5 Habits to Survive as a Tester - Richard Seidl

We live in an extraordinarily changing world. You see it every day, AI and other technologies are evolving rapidly. Today, I want to share some things I believe will be helpful for the future. These will help you build better relationships with your colleagues, advance your career or business, and make a greater impact as a software tester.

I have been working with clients for over 25 years in the software testing field, testing countless software and working with many people. Based on my experience observing how testers and test managers perform their jobs and what they focus on, I’ve identified 5 key habits that make a good, resilient tester who can succeed in the future.

When I work with clients through my mentoring program, they often ask, “Richie, what should I focus on? How can I grow? What areas should I pay attention to?” Today, I’m going to share with you the five key areas I recommend focusing on, areas I include in my “buffet” of recommendations for my clients. Let’s dive into them:

1. Mastering the Basics:  

We’ve all learned about test methods, levels, and types. There’s a wealth of knowledge out there; books, blogs, podcasts, YouTube channels, all dedicated to teaching these testing fundamentals. But when we look at projects, are we really using these techniques? I’ve noticed a big gap between what testers know and what they actually apply in their work.

For example, I once worked with a client who had an advanced static analysis tool, SonarQube Enterprise Edition running on every build in their pipeline. It was an excellent setup. But when I asked the project lead how they used the tool’s outputs, they said, “We have a lot of data, but we don’t have time to use it.” Static analysis is such a straightforward and valuable part of quality assurance, yet they weren’t using the data. It was a no-brainer, but they were missing out.

I’ve also seen testers who know techniques like equivalence partitioning or boundary value analysis but don’t apply them in their test cases. There’s a gap between knowing and doing that we need to close. It’s like a chef who doesn’t know basic recipes. You don’t want a tester relying purely on intuition. Intuition is important, but mastering the fundamentals is essential.

2. Better Communication:  

In my years of working on projects, I’ve found that testers are often the people with the most knowledge about the entire project. Why? Because we talk to everyone; the architects, business analysts, developers, security teams, UX designers, and more. A tester can’t sit alone in a room, waiting for test cases to come in. We need to communicate with everyone to gather the information we need to do our job well.

One of the best tools at our disposal is asking questions. As testers, we need clear, thorough information about the system we’re testing. In one of my first projects, the documentation was incomplete, and we had a lot of questions. So, we made a list of questions and brought them to a meeting. The business analysts and project leads couldn’t answer many of them, and it became clear that the project needed to be restructured. The project was paused so that they could refactor their requirements and project plan.

Testers are often at the center of a project’s web, and communication is crucial. You must develop communication skills to gather the necessary information and ask the right questions. Some project leads may be pushy, business analysts may be remote or unavailable, and communication isn’t always easy, but it’s essential.

3. Learn the Stuff You (will) Need  

If you want to stay relevant in the future, you need to keep up with the latest in software engineering, development methods, and tools. You don’t have to dive deep into every new technology, but you should stay informed about what’s helpful for your job and how it can improve your performance.

For example, you might use AI tools like ChatGPT or others. Even if you’re not interested in coding or technical tasks, I encourage you to give them a try. Coding has become easier to learn, and you don’t need to become a senior developer or test automation engineer overnight. However, having a basic understanding of technology will help you see where it can make your job easier and more efficient.

I’ve seen many manual testers who avoided coding at first but eventually learned basic coding skills and saw their value increase significantly. Manual testers who can also code are in high demand now, and their salaries reflect that. So, think about what you need to learn to stay ahead, not just for tomorrow, but for the years to come.

4. Simplify Your Work

I want to share a quote with you: "Complexity is the enemy of execution." If we look at our role as testers, our projects, markets, and companies, there is a lot of complexity, and it's increasing every day. There’s also a typical bias we humans have when we try to solve a problem, we tend to add more to the system rather than simplify it. We introduce new features, tools, test automation processes, review steps, and layers of complexity. But the more complex our systems and processes become, the harder it is to execute them efficiently.

For example, one of my mentees had a recurring issue with unclear requirements from business analysts. Instead of constantly asking for clarification, he created a prompt in ChatGPT to check if the requirements were strong enough to test. He shared this prompt with the analysts and asked them to use it before sending requirements to him, which simplified his work and reduced the back-and-forth.

Simplifying your work isn’t just about using fewer tools. It’s about finding ways to automate or streamline tasks. For instance, I’ve been running a weekly podcast in German on software testing for over a year. There are a lot of steps involved in producing each episode, social media posts, guest invitations, cover design, transcriptions, and more. Over time, I simplified the process by automating parts of it, making it much easier to manage. The ability to simplify is a valuable skill, especially in complex projects.

5. Invest in Your Personal Development 

The fifth habit, and perhaps the most important, is investing in your personal development. As testers, we deal with constant changes in our projects, companies, and personal lives. Building resilience helps us navigate these challenges.

I once mentored a junior tester who was very shy and lacked confidence. Over the years, we worked together, and he grew into a confident senior tester who now leads quality initiatives and speaks to upper management without hesitation. His personal growth transformed his career and made him much happier in his role.

Personal development isn’t just about gaining new technical skills, it’s about building confidence, communication, and resilience. These traits will help you not only as a tester but also in your personal life. The goal is to live quality as an attitude, both in your work and in your personal life, so that when challenges like the AI Act or cybersecurity regulations come your way, you’re ready to handle them with confidence.

These are the 5 habits I believe are essential for thriving as a tester. By incorporating these five habits; Mastering the basics, Improving communication, Staying current, Simplifying your work, and Investing in personal development, you can ensure long-term success in the ever-evolving world of software testing.