Software Testing has lot of challenges both in manual as well as in automation. Generally in manual testing scenario developers through the build to test team assuming the responsible test team or tester will pick the build and will come to ask what the build is about? This is the case in organizations not following so-called ‘processes’. Tester is the middleman between developing team and the customers, handling the pressure from both the sides. And I assume most of our readers are smart enough to handle this pressure. Aren’t you?
This is not the case always. Some times testers may add complications in testing process due to their unskilled way of working. In this post I have added most of the testing challenges created due to testing staff, developing staff, testing processes and wrong management decisions.
So here we go with the top challenges:
1) Testing the complete application:
Is it possible? I think impossible. There are millions of test combinations. It’s not possible to test each and every combination both in manual as well as in automation testing. If you try all these combinations you will never ship the product 
2) Misunderstanding of company processes:
Some times you just don’t pay proper attention what the company-defined processes are and these are for what purposes. There are some myths in testers that they should only go with company processes even these processes are not applicable for their current testing scenario. This results in incomplete and inappropriate application testing.
3) Relationship with developers:
Big challenge. Requires very skilled tester to handle this relation positively and even by completing the work in testers way. There are simply hundreds of excuses developers or testers can make when they are not agree with some points. For this tester also requires good communication, troubleshooting and analyzing skill.
4) Regression testing:
When project goes on expanding the regression testing work simply becomes uncontrolled. Pressure to handle the current functionality changes, previous working functionality checks and bug tracking.
5) Lack of skilled testers:
I will call this as ‘wrong management decision’ while selecting or training testers for their project task in hand. These unskilled fellows may add more chaos than simplifying the testing work. This results into incomplete, insufficient and ad-hoc testing throughout the testing life cycle.
6) Testing always under time constraint:
Hey tester, we want to ship this product by this weekend, are you ready for completion? When this order comes from boss, tester simply focuses on task completion and not on the test coverage and quality of work. There is huge list of tasks that you need to complete within specified time. This includes writing, executing, automating and reviewing the test cases.
7) Which tests to execute first?
If you are facing the challenge stated in point no 6, then how will you take decision which test cases should be executed and with what priority? Which tests are important over others? This requires good experience to work under pressure.
8 ) Understanding the requirements:
Some times testers are responsible for communicating with customers for understanding the requirements. What if tester fails to understand the requirements? Will he be able to test the application properly? Definitely No! Testers require good listening and understanding capabilities.
9) Automation testing:
Many sub challenges - Should automate the testing work? Till what level automation should be done? Do you have sufficient and skilled resources for automation? Is time permissible for automating the test cases? Decision of automation or manual testing will need to address the pros and cons of each process.
10) Decision to stop the testing:
When to stop testing? Very difficult decision. Requires core judgment of testing processes and importance of each process. Also requires ‘on the fly’ decision ability.
11) One test team under multiple projects:
Challenging to keep track of each task. Communication challenges. Many times results in failure of one or both the projects.
12) Reuse of Test scripts:
Application development methods are changing rapidly, making it difficult to manage the test tools and test scripts. Test script migration or reuse is very essential but difficult task.
13) Testers focusing on finding easy bugs:
If organization is rewarding testers based on number of bugs (very bad approach to judge testers performance) then some testers only concentrate on finding easy bugs those don’t require deep understanding and testing. A hard or subtle bug remains unnoticed in such testing approach.
14) To cope with attrition:
Increasing salaries and benefits making many employees leave the company at very short career intervals. Managements are facing hard problems to cope with attrition rate. Challenges - New testers require project training from the beginning, complex projects are difficult to understand, delay in shipping date!
These are some top software testing challenges we face daily. Project success or failure depends largely on how you address these basic issues.
For further reference and detailed solutions on these challenges refer book “Surviving the Top Ten challenges of Software Testing” written by William E. Perry and Randall W. Rice.
Over to you:
Many of you are working in manual and/or automation testing field. Though I have addressed many of above challenges in our previous articles, I want your views on handling these software testing challenges. Feel free to express your views in comment section below.
62 comments ↓
This Post is wonderful, I got some realtime experience from this. More over I need some information about web testing(website). Could you please explain about the web testing and web testing check list. And also explain from where I have to start test a website.
Excellent Post. I have faced most of the above listed challenges.
As u said it’s most important how tester handle all these challenges.
Some challenges are not in control of QA team like selection and appointment of testers over the projects
Managements are really facing hard problems retaining the talent especially in countries like India where supply and demand is becoming critical.
Its really good article
Excellent. As a testers we have to overcome all the points
Really ecellent. Pts 3, 6, 7 & 8 are really g8 Challenges for Tester
Really excellent. Pts 3, 6, 7 & 8 are really g8 Challenges for Tester
Excellent
Hi,I want to know which automation tool is best in software testing (Mercury or rational).And how much time is required to be done it perfectly.
sahil2001@hotmail.com
Excellent Article. I also in the testing field for more than two years, Manual testing. Recently i joined in a new company. Their interviews were standard, having 4 rounds such as aptitude test, technical test, techincal interview and hr interview. What happened is, only after joined there i found i was mistaken. Actually they didn’t have testing stratagey. didn’t bug tracking tools etc. What they had is some untested softwares, which they developed for some of their own companies, all their modules constitutes an ERP package. Now i am in delima what to do. Can anyone find a solution, whether continue with this company for 1 yr or look for another. Plssss help me..
@Nisha
You dont worry, you are in the right pool. You can download a free bug tracking tool from the net say for an example ‘Qengine issuemanager’ and configure it for your company needs and thereby you can impress your company people. And if you can place some ERP experience, it will be an advantage in your further job changes. You are getting a chance to implement testing srategies in your company, that agian will be a plus. Then now you are thinking either they are not willing for your suggestions for the new quality plans or how can i implement all these and more in a new environment. God bless you… leave your doubts today itself
Being a Test Leader this post help me lot.
@sumit
Specify which post helped you a lot
welcome
Hi readers,
Though I have addressed many above mentioned challenges in my previous posts, I want your experience to handle such challenges.
@Simson - I agree, there are some challenges that are not in testers control like assigning testers to projects, training from company etc..As these challenges are handled at management level.
Still most of other challenges are faced by QA teams. So share your experience which will be helpful to others..
Hello Vijay,
I liked article but can you elaborate second point.2) Misunderstanding of company processes:?
hi,vijay
whatever information or details your giving its really added to our knowledge but I am having some queries regrding how to face HR round and technical round so pls
give more details if you have some idea.
hi
Excellent article,
It helped me a lot .
Hi All,
What is the difference between Stub and drivers used in integration testing, please reply its urgent…
Excellent article,
what is the use of xml in web testing?
What does mean of computer management in terms of testing?
In which terms active X controls are useful for web testing.
@susan
form tester prospective..
stub–simulation of not yet implemented functionality.. used in top down
driver –simulation of not yet implemented functionality
used in bottom up..
Thanks rahul,
HOW how we can simulate the not yet implemented functionality, if by using the code then who will write the code, or the template “underconstruction” is this stub and driver. Please clarify me rahul, you are genius i saw your other postings…
susan
hi help details abt banking domain
or send me the details pranutha.peddi@gmail.com
Hi
Thank You George, i am also thinking in that way..
hi,vijay
I like the pointa it will be more easy if you will elaborate the 2 and 4 point.
thank you
really excellent, i have faced out most of the above points,
very good article
Superb!!!
The way you explined the points really good. I got some information from your message. Thank you.
I have read so many articles and books but,notting as like this website is providing.It is doing wonders for people who want to hone there skills in testing.I think many people would not be able to list out some of the testing challenges listed above.Great going ..keep up with your good work …
Iam not able to understand what is this APACHE AND TOMCAT SERVER is all about..are they different ?
Some say they are not and they are called as webapplication servers.By the way do application server and web server reside on the same machine or in different machines.How they are configured.
How a application server contacts webserver or vice versa..again are they configured on differnet machines .I am totally confused please help me understand this.Respond me to this e mail with your answers norman_g40@yahoo.com
can u tell me differcence of systemtesting and end to end testing
tell me retesting and regassiontesting
hi,
questions asked in test.
1.write any 5 test metrics.
what is test metrics.
2. following artifacts r baselined.
a.SRS b. Test cases c. minutes of meeting d.agenda for meeting e. defect reports.
3. configuration reviews r not needed if regression test has been regourously applied during software integration.
a. True b. False c. Incorrect Stmt d. None
4. customers perspective view of quality is measured by
a. surveys b. service level agreements c. recommend & loyalty d. all of these
5. in the change control procedure major changes should be approved by
a. change control board b. configuration control board c. senior manager d. It manager e. none
6. what is test design and test procedure
7. QC process involves
a. defect prevention b. casual analysis c. review walkthrough, inspection d. statistical process control.
and also send me related questions which v can predict in the interview by looking into these types of questions.
thanx in advance
rahini
@Rahini
1>defect mat2>req . mat 3>tracebility mat 4>
2>it could be a.SRS b. Test cases but in most of cases SRS gets priority
4>b
5>CCB
6>test proce–order in which test cases are executed
test design–we focus in designing TC
7> d. statistical process control.
@rahini
3) Regression testing are not applied during integration testing so it is an “incorrect statement”
hi,
i had read urs manual about testing challenges.
it realy covers all aspects related 2 s/w testing challenges.really it is best effort……………………
thanx..
thank you for ur reply.
what about agenda for meeting. what exactly it means.
as per my knowledge QA is process oriented and QC is product oriented. clarify me if am wrong.
so i chose the option defect prevention. is it wrong.
hi rahul,
whats the expansion of ccb which u mentioned coz 2 CCB r there. ambiguous here.
and also i need information about ISO 9000 and CMM.
and for what kind of organizations these certifications been give. this is also interview question
options r here for ISO 9000.
a. development organizations b. product based organi..
c. service based orga.. d. hardware companies. e. none
Informative
Yes, it’s really needful artical for freshers.
gr8 post
what are the main steps to be performed during manual testing.As im fresher in this .
excellent post this one who gain knowledge over on software testing
hi,
questions asked in test.
1.write any 5 test metrics.
what is test metrics.
2. following artifacts r baselined.
a.SRS b. Test cases c. minutes of meeting d.agenda for meeting e. defect reports.
3. configuration reviews r not needed if regression test has been regourously applied during software integration.
a. True b. False c. Incorrect Stmt d. None
4. customers perspective view of quality is measured by
a. surveys b. service level agreements c. recommend & loyalty d. all of these
5. in the change control procedure major changes should be approved by
a. change control board b. configuration control board c. senior manager d. It manager e. none
6. what is test design and test procedure
7. QC process involves
a. defect prevention b. casual analysis c. review walkthrough, inspection d. statistical process control.
and also send me related questions which v can predict in the interview by looking into these types of questions.
thanx in advance
VERY GOOD POSTING! GREAT WORK!! KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING!! WE ARE EAGERLY EXPECTING YOUR FUTURE GOOD POSTS…. CHEERS…JK
really its very useful for testing people who is not clarity on their doubts. I got so many clarifitions.
articles r very interesting n used simple words to undstand nice work.
thnks a lot. keep it up!
i would like to know onething that a tester when and which test, actually testing will start. .ex: he studied requirments sepcification docts then what is further test as a tester.will u plz answer for this question
excellent for study
Excellent……
Hi
This is really a wonderful articel. I have recently joined this sector i m enjoying alot.
But I have one hesitation that I was in Travel industry and now I m doing software testing course can i use my travel experience here plz advice.
Ahmer Hussain
Hi Rahini,
I have Mentioned Software metrics as given below:
Introduction
Metrics are the means by which the software quality can be measured; they give you confidence in the product. You may consider these product management indicators, which can be either quantitative or qualitative. They are typically the providers of the visibility you need.
Metrics
Metrics usually fall into a few categories: project management (which includes process efficiency) and process improvement. People are often confused about what metrics they should be using. You may use different metrics for different purposes. For example, you may have a set of metrics that you use to evaluate the output of your test team. One such metric may be the project management measure of the number of bugs found. Others may be an efficiency measure of the number of test cases written, or the number of tests executed in a given period of time.
The goal is to choose metrics that will help you understand the state of your product.
Ultimately, when you consider the value of a metric, you need to ask if it provides visibility into the software product’s quality. Metrics are only useful if they help you to make sound business decisions in a timely manner. If the relevancy or integrity of a metric cannot be justified, don’t use it. Consider, for example, how management analysis and control makes use of financial reports such as profit/loss, cash flow, ratios, job costing, etc. These reports help you navigate your business in a timely manner. Engineering metrics are analogous, providing data to help perform analyses and control the development process. However, your engineers may not be the right people to give you the metrics you need to help in making business decisions, because they are not trained financial analysts. As an executive, you need to determine what metrics you want and tell your staff to provide them.
For example, coverage metrics are essential for your team. Coverage is the measure of some amount of testing. You could have requirements coverage metrics, platform coverage metrics, path coverage metrics, scenario coverage metrics, or even test plan coverage metrics, to name a few. Cem Kaner lists over 100 types of coverage measures in his paper “Negligence and Testing Coverage.” Before the project starts, it is important to come to agreement on how you will measure test coverage. Obviously, the more coverage of a certain type, the less risk associated with that type.
The goal is to choose metrics that will help you understand the state of your product. Wisely choose a handful of these metrics specific to your type of project and use them to give you visibility into how close the product is to release. The test group needs to be providing you plenty of useful information with these metrics.
Conclusion
The metrics provided by testing offer a major benefit to executives: visibility into the maturity and readiness for release or production, and visibility into the quality of the software product under development. This enables effective management of the software development process, by allowing clear measurement of the quality and completeness of the product.
Hi Vijay/Suresh/Tiger2K ,
I am regular visitor of this site.I have one major concern for that i need ur assistance.
Whats the use of unix as well as shell Scrpiting(PERL) in sw Testing Prospective?
As we all are familiar QTP is used to validate UI Validation .Load Runner is used to Check Virtual User and all .So i could understand where QTP/Manual/Load Runner fits in software Testing World.
But i am still dont know where unix as well as shell Scrpiting(PERL) find its place in testing world? Could any1 assist me to understand this very clearly ?
So please help me understand this with how and where it finds its place in Software Testing
Thanks,
Rahul
Hi Friends,
Currently i am working in Non-IT field and planned to switch my career to testing.I had learned the basics of testing,and now i am very eager to learn testing practically with real time projects.
If any one interested to teach testing personally with real time projects , i will be more grateful, or else show me the right place in chennai.
Thanks & regards
selvam.ba@rediffmail.com
Hi All,
Really its a very gre8 article.
Awsome…
by Reading this document now i am able to understand that all automation stuffs
Hi Rahul,
It all depends on your Application/Testing Environment
Ex:
Suppose, your application has lots of files into a particular directory and you want to check for a particular string which is present in each and every file
without actually opening all the files ,check for the string present and increment the count )
You can write an automated perl script which opens all the files,search for the string and display the result which can save your lot of effort.
Perl Testing: A Developer’s Notebook can resolve all of you question . if you can find one.
Regards,
Tiger2k
The article is useful for both QA and management.
Hi , i read the all your comments, it is really nice, Currently i am working software testing in hyderabad,
Actually i am a tamilian, my native place is chennai,
My qualification is BCA only, Now i am searching software testing job in chennai,
i am fresher also, i do know how can i search software testing jobs.
Can you tell me anybody for the correct way to search software testing job and also tell me the any software testing institiute in chennai place.
hello frnds ,
i have some questions for u just send me the answers
1, when do we stop testing
2, when do start testing
3, how do we evalute schedule variance
4,
good going…. keep up the good work
Excelent article…Though there are some challenges which are not exactly related to Testing but they are somehow related to it…
I would like to share my experiences -
1. QC Manager - I joined my current comapny in May 2006 which was a CMMi Level 3 (??). My manager is very ambisious and some how I managed to impress him with my initial work. He left me with the team to handle all the activities and he himself was involved in higher level management decisions. I was never given a walkthrough on the company process. Whatever I could get was through word of mouth. Everything was going smooth till yesterday when a customer reported that the she is not going to test the application using the test cases as they are no in the way she is going to test (She has approved the earlier version of same test cases). Now I have been asked that how can we send the system test cases to customer, which I do agree that we should send only UAT test cases which will be a subset of system cases. But this was the practice I have been following since last 2 years as I learned from the processes of the company.
Lesson Learned -
1. You will not receive the heat till customer is happy.
2. Never believe Managers,
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