5 More Misconceptions About Software Testing Concepts

Let’s dispel some crazy myths about the web application testing industry! One more time.

5 More Misconceptions About Software Testing Concepts
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Although the various software testing concepts have been around for quite some time, with about 200,000 people working in this industry in the United States solely, dozens and dozens of myths swarm around this job. And at the same time, an even greater veil of mystery covers such a branch of QA as automated testing.

We have already written a helpful article about common software testing mistakes that busted some gibberish connected to the testing domain. So, we strongly recommend that you read it, as this article is a kind of continuation of the previous one.

This time we devote time not only to misconceptions but also to the reasons for their occurrence. We will analyze the genesis of myths from two different points of view and try to get down to the bedrock.

All right, without further ado, let’s jump into the bizarre world of software testing misconceptions and dispel another batch of myths! We promise you that it will be very interesting and informative.

Misunderstanding of Advanced Software Testing Concepts

According to the inconstant test automation trends, the very industry is constantly changing, acquiring more sophisticated software testing concepts and tricky techniques, which are often the most effective methods for verifying the quality of an application.

As you may see, it is hardly possible to find a more striking example of brand-new concepts in software testing than the emergence and spread of tools for automated testing. Of course, this is a real breakthrough in the industry, which has radically changed what the workflow looked like inside an average development team.

Nowadays, automation tools are widely used in unit testing, regression testing, integration testing, acceptance testing, and other testing types. For example, solutions like these make it possible to automate a whole range of numerous routine tasks which used to drive test engineers crazy. At the same time, manual software testing concepts are getting blended with the concepts related to automated testing or completely fading into insignificance.

Since more obvious and intuitive techniques are becoming less common, a person with a superficial comprehension of testing sometimes fails to grasp the true nature of present-day app testing methods. So this is how the industry begins to slowly but steadily acquire rumors and myths.

What Are the Software Testing Basic Concepts?

Another inexhaustible source of rumors is the lack of awareness of the main ideas that serve as a rock-solid foundation for the entire testing field. Grasping the more sophisticated software testing concepts and operations is possible only if there is no mistake in software testing comprehension at its very basic level.

For example, it is vital to have a full understanding of what is the peculiarities of Agile and Waterfall, what is the essential dissimilitude of white box testing and black box testing, what levels of testing exist, and what is proof of concept in software testing, and so on.

If testing is like rowing through unchartered waters for you, then we kindly invite you to turn your attention to the ultimate software testing checklist, which we have compiled in plain English so that absolutely anyone, regardless of their level of expertise, has the opportunity to learn the basics of testing modern web solutions.

Now that we’ve got the reasons out of the way, so let’s take a closer look at 5 more myths you might stumble upon outside the testing community.

#1 Automated Testing Is More Efficient Than Manual Testing

The essence of the first myth is that many people mistakenly believe that automated testing is better than manual testing. So the problem is that the argument itself is fundamentally wrong since automated testing and manual testing are two sides of the same coin.

Indeed, automated testing is a silver bullet in cases when you require to do incredibly tedious work, for example, repetitive testing of some code chunks. In addition, automated testing will come in handy when you require testing something that is beyond the capabilities of ordinary people – say, to check how the software functions on different hardware configurations or to run a thousand identical tests resorting to the same pattern.

In turn, manual testing is also impossible to refuse. The truth is that software and people perceive objects in completely different ways, and therefore, how they perform testing also differs significantly. For this reason, many problems require the involvement of a QA specialist and nothing else.

#2 Having Chosen Automated Testing, You Can’t Use Manual Testing

In continuation of the previous point, it is necessary to dispel the myth that once choosing the path of automated testing for a project, it could no longer be thinkable to deviate from it. This does not correspond to reality at all, because both testing methods complement each other, but do not displace. When it comes to modern software testing, the team of quality assurance engineers should first find the golden mean, which they will adhere to in future work.

In a world where a mistake in software testing could end up costing a company billions in losses, it seems completely reckless to abandon alternative testing methods in favor of some particular approach. Both methods have their virtues and shortcomings. So when it is irrational to use manual testing, automated testing might be an excellent alternative.

#3 The Price Tag of Automated Testing Is Very High

Often money is the key issue, especially when it comes to small software companies whose budget is very limited. There is a perception that automated testing tools are too expensive and do not worth the money. So it is, or rather it was, once.

Source: Unsplash

In the early days of test automation, test robotization solutions were indeed quite expensive. However, there are plenty of both open-source and budget-friendly options on the market. When every penny counts, test automation soft can be much more useful than a manual testing specialist.

Present-day surveys show that test automation has not only truly outstanding ROI, but also significant business and IT values. Put simply, when dealing with automation, a huge price range is available to you, which includes not only expensive solutions but also programs at a very low cost.

#4 Automated Tools Could Do All the Work for You

Another popular mistake in software testing that leads to a grave frustration is the belief that integrating testing software will give your employees a lot more free time. On the one hand, this is true, on the other hand, things are more complicated, but as usual, the truth lies somewhere in between.

It cannot be denied that the test automation package allows you to save the testing team from a large piece of repetitive work, namely manual testing. At the same time, engineers will have to focus on creating test scenarios. Of course, tests written once can be reused, but often they require changes and rearrangements. So, software testers will need to devote their time to this issue as well.

Although modern gear for test automation certainly streamlines the workflow of developers to a significant extent.

#5 Automated Testing Is Hard to Learn

From time to time, you may come across such a misbelief that test automation tools are too hard to master, and to get used to operating them, you will need to spend an unacceptable amount of time and effort. In part, we can agree with this.

In fact, according to available statistical surveys, almost 75% of testers are engaged not only in scripting but also in automation. Of course, you may require time to study the patterns of a particular test automation solution. However, it is not so scary, because there are plenty of products on the market that have such killer features as an intuitive user interface.

The Key Takeaways

There is a huge number of various testing concepts in software engineering, but they are not always interpreted properly and this fact leads to mistakes in software testing fairly often. However, with the rise in popularity of automated testing, the number of ludicrous myths is decreasing, but they continue to be found here and there. Some of these software testing misconceptions are echoes of the past, some have arisen due to a lack of knowledge of how automation tools function.

In any case, the significance of software testing automation is undeniable. This is not the only way to get rid of all the bugs, but it could essentially up the bar for the standards of testing and therefore the worthiness of the final product.

The user interface in DogQ is so easy-to-deal-with!

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DogQ, a cloud-based test automation tool, is a great representative of such software solutions. It will appeal to both experienced web developers and absolute beginners. This automation tool is so easy to use that even managers without an extensive tech background can manage it. You can try DogQ free trial right here, right now.