What is Manual QA, how it’s Done, and is it still Relevant?

Introduction:

To ensure that a product satisfies the requirements, quality assurance testing is an essential step in the software development process. This process comprises assessing and confirming a product's functionality, dependability, and performance. Before the software is made available to end users, it is crucial to find and correct any flaws or faults. 

By verifying that the software performs as intended and provides a seamless user experience, quality assurance testing is essential in raising customer happiness. Quality assurance teams can find and fix problems early in the development cycle, avoiding potential issues and pricey fixes later on, by using a variety of testing methodologies including functional testing, performance testing, security testing, and user acceptance testing. QA testing comes in two forms, manual QA, and automated QA.

What is Manual QA?

Before its testing can be automated, a new application must first be manually tested. Although manual software testing is more labor-intensive, it is essential to determine the viability of automation. Understanding any testing tool is not necessary for manual testing principles. The statement "100% Automation is not possible" is one of the fundamentals of software testing. Because of this, manual testing is essential.

Manual QA testing is the process of manually running test cases to verify a software application's behavior. Human testers must adhere to predetermined test scripts or test cases to find flaws, assess user interfaces, and confirm system functionality. To replicate actual user interactions and circumstances, manual testing relies on human observation, intuition, and exploration.

Manual test execution, data entry, and result comparison with predicted results are all done by testers. User interface testing, usability testing, and exploratory testing all benefit from manual testing since they call for human discretion and imagination. It delivers adaptability, flexibility, and the capacity to spot unforeseen problems.

How Manual QA is done?

It is typically performed by human testers who follow a structured approach to verify the functionality and quality of a software application. Here are the general steps involved in this testing:

Test Planning: Testers analyze the requirements, specifications, and design documents to understand the scope of testing. They identify the test objectives, define test cases, and prioritize them based on risk and importance. Test planning involves creating a test strategy, test plan, and test scenarios.

Test Case Design: Testers develop test cases that outline the steps to be executed, the expected results, and any necessary test data or preconditions. Test cases cover different functional areas, features, and user interactions. Testers may also create test scripts or test automation frameworks if needed.

Test Environment: Setting up the test environment entails installing the required software, configuring the hardware, and making sure that the test environment closely resembles the production environment. This could entail setting up test databases, configuring network settings, or generating test user accounts.

Test Case Execution: Following the test plan, testers carry out the test cases. They enter data, engage with the software, and contrast the actual outcomes with what was anticipated. Any deviations, flaws, or problems that arise throughout the testing process are noted by the testers. They might also record screenshots or videos to serve as proof or to assist in problem reporting.

Bug Reporting: Using a bug tracking system or specialized issue tracking software, testers submit any defects or issues they find. They offer comprehensive information on the issue, including instructions for duplicating it, information about the environment, and any pertinent logs or error messages. Developers can more effectively analyze and resolve problems when bug reports are clear and straightforward.

Retesting and Verification: After developers address identified bugs, testers retest the updated software to make sure the problems have been fixed. They make that the product runs properly and that the repair did not result in any regression problems or new bugs.

Test documentation: Testers record test results, such as test coverage, flaws discovered, and metrics related to test execution. Based on the modifications made during testing, they revise the test scripts or cases. Test documentation keeps a historical record of the testing process and serves as a reference for upcoming testing cycles.

Test conclusion: Testers assess the software's overall quality and offer comments on the testing procedure. To better future testing efforts, they take part in test closure activities such as test summary reports, lessons learned sessions, and knowledge sharing.

Conclusion:

Both manual QA and automated quality assurance testing have benefits and drawbacks. While automated testing gives speed, reproducibility, and scalability, manual testing adds human insights, flexibility, and adaptation. Various factors, including the nature of the software program, project needs, money, time restrictions, and the types of faults to be found, affect the decision between human and automated testing. To ensure thorough test coverage and high-quality software products, a combination of both methods is frequently used.

At WeTest, clients get automated and manual quality assurance services along with a wide array of high-end apps which help them to get deep insights into their projects and also address quality issues in time. You also get support for up to one thousand trending device support and integration with famous Devop tools.