There’s been some pretty awful software that met all the requirements and where all the functionality worked correctly without issues. Users might have different expectations than our requirements.
Some users may have unusual expectations for standard software features. It’s important not to overcomplicate simple definitions Requirements can take different forms, and it’s essential for everyone in the software development field to understand this. It’s not just about what’s “written on paper.” While you can add more details and corner cases to your definition, it’s better to find the most simple, direct, and broad definition. This is the most logical approach. If someone needs more details, I can explain, but it’s not necessary to include everything in the definition to cover all possible questions
I’d like to explain this as imagine you’re on a website and it’s slow/doesn’t work. What I’m trying to do is prevent that from happening by working with the software project team. I find it helps if you can find a way to make it relatable.
When it comes to software testing in games, I think it’s important to explain how testing differs from just “playing games” because that is often a reply I get.
“So you play games for a living?”
I usually try to talk in the same terminology as I define test competence:
Focus on the scientific method and complex problem solving, as well as methods and processes specific for software testing.
I’m learning what the users want to accomplish with the software, how they want to interact with it and what the software needs to do. Then I’m exploring what the software does currently and look for differences in comparison to what I have learned so I can inform developers what they need to change about it.
Hi! My current definition of testing is (end of year brain here ha)
Making sure the software works and provides value for our end users, whilst working with the business to ensure the software evolves as the users/business needs evolve.
Software testing involves verifying that the application matches the expected results, ensuring they are equal to the actual results.
There are two main types of testing:
It’s a subjective topic whose definition varies from person to person, what testing definition seems to be right for one person the same definition might be wrong. Testing is context-based and its definition is opinion-based, everyone perceives the testing differently.
However, from my perspective software testing is about testing the software to ensure that it meets business requirements as well as end-user requirements, along with that also ensuring that all the user journey functionalities are working fine without any major issue.
To stranger : " Let’s say you have diner at my house. I make an amazing Pho and even I show you how I do it and my recipe (it’s my favorite vietnamese dish). Your role as a tester is to give feedback on :
Your dinner : what you got was what you expected. You didn’t get food poisoned. You had a great time.
How I made the dinner : was I correctly following the recipe and even, are there rooms for improvements that I could consider next time
I’ve seen a few discussions recently that are taking definitions and almost using them to create conflict when perhaps the different definitions are okay.
The common ones I see tend to be either have a slight bias towards known risk verification or slight bias towards unknowns and testing as a learning activity.
Both of these view are valuable but it remains for me important to recognise that both exist with a lot of cross over space.
Going back a couple of decades as a developer, whilst my testing was very exploratory I’d say I likely had a bias towards the knowns view of testing but as I focused more testing rather than development its drifted to having an increase bias towards the unknowns and definitions that match that.
So as a developer I was very good at the known risk type testing usually accompanied by both exploration and scripted automation.
Some testers do though follow close to that view I had as a developer. My thinking around this is that developers are already really good at this so adding more with my tester hat it made sense to have a different focus, in my case the unknowns.
As a team you need to cover both knowns and unknowns but its okay to have a slight bias towards one or the other and to have very different definitions of testing as a result.
So when someone gives you a definition it can be useful to consider the known and unknown risk bias that may be subtle within the definition.
It’s now possible to add your own definitions as part of a Glossary revamp we’re working on.
You have to be a Professional Member to have the ability to do so, this is largely to maintain quality contributions, and of course to support our ongoing work.
A bonus for adding a glossary definition is that it will also be added to your MoT Profile page contributions.
Here’s a direct link in case anyone wants to add their definition for software testing.
“Ah, what is software testing? Good question! I sometimes struggle to answer this but here goes. Think of all those apps and websites you use. Software testing is a thing people do to make sure you have a better experience when using those apps and websites.”
Drawing from what @heather_reid and @kelly.kenyon in particular gave as their definitions, this is what mine would be:
Software testing is the endeavour of investigating a piece of software. This is in order to help your team make informed decisions about risk, quality, and success. The intention of this is ensuring that the software works as ‘well’ as it can from the perspective of both the organisation developing the software and the end-user.
Very happy to comment this as part of Lesson 3 of the Software Testing Essentials course!
I will replay, that I am checking the software or the deliverable is according to the software specification. Where it does it job that is required by my customer and whether it user friendly, easy to maintain, easy to expand etc… In this process I am responsible to check the all the deliverables and report defects and drive then to acceptable fixes. Further, I have to work with my team in a collaborative manner to deliver quality product.
Software Testing is like giving your code a workout – you make it run, sweat, and see if it breaks. For example, it’s like checking if an app crashes when you try to upload 1000 photos at once!
“Testing is the process of evaluating a product by learning about it through exploration and experimentation, which includes: questioning, study, modeling, observation and inference, output checking, etc.”
Requirements can take different forms, and it’s essential for everyone in the software development field to understand this. It’s not just about what’s “written on paper.” While you can add more details and corner cases to your definition, it’s better to find the most simple, direct, and broad definition. This is the most logical approach. If someone needs more details, I can explain, but it’s not necessary to include everything in the definition to cover all possible questions 
because that is often a reply I get.
(Sorry, couldn’t resist)