An Introduction to Manual Testing
Manual testing is an indispensable part of software quality assurance, requiring a blend of analytical skills, attention to detail, and the right tools and techniques. This guide is designed to help you navigate through the nuances of manual testing, ensuring you can effectively test software across various scenarios.
Testing manually is crucial for identifying and resolving issues that automated testing might miss. It's particularly important for usability and user experience testing, where human judgement is key. Manual testing complements other types of testing, for example: automated testing which helps detect unexpected changes, and specialised technical testing for evaluating security, performance and load-handling characteristics.
Types of Manual Testing
Cross-Browser Testing: Ensures your application works seamlessly across different browsers and platforms (eg. Desktop, Tablet, Mobile, Chrome, Edge, FireFox).
Functional Testing: Verifies each function of the software against requirements.
Accessibility Testing: Confirms that the software is usable for people with disabilities.
Handy Tools for Effective Manual Testing
BrowserStack: A cloud platform that allows you to test your application across different browsers and operating systems, ensuring comprehensive cross-browser compatibility.
Chrome Plugins for Colorblindness: Plugins like 'ColorBlindness Simulator' can help you understand how users with colour vision deficiencies experience your application.
WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool): A suite of evaluation tools that help make your web content more accessible.
Google Sheets: An accessible and collaborative tool which is handy for creating test plans and tracking progress. With Google Sheet you can design detailed test cases, assign tasks to team members, and track bug fixes.
Trello: A project management tool that can be used to track bugs and manage the testing workflow. Other similar examples include Jira, Asana, and specialised bug trackers like Bugzilla.
Best Practices in Manual Testing
Develop Comprehensive Test Cases: Ensure your test cases cover various scenarios, including edge cases.
Prioritise Test Scenarios: Focus on critical functionalities and high-risk areas first.
Use Diverse Testing Techniques: Combine different testing types like end-to-end testing, “break it” testing, and exploratory testing.
Document Rigorously: Keep detailed records of test cases, results, bugs, and retests.
Collaborate and Communicate: Work closely with developers and stakeholders to ensure clarity and efficiency.
Stay Updated: Regularly update your test cases and plans to reflect changes in the project.
Tracking Metrics in Manual Testing
Number of Test Cases: Track the total, executed, and pending test cases.
Defect Density: Calculate the number of defects discovered in relation to the size of the software component.
Bug Severity and Priority: Categorise bugs based on their severity and priority for fixing.
Test Coverage: Measure how much of the application is tested to identify any gaps in testing.
Defect Discovery Rate: Monitor the rate at which defects are found and resolved.
Test Execution Time: Keep track of how long it takes to execute test cases.
Conclusion
Effective manual testing is a balance between the right strategy, tools, and techniques. By leveraging tools like BrowserStack, Chrome plugins for accessibility, and Google Sheets for test management, you can enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of your testing process. Remember, the goal of manual testing is not just to find bugs but to improve the overall user experience and software quality. A tester guides the developer towards greater quality outputs.
