There are days when testers get struck by a “Tester’s Block Syndrome.” It is a condition when testers feel exhausted and may lose the capability to detect and find bugs. These are those days when testers feel like a hamster spinning on the wheel for the whole day long.
There are reasons, hurdles, or pitfalls that restrict the effectiveness and productivity in the tester’s activity, such as working on the same kind of projects for a long time, repeating the same test case over and over again, not getting any new information, and ultimately feeling lost in a rut.
But we have finally cracked a code! After all, in order to get to the bottom of it, we need to understand why a tester gets stuck in such a deadlock state.
Keep reading to know how to get rid of a tester’s block in dilemmas like:
Cannot Generate New Ideas?
Running out of ideas is the most common part of the tester’s block that totally ruins the tester’s creativity. Feeling drained and stuck could be the worst feeling when bug hunting because the job requires the tester to be 100% and if s/he isn’t, chances are that some bugs go unnoticed. Other times, the pressure of deadlines also leads to killing ideas and creativity.
Staring at a wall is not a solution, but a big problem itself! You’ll end up being labeled delusional!
What’s the Cracking Code for this trap?
Pair Testing is a testing strategy where you won’t work solely, instead, you will have another tester on board with you to work on a single project together. This way, you will be able to break the rut and generate new ideas.
A perfect pair of testers can do wonders!
- Brute Cause Analysis is another versatile testing technique that promotes decision-making through mind-mapping and brainstorming. In this technique, one tester catches a bug and the other decides which function to use in order to get rid of that bug.
- Induce your thought process: It is highly important that a tester held up in some projects seemingly forever tries to find other ways to break free from the trapped situation. For example, if at a particular time, the tester isn’t able to handle a particular project, s/he should simply put the task on hold, or simply tell the manager the situation s/he is facing. Simply relax and shift to working on other testing practices like stress testing, load testing, or any other type of activity that can help freshen up the mind a bit.
Are You Missing Out on the Whole Concept?
Agile and DevSecOps are the new holy grails of software testing.
You know it, I know it, but the question is if we are really working on implementing them or not?!
Let’s suppose, your team manager introduces an innovative tool and while everyone understands its features, there you are sitting, feeling like, “what’s going on bruh?”
This shouldn’t be happening since you are part of the team and a huge portion of responsibilities lie on your shoulders along with the rest of the members. Because missing out on the concept will lead to the failed execution of that particular product.
What’s the Cracking Code for this blocker?
- Asking Relevant Questions could be the way out if you are really to the point and not batting around the bush. No one would ever stop you from getting your muddy thoughts cleaned. So, ask it out what’s tuck in your mind about that product or application, otherwise, the goal achievement would only become an ideology.
- Put Heads Together: Asking questions is not the last step to set your brain free from the confusions. Your next step should revolve around devising the relevant strategies, ideas, methods, and predictive analysis about that specific product. Put the tech heads together and brainstorm some intellectual ideas that can actually help in the conceptualized execution of the product.
- Read the previous documentation to simplify the strategy implementation and achieve the testing goal already.
You saw it, but you missed it!
That embarrassing state when you have that bug in front of you on the screen, but you missed it somehow because your mentally blocked! It gets worse when it gets pointed out at some other crucial stage by someone else other than you. Makes you feel totally grounded at that moment, doesn’t it? Don’t worry, there are ways to get out of this situation.
What’s the Cracking Code for this trap?
- Question Yourself: Before you begin testing on different test cases, always ask these questions from yourself and define the test matrix:
“What’s the significance of this test case?”
“How is it going to benefit the SDLC?”
“What it will cover and what not?”
“What part of performance does this test case cover?”
“How can it be more productive?”
- Notice everything and anything happening in the testing process because to achieve the goals via a defined test matrix it is important to crosscheck every slight change and warning beep.
Were You Really Sure?
How many times have you come across a situation when you did not report a bug or error because you were not sure about it? Well, it is another type of tester’s block that leads to a chaos situation, when your clients themselves detect a bug for you, burning down your whole reputation to dust.
- Believe in your Tester’s Intuition: Believe your gut and report it to the dev guys if you feel like it is a bug. Hearing the dev guys complaining and blaming you over the misconfiguration would be the only worst scenario in this case. It is better than not reporting a bug and waiting for your team lead, manager, or your client detect it for you.
Accepting your Failure is Hard?
In the testing industry, mistakes are made now and then. Why get frenzied over accepting the fact that you failed at doing something right? Since the software testing market is intrinsic in nature, it is quite probable to commit a mistake if you are evolving as a fast-growing tester. The key is acceptance and learning from the failures you have gone through. We all make mistakes. Take it easy there.
Tester’s block syndrome does get prolonged sometimes, but it can be treated if you find a perfect solution for your phlegm.!
