Software testing as one of the software product development stages has its own background with all related successes and failures.
The “testing” term itself and its role in the process of the software development and improvement are frequently changed and developed in people’s consciousness. Some attribute to testing the presence of the certain traditional role which essence remains the same at all the times.
But in most cases, the testing traditionalism is overestimated tremendously. IT sphere is dynamic and develops very fast. To ponder all testing peculiarities and understand its role, one should get acquainted with the main milestones in the evolution history of this process.
What Are the Key Changes of the Testing Concept?
- All testers should have known the programming languages and be familiar with the working principles of the operating system. This fact was extremely important and wanted on the first steps of the IT sphere development.
- Furthermore, IT companies engaged the “super-users” in their activity, in other words, very experienced users. Their main task was to find all possible bugs from the end users’ point of view.
- Thereafter, the standardization time of the software testing process comes. Some specialists insist that ISO standards (standards of the International Standards Organization) have no effect on testing.
The modifications touched not only testing as a whole but also some its types. For example, automated testing was often underestimated and its incorrect interpretation frequently took place. Many people find it difficult to realize that the automation principle can simplify and accelerate the testing process.
Executing manual testing, the specialists detect many severe errors. However, the automated tests usage by the testers, conducting system testing or performance testing, will significantly simplify the original problem.
One should not forget that software testing – a research process which requires a strong body of knowledge and skills. The more a tester knows and can the more his work will be effective. The specialist needs to gain the new knowledge of software, apply the new testing approaches, be aware of other testers’ experience and have it included in his work.