Software Testing Myths

Post By: Hanan Mannan
Contact Number: Pak (+92)-321-59-95-634
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Software Testing Myths

Given below are some of the more popular and common myths about Software testing.

1	Myths: Testing is too expensive.
	Reality: There is a saying, pay less for testing during software development or pay more for maintenance or correction later. Early testing saves both time and cost in many aspects however, reducing the cost without testing may result in the improper design of a software application rendering the product useless.

2	Myths: Testing is time consuming.
	Reality: During the SDLC phases testing is never a time consuming process. However diagnosing and fixing the error which is identified during proper testing is a time consuming but productive activity.

3	Myths: Testing cannot be started if the product is not fully developed.
	Reality: No doubt, testing depends on the source code but reviewing requirements and developing test cases is independent from the developed code. However iterative or incremental approach as a development life cycle model may reduce the dependency of testing on the fully developed software.

4	Myths: Complete Testing is Possible.
	Reality:It becomes an issue when a client or tester thinks that complete testing is possible. It is possible that all paths have been tested by the team but occurrence of complete testing is never possible. There might be some scenarios that are never executed by the test team or the client during the software development life cycle and may be executed once the project has been deployed.

5	Myths: If the software is tested then it must be bug free.
	Reality:This is a very common myth which clients, Project Managers and the management team believe in. No one can say with absolute certainty that a software application is 100% bug free even if a tester with superb testing skills has tested the application.

6	Myths: Missed defects are due to Testers.
	Reality: It is not a correct approach to blame testers for bugs that remain in the application even after testing has been performed. This myth relates to Time, Cost, and Requirements changing Constraints. However the test strategy may also result in bugs being missed by the testing team.

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Myths: Testers should be responsible for the quality of a product.

Reality: It is a very common misinterpretation that only testers or the testing team should be responsible for product quality. Tester.s responsibilities include the identification of bugs to the stakeholders and then it is their decision whether they will fix the bug or release the software. Releasing the software at the time puts more pressure on the testers as they will be blamed for any error.

8	Myths: Test Automation should be used wherever it is possible to use it and to reduce time.
	Reality: Yes it is true that Test Automation reduces the testing time but it is not possible to start Test Automation at any time during Software development. Test Automaton should be started when the software has been manually tested and is stable to some extent. Moreover, Test Automation can never be used if requirements keep changing.

9	Myths: Any one can test a Software application.
	Reality: People outside the IT industry think and even believe that any one can test the software and testing is not a creative job. However testers know very well that this is myth. Thinking alternatives scenarios, try to crash the Software with the intent to explore potential bugs is not possible for the person who developed it.

10	Myths: A tester's task is only to find bugs.
	Reality:Finding bugs in the Software is the task of testers but at the same time they are domain experts of the particular software. Developers are only responsible for the specific component or area that is assigned to them but testers understand the overall workings of the software, what the dependencies are and what the impacts of one module on another module are.