance criteria with the BAs. **Conducting exploratory testing:** Exploratory testing requires a combination of skills such as critical thinking, domain knowledge, and risk assessment. **Prioritizing bugs for a release:** Yes, we prioritize critical functionality bugs to ensure the most impactful issues are addressed. **Which skills or traits do you find most valuable for completing these tasks?** Time management is essential to add test cases and complete the ticket while covering as many scenarios as possible. Continuous daily testing helps ensure the application remains stable. **Do you have any tips on developing these skills to help others in the community?** Never lose hope in spotting bugs. It can be challenging at times, but always keep in mind that finding bugs and identifying loopholes is a critical part of the process. Cheers, Ramanan ---
**Author:** ![ujjwal.singh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/club.ministryoftesting.com/ujjwal.singh/32/13861_2.png) [@ujjwal.singh](https://club.ministryoftesting.com/u/ujjwal.singh)\ **Post date:** [23 December 2024 05:52 UTC](https://club.ministryoftesting.com/t/what-key-skills-regularly-help-you-tackle-testing-tasks/80298/4 "2024-12-23T05:52:12Z")
I would start by understanding the scope of the project because, without understanding, there won’t be clarity on what needs to be tested and what doesn’t; otherwise, it will be difficult for me to develop any strategy or any documentation. So far I have worked on agile projects in which there is the possibility that requirements may change at the very last moment and at that moment analyze the impact of change and then again inform the stakeholders about the possible implications and whether to include the new functionality or not makes the release complicated. The other benefit of having clarity with the requirement is that it helps in all sorts of testing including exploratory testing. If we are not clear on what we need to explore, then there is a chance that exploratory testing won’t be effective. Apart from developers and product managers, peer discussion also helps, sometimes a different person’s perspective on the same functionality helps in realizing edge cases that might have been missed if we were testing based on the only thought processes. Prioritization of not only bugs but also tasks and most importantly prioritizing testing over anything else. Because being testing prioritizing testing as top most task is very crucial. ---
**Author:** ![oxygenaddict](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/club.ministryoftesting.com/oxygenaddict/32/15064_2.png) [@oxygenaddict](https://club.ministryoftesting.com/u/oxygenaddict)\ **Post date:** [24 October 2025 16:38 UTC](https://club.ministryoftesting.com/t/what-key-skills-regularly-help-you-tackle-testing-tasks/80298/5 "2025-10-24T16:38:02Z")
#### Scenario 1: Investigating a Bug Report **Skills / Traits:** Problem-Solving, Attention to Detail, Inquisitiveness, Time Management and Organisation, Spotting Patterns, Analytical skills **Explanation:** For this scenario I’ve focused in on the need to analyse the issue. It will need you to see patterns in logs or behaviours, focus on details and also have an inquisitive aspect to investigate the issue. Once done, you’ll need that attention to detail (as well as communication) to provide the updated bug report. I also called out time management and organisation as it can be easy to sink lots of time into an investigation so being aware of the time spent is important. Do you need to stop and rethink or get help? #### Scenario 2: Collaborating on a New Feature **Skills / Traits:** Critical Thinking, Inquisitiveness, Attention to Detail, Communication, Collaboration **Explanation:** Communication and collaboration are essential here. Critical thinking and Inquisitiveness will help us identify those unexpected edge cases, potential risks and flaws within the requirements. Understanding the details can also be very important as any misunderstandings in requirements can have significant negative impacts. #### Scenario 3: Conducting Exploratory Testing **Skills / Traits:** Inquisitiveness, Attention to Detail, Critical Thinking, Problem-Solving, Time Management and Organisation, Spotting Patterns **Explanation:** To effectively exploratory test we need the inquisitivenesss and critical thinking required to think of interesting ideas and scenarios as well as an attention to detail, looking at the behaviours ongoing and importantly writing them down! Finally time management is important to avoid spending an entire day on a low priority area or disappearing down a rabbit hole when there are other areas of risk still to be considered. #### Scenario 4: Prioritising Bugs for a Release **Skills / Traits:** Critical Thinking, Collaboration, Communication, Analytical skills **Explanation:** The ability to think about the issue, collaborate and ask meaningful questions will help the group determine the priorities as well as leveraging your own analytical mind. ---
**Author:** ![jmosley5](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/club.ministryoftesting.com/jmosley5/32/14324_2.png) [@jmosley5](https://club.ministryoftesting.com/u/jmosley5)\ **Post date:** [3 November 2025 16:05 UTC](https://club.ministryoftesting.com/t/what-key-skills-regularly-help-you-tackle-testing-tasks/80298/6 "2025-11-03T16:05:10Z")
Task: Assess the following scenarios, map the skills to the tasks, and share tips on how to develop these skills if you can. - **Scenario 1: Investigating a Bug Report** - **Scenario 2: Collaborating on a New Feature** - **Scenario 3: Conducting Exploratory Testing** - **Scenario 4: Prioritising Bugs for a Release** ---
**Author:** ![shutes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@shutes](https://club.ministryoftesting.com/u/shutes)\ **Post date:** [3 November 2025 16:11 UTC](https://club.ministryoftesting.com/t/what-key-skills-regularly-help-you-tackle-testing-tasks/80298/7 "2025-11-03T16:11:59Z")
**Investigating a bug report:** **skills** : Attention to detail, communication, Problem solving **Explanation:** The initial statement you are given a problem you need to understand and be able to solve. Using attention to details whilst testing to identify the steps to recreate and clearly communicating these to the wider team to help them resolve the issue. **Collaborating on a new feature: Skills:** Inquisitiveness, Critical thinking, communication and collaboration\*\* Explanation:\*\* Using your inquisitiveness to gain as full an understanding of the feature as you can whilst using critical thinking to assess possible risks associated with the new feature and create test scenarios. Using communication skills to listen to others and ask meaningful questions which will help gain the knowledge needed. Collaborating with others to make the process as robust as possible. Tip: In this case I think communication is just as much listening as it is talking and articulating your point **Conducting exploratory testing: Skills:** Inquisitiveness, Attention to detail, Communication and adaptability\*\* Explanation:\*\* You need to understand what is currently being covered in testing and be inquisitive to take this further. Using attention detail to identifying when this then identifies bugs so that you can clearly communication the steps to recreate new issues identified. Showing your adaptability to go outside of the current testing scope\*\* Prioritising bugs for a release: Skills:\*\* Problem solving, time management and organisation, analytical skills, communication\*\* Explanation:\*\* Using time management to understand what can be fixed and retestedahead of the next release. Reviewing the bugs with an analytical mind to see if these bugs can be grouped together to save time in fixing them and working out the priority in which they need to be fixed. Using problem solving skills to adjust priorities where needed and communicating clearly the plan for what is being fixed and when ---
**Author:** ![conrad.braam](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/club.ministryoftesting.com/conrad.braam/32/660_2.png) [@conrad.braam](https://club.ministryoftesting.com/u/conrad.braam)\ **Post date:** [4 November 2025 16:59 UTC](https://club.ministryoftesting.com/t/what-key-skills-regularly-help-you-tackle-testing-tasks/80298/8 "2025-11-04T16:59:53Z")
getting enough sleep? No seriously, problem solving all week long is pretty intensive stuff, take regular fresh air breaks. But mostly do not get frustrated when the testing task keeps on blowing up in your face as the complexity starts to grow. It always comes down to resource management some how. ---
**Author:** ![nikita.agarwal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e95f7d/32.png) [@nikita.agarwal](https://club.ministryoftesting.com/u/nikita.agarwal)\ **Post date:** [23 June 2026 11:16 UTC](https://club.ministryoftesting.com/t/what-key-skills-regularly-help-you-tackle-testing-tasks/80298/9 "2026-06-23T11:16:58Z")
1. Investigating a Bug Report: “Attention to Detail” is crucial to identify missing steps and understand the eaxct condition. “Problem-Solving” helps recreate issues without clear guidance. “Communication” is needed to produce clear and structured bug report. Lastly “Inquisitiveness” drives you to ask questions and dig deeper 2. Collaborating on a New Feature: “Communication” is the key here as it ensures the requirements are understood well. “Critical Thinking” helps identify any gaps , risks or unclear requirements. “Inquisitiveness” allows for us to ask meaningful questions. “Collaboration” is also a key here as its necessary to effectively work with other stakeholders. 3. Conducting Exploratory Testing: “Inquisitiveness” , “Critical Thinking”, “Spotting Patterns” and “Analytical Thinking” are some key skills to work on this task effectively. In order to explore any application for which one does not have prior knowledge its essential for them to be inquisitive but also apply analystics and critical thinking to first narrow down the scenarios and then analyse ifs and why of how the application should behave. 4. Prioritising Bugs for a Release: Analytical skills are needed to assess severity, impact, and risk. Critical thinking helps evaluate trade-offs between fixing issues and meeting deadlines. Communication and collaboration are essential for aligning with stakeholders and agreeing on priorities. Time management ensures decisions are made efficiently under release pressure. ---
**Author:** ![Anurag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b782af/32.png) [@Anurag](https://club.ministryoftesting.com/u/Anurag)\ **Post date:** [24 June 2026 16:16 UTC](https://club.ministryoftesting.com/t/what-key-skills-regularly-help-you-tackle-testing-tasks/80298/10 "2026-06-24T16:16:06Z")
Interesting discussion !! In my experience, one of the most valuable testing skills is the ability to think beyond individual test cases and understand the business workflow end to end. When investigating defects, I often find that the challenge is not reproducing the issue itself, but understanding the conditions, dependencies, and business context that caused it. The same applies to exploratory testing and release decisions, where risk assessment and workflow thinking become just as important as technical testing skills. For me, the combination of curiosity, business understanding, risk-based thinking, and effective communication has consistently provided the greatest value across defect investigation, feature validation, and release readiness activities.