Software testing is an important part of any product and can make a big difference to both product quality and software success. It’s why the QA team’s contribution to delivering a high-quality product is so important.
QA work is unique. Skills and knowledge are not always easy to see. That’s why QA colleagues need to learn the product and testing methods, interact with different personalities, and work with development, business analysis, and project management teams. These are skills you can’t just find anywhere. You can teach someone how to test, write test plans and report bugs. You can’t teach them to be a good people person, team player, or expert at diplomacy though. Becoming an effective QA specialist is a difficult process, yet important.
If you work in quality assurance, you understand how rapidly emerging technologies are changing the nature of your work. They could be blockchain, the internet of things, machine learning, or RFID tracking. It’s not that these technologies are new — they’ve been around for a while now — but they’re making so many changes quickly. In barely a few years, they can impact your career in one form or another.
The question is: What can you do today to proactively update your skillset in order to stay competitive? How can you make sure that your role in the quality assurance world is robot-proof?
QA technology and methods are always evolving, which means that skills need to be updated. QA professionals need both soft skills and hard skills—interpersonal expertise and technological expertise. This list gives you a better idea of what we mean:
1. Attention to detail
A good QA person tends to have very high attention to detail. They make sure all tasks are completed to the specifications of the business. This prevents major problems from happening further down the supply chain, as well as preventing tasks from having to be redone or revised at a later date.
2. Time management
It’s important to manage your time so you have enough time to complete tasks and ensure they are up to standard. When you meet your deadlines, you also allow others the time they need to meet their own deadlines without compromising on quality.
3.Problem-solving
Problem-solving skills are a great way to get through quality assurance tasks if you're struggling with meeting the required standards. It's important to combine creativity, logic, and critical thinking in order to be successful in your duties.
4. Multitasking
Having a single task or responsibility is rare in most jobs. It’s important to have strong multitasking skills so you can effectively switch between your different responsibilities, without compromising quality standards.
5. Written and verbal communication
Strong verbal communication skills can help you explain ways to improve processes to other people so they can achieve set quality standards. No projects are identical and it’s important to understand the finer details before the QA process starts in order for QA work to be effective. The answers to questions like “How is this app used? Who are its end-users? When do they use the app or feature? What browser, OS settings, and devices are used to access the app or feature? Why would someone use it?” will help QA work be more concise, which means testing and quality control will be more effective.
Your listening skills are also crucial for understanding what your colleagues need. QA is a team effort, and it’s important to hear others on a remote team. Listening to an engineer’s design or development plan can improve your ability to detect bugs and identify high-risk areas. Communication is important in general.
6. Ability to work as part of a team
Quality assurance is usually a team effort. It’s key for the quality assurance team to understand the work that others in their department do and how it impacts their own work. This understanding helps them collaborate more effectively. They may also help teammates who are under stress or delegate tasks to them when they have a high workload. Keeping up with the quality standards is key for the team so that company goals are met.
7. Knowledge of quality standards
Understanding quality standards is an essential skill for quality assurance.
A QA software tester needs to know how to use testing tools, open and track tickets, as well as have knowledge of a company's QA process. If the company doesn't need to train someone internally about their QA process, it will be easier for them to hire or promote someone. It's also helpful if you have quality assurance skills going in so you don't have to learn on the job.
Technical skill is a must.
A quality assurance employee typically must work within their company’s standards. However, understanding other key quality standards can also help you meet expectations. For example, guidelines set by the Food and Drug Administration would pertain to meeting certain industry-specific standards.
8. Think outside the box.
Having a logical and creative mind is essential in QA work. The ability to be both a right-brained and left-brained thinker gives you a better chance to find bugs that might not have been found otherwise. Testing work can be very logically focused, but if you have the ability to think creatively, then you may find obscure end-user problems that technology might miss.
9. Get Qualified.
Gaining new skills through lifelong learning is an integral part of this job. When you enter the QA world, it never stops changing. You can’t enter a software testing job and then stop learning because the role will always be evolving. It’s important to keep an eye out for any new tests or technologies and to constantly divvy up your time between improving your skills and learning new ones.
It was just 9 hard and soft skills that, IDEALLY, QA specialists should have.
For sure, hard skills are the backbone of a QA engineer’s skill set. However, soft skills make them really valuable to a team. Usually, it is easier to teach entry-level specialists theory and oversee their work than to foster and nurture the essential soft skills.
We can’t be sure what the future holds, but we can be certain that change is coming. As someone who hopes to continue to evolve with the times, it pays to stay up to date on the latest industry trends and be prepared for changes that are to come.
