The lifecycle of software testing
Have you ever wondered what the testing process is like for new or enhanced software? Having a background at both a credit union and in the Quality Control area of our CUSO, I find that it’s not always clear what is involved with testing changes in software. While our minds think in one way and can easily define what we want the software to do, it is not always the same approach when working with a computer.
Although both the mind and the computer are analytical, a computer needs to rely on specific stored data to make logic work properly. It also must know how to manage multiple scenarios to assure that the results given to the users are always accurate, even when it receives unexpected data. The “assumptions” our minds make when we look at data must include more technical/scientific logic for the computer for it to come to the appropriate results.
The beginnings
The first phase of testing really begins with understanding the specs (or specifications) of a project. Ideally, a tester will get to participate in the spec process by discussing the pros and cons of different options, understanding the desired results from a business perspective, understanding any user requests and reasoning, and talking about the various data elements (new or existing) that will need to be used to make the software work properly.
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