Do You Really Want To Be A Better Software Tester?

This is my thoughts .. You may/"may not" agree ..You may comment ..This Post is for existing Software tester, who wants to get better .. and feel better ..

I am a software test engineer and I love this now since few years .. I have my Vision and Mission And I am on track till now.. :)

Though, I had good Engineering score, I struggled for 4 Months to get a job after my B.E in Electronics and Communication Engineering. I was looking for Java Developer job [I did course in Java/J2EE from NIIT and had done 3 projects in J2EE/Oracle], But ... Something else was in my Luck(?) . I became Network Protocol Test Automation Developer (I used to write Tcl/IxTcl/Expect code for Layer 2 protocol Testing). Initially, I was thinking, I should change my job, but could not get another job in Java for few months and how one year Passed, I didn't notice.. Later I changed my job to a product development company ..as a Software Test Engineer.. My responsibility is to test an enterprise server software .. For Non-functional quality factors like Reliability and Scalability.. This company, has taught me so many things .. I would like to share some of the learning's ..(Again my perspective :) )

I asked "Do You Really Want To Be A Better Software Tester?". So in order to asses yourself, You should answer below questions .. I Keep asking these questions to myself ..


1. Why do I live ?
2. Why Do I work ?
3. Why do I work as a Software Tester ?
4. Do I like the work ?
5. Do I work as Tester just because, I have no other work?
6. Does company really require me ?
7. Can company live without me ?
8. Can I live without company ?
9. Can I live same life, If I don't work in Testing? What about in IT?
10. Is my Technical Skills really important ? Do I really Have some ?
11. What I am doing, can a fresher also do the same in same time and with same efficiency?
12. Company is paying me huge money, Is company getting return on investment?
13. Do other stake holders think, testing is really important?
14. Do stake holders (Development, Upper management, Sales, Customer Support, Customers) think, I am doing good job?
15. Am I doing something which will lead to improve quality of software?
16. Can I convince Customers about their expectation of quality?
17. Once I test a product, can I guarantee (Or at least try to.. ) That customer will not face any problem in their day-to-day use of this product?
18. Do I do anything repeated .. which can be automated ?
19. Do I talk business and profit ..?
20. Do I understand the testing process ?
21. Do I respect testing profession ?
22. Do I think I can do development of same product, Which I am testing?
23. Do I think, Developers are superior ?
24. Do I ask to developer more often about the product features and usage?
25. Do I understand Technology and Domain In depth ?
26. Can I develop a software to test the software from scratch ..?
27. Do I work well in a team ?
28. Do I have Ego ?
29. Do I see good future in testing ?
30. What is that, (without any training), Which I can do but Developers not?
31. What is that (without any training), which Developers can do and I can't ?
32. Do I take ownership/responsibility to get the things DONE ..
33. Do I get emotional when things does not work out the way I want ?
34. Can I get the product requirement written from scratch by talking to customers directly.. ?
35. Can I architect the product ? Can I design it High level ?
36. What all computer languages Do I know..? Am I perfect in any few ?
37. Is it really difficult to code, once you have detailed requirement document ?
38. Can I elaborate the requirements in PRD (SRS) and understand fully?
39. Can I question the product? Why this and why not that?
40. Do I understand the business of Software ..?
41. Do I understand the customer environment ?
42. Who is going to use the product ..? Is it our Direct customer? Or his Customers or the customer of his customer ..?
43. What would be the usage pattern ?
44. What is the expertise level of the end user ?
45. Do I respect seniors and their experience ?
46. Do I praise myself always ?
47. Am I an active listener? Good analyst?
48. Do I have positive attitude ?
49. Do I talk more and do less ? and Do I talk non-sense?
50. Do I have good sense of humour ?
51. Do I feel cheated ?
52. Do I feel I am at wrong place?
53. Do I know whats happening in world?
54. Do I enjoy on weekends or worry about the job security?
55. Do I procrastinate work to do?
56. Do i understand and do good detailed estimation?
57. Can I prioritize the work at hand properly?
58. Do I know my weakness ? and My strengths ?
59. Do I have many friends at work place and apart from work place?
60. Do people like to be with me or they get irritated when I talk ?
61. Am I selfish? Do I worry about others? Other's success ?
62. Do I get sad, when somebody else gets appreciation?
63. Am I financially sound? Do I have good cash in Savings?
64. Do I have several liabilities?
65. Am I managing my time wisely?
66. Do I stretch at work place everyday?
67. Do I fear while talking to stake holders ?
68. Am I confident of what I say, what I do and what I believe?
69. Am I a Fun loving guy ? Or Boring guy ?
70. Do I read blogs? News regularly ?
71. Do I participate in extra-curricular activities?
72. Do I take up new initiatives?
73. Can I control my emotions and Nobody can get that from my face and behavior?
74. Am I satisfied?
75. Am I interested in music? Cooking ? Painting ? Reading ? Writing? anything else ?
76. How is my relationships?
77. Does my view point matter and get implemented?
78. Can I test anything ?
79. Am I a fast learner?
80. Do I Plead/"Do Buttering" to anybody to get benefit ?
81. Am I physically fit ? Do I do exercise?
82. Do I take discussions as argument ?
83. Do I take criticism positively or Start fighting/Defending?
84. Can I take immediate and correct decisions?
85. Am I flexible to take up new activity at any point?
86. Can I work with global team?
87. Can I communicate well with anybody and be understandable to the audience?
88. Do I take Risk to improve something ?
89. Do People believe me?
90. Do I understand, Really why am I doing what I do?
91. Do I complain about the problems faced in completing the task or solve the problems and get the task Finished ?
92. Do I lie @ Workplace and @ Home ?
93. Does somebody hate me @ Work and @Home ?
94. Do I help others to accomplish their task? Professionally? Personally?
95. Am I credit hungry? Appreciation hungry ?
96. Do I appreciate/thank if somebody helps me ?
97. Do I accept my mistake, and Do I apologize and take this as learning?
98. Do I participate in Customer calls, Forums ?
99. How many people know me in person @ Work @ Society ?
100. Last question for Now .. Am I spreading "Unconditional Love" ?


You may feel, some questions are repeated.. Well may be ..

I know my answers.. You may also get your answers..You should first answer what you are really without thinking what the answer should be for an Ideal situation..Now Once you got your answers..Revisit the question and Consider yourself a Judge, and think logically/Rationally for an ideal, and I am sure most of the People will have similar answers.. And the theme would be Love/Respect You work and people around you, Keep on learning and Be Responsible .. If you further abstract It, All leads to one word "Humanity" .. Just think .. think about "Geeta Saar".. We all are just biological things, which will Decay one day ..

If you see a huge difference between what you are (Or would like to become) AND What you think the Logical answers should be, Then May be you are not going to be happy ..

For Me, I do see the gaps, But the gaps are not such a big that, I can't fill it.. Well, This may take Years or whole Life to get even closer to Ideal situation, but Student who will try for 100 marks, He only Has a chance to get 100.. right ?

Well .. I started sounding philosophical .. :)

Happy testing .