When I began my career as a software tester, it took me some time to observe the ongoing clashes between the testers and the programmers. I noticed that people are divided into different groups and you are pulled into a group prior to realizing the scenario. This is a common problem that software development team encounters. Unfortunately, there are managers who encourage rivalry among the testers and the programmers. They believe that this will help them to generate more value out of the team.
After spending all these years in the field of software testing, I get to hear different stories involving the clash between the development and testing team. I am not sure how this hostility began but there must be some sort of measures to overcome this situation.
Keeping this scenario in mind, we are presenting you with a list of five easy tips that testers can use to win this battle.
1. Deliver Bad News in A Very Nice and Positive
Majority of the times, testers are the deliverers of the bad news. They have to tell programmers about the flaws in their code that make it ugly. One thing is clear, no programmer would ever want to hear the criticism. This is a difficult situation for the programmers where they have to accept that their code is defective and anyone else has identified the defect.
Testers must handle this situation professionally and tactfully. Therefore, testers are advised to be diplomatic while confronting the programmer. A smile on face, tact, and diplomacy- all of these things can work to benefit the tester. They are important in preserving a conserving a harmonious relationship with the programmers.
2. Be Neutral
While communicating with the programmer avoid any blame-game. The programmer must not feel being targeted for anything. If the programmers are convinced regarding the complexity and significance of a testers’ job, they will begin to respect their craft. After making programmers realize this, attaining their cooperation becomes much simpler. The life of the tester becomes easier. They can easily pinpoint the defect and let the programmers know regarding their mistakes. As a result, mistakes get fixed on time and a bug-free and defect-free app are released for the customer.
3. Watch Your Temper and Leave Aside Your Ego
It is the responsibility of the tester to make sure that the programmer doesn’t get embarrassed during the defect reporting process. they are just normal human beings who commit errors and mistakes. Testers must realize this and stop making their bug reports a weapon of embarrassment for the programmer. You have to show respect, in order to earn respect. Therefore, it is important to leave aside your ego and watch your temper. A balanced combination of humor and humility can be very successful. It can lead to building a long-lasting and successful relationship.
Conclusion
Even though the testers use software testing tools to streamline their processes but this cannot result in zero-clash between testers and the developers. The testers must incorporate the above-mentioned tips in order to attain success in the organization.
