
<p>The iterative approach to software development emerged around the 1990s. What started as a small co-located, self-sustaining team approach was widely adopted by many development teams. The agile mindset paved way for multiple development frameworks, including the infamous “Scrum methodology”. </p>



<p>With time, processes undergo metamorphoses, during which a few unpleasant practices sneak in causing distractions within the teams. This article focuses on a few unpleasant software testing distractors within an Agile Scrum team.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>The below agile testing distractors may not have a significant impact in plain sight, if left unattended they may cause potential harm in the long run.&nbsp;</p>



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets"><p class="toc_title">Table Of Contents</p><ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#Muted_Refinement_sessionsnbsp"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">1</span> Muted Refinement sessions&nbsp;</a></li><li><a href="#Absence_of_testing_notesnbsp"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">2</span> Absence of testing notes&nbsp;</a></li><li><a href="#Separate_QA_boardnbsp"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">3</span> Separate QA board&nbsp;</a></li><li><a href="#Ignored_test_effortsnbsp"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">4</span> Ignored test efforts&nbsp;</a></li><li><a href="#Commenting_defectsnbsp"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">5</span> Commenting defects&nbsp;</a></li><li><a href="#Piggybacking_testersnbsp"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">6</span> Piggybacking testers&nbsp;</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="h-muted-refinement-sessions"><span id="Muted_Refinement_sessionsnbsp"><strong>Muted Refinement sessions&nbsp;</strong></span></h2>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/sXomQO3fUniztvQJkVhL5aaLVmojX6kgllxDRl6VcT_oVXcPEXhht-HsWY2Bdq-4Exi56oTV2JAMnvJ8q87DolB5JnwVaSlyB2EwCGksvBfeQRVsSerCo31HmogvGa4MksGSV0BRZ3cGBnGbe-c" alt="Muted Refinement sessions" width="400" height="400" /><figcaption>The unpleasant phenomenon in Agile testing 1&nbsp;</figcaption></figure></div>



<p style="padding-top: 20px">By default, the complexity of a user story is linked to developmental effort conveniently ignoring the testing effort involved. Sometimes implementation would hardly take any time but, the impact of this change stimulates a larger blast radius which significantly boosts the time required for testing. </p>



<p>A user story is complete and common understanding is established only if the story is addressed in 360degrees. Test implications should be considered during refinement sessions. Test <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/quality-engineering-discussions-with-james-espie/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">engineers should facilitate this discussion</a> with the product owner and the wider development team during the refinement session.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 id="absence-of-testing-notes"><span id="Absence_of_testing_notesnbsp"><strong>Absence of testing notes&nbsp;</strong></span></h2>



<p>Refinement sessions provide a good opportunity for the PO(Product Owner) and the development team to scrub through the user story and add more details. Breaking down a user story into implementable tasks, clarifying any open questions, and validating certain aspects of implementations are the main aim of refinement meetings. However, most of the teams miss out on capturing the test notes.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Let us first discuss what a testing note is?&nbsp;</p>



<p><p style="padding-bottom: 30px">The supplemental details required to execute the tests for that particular user story is called a testing note. It can be any details like &#8211; test data, plugin requirements, dependency on external services, test limitations, test relevancy, etc.</p></p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/5vtx-1rhghBdiJ_9puW34i9d3j70PtyOIeClmqtcu9n765OorbqDPmzfsHe2GodvqESTJ_rpKrSIDCJ3sbs82ZHiiPEH7FbY3Kyhki6Ov4-nrkjM_-U1Hm0cG-BEf3N-B4w-c2oCWciOqz12dF8" alt="Absence of testing notes" width="400" height="400" /><figcaption>The unpleasant phenomenon in Agile testing 2&nbsp;</figcaption></figure></div>



<p style="padding-top: 20px">In real-world projects, not all stories can be tested in all environments.&nbsp;</p>



<p>For example: develop or test environments have limited configuration capacity and files of certain sizes cannot be processed. Capturing testing notes helps teams to bring clarity and a shared understanding of how a particular scenario can be approached. It also gives POs a good opportunity to understand the hidden risks.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 id="separate-qa-board"><span id="Separate_QA_boardnbsp"><strong>Separate QA board&nbsp;</strong></span></h2>



<p>Mainstream scrum boards restrict by displaying only the user stories movement across swim lanes. However, an agile <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/how-to-be-an-active-tester/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tester performs much more test activities</a> than just the new feature testing or regression testing. For example:&nbsp;</p>



<p>1. Supporting small hot-fixes&nbsp;</p>



<p>2. Short enhancements&nbsp;</p>



<p>3. Legacy applications support&nbsp;</p>



<p>4. Usability testing&nbsp;</p>



<p>5. Automating the user stories&nbsp;</p>



<p>6. Maintenance of automated scripts&nbsp;</p>



<p><p style="padding-bottom: 30px">7. TestOps etc</p></p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/8T1QM1uf0AmUJEIGlHrHTYiwxdbU27VMf4Pu3xUW61U9_6HaxbFlSSvNhWL6Ydg7ralpHDt8lDrqAFepsPXmkH-D9PD5a7VOLHa9AsCIsWDNvFFgdBRApjlBg26eri1isQBBBTNo9uEMqGxBtGc" alt="Separate QA board" width="400" height="400" /><figcaption>The unpleasant phenomenon in Agile testing 3&nbsp;</figcaption></figure></div>



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<p>By and large development teams remain unaware of any of these activities. Agile development team tasks should be as transparent as possible. The available capacity of every team member should be taken into account before pulling in sprint tasks. </p>



<p>Especially the automation tasks are separated out to different scrum boards, this is detrimental in a long run. To stop this from becoming a major distractor, all the peripheral test activities should be made visible in the sprint scrum board to account for overall delivery within the agile scrum team.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The idea is not to completely discourage having a separate QA scrum board, this can be handy in some <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/agile-automation-testing-safe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">scaled agile</a> teams when multiple scrum teams have to coordinate several tasks. However, the clarity of what should stay away from mainstream scrum boards should be given a thought.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 id="ignored-test-efforts"><span id="Ignored_test_effortsnbsp"><strong>Ignored test efforts&nbsp;</strong></span></h2>



<p>After scrubbing and combing the backlog in the refinement session, PO prepares a prioritized backlog list which will be presented in a scrum planning meeting. The development team maps each task against the size which implies the effort required to implement the story. Planning is a crucial scrum activity, and most teams miss out on taking testing efforts into account.&nbsp;</p>



<p><p style="padding-bottom: 30px">This is an anti-pattern in agile methodology. A story is considered to be complete only if it goes through development and testing activities. Agile teams should encourage every team member to actively participate in the planning poker session. Test Engineers should confidently step forward to provide their view on the user stories during the planning meetings.</p></p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/NBe9UdY9kggu_biAxAuULTkvu9_TC8_E21miSZPLUwthN6hV9RZn5tMnuTVBmVVRDZfbBqTATQvgRR_XmO_AGerigjrD7j52oEh5Clh1vTYtSwKMukFWwDokguIa8WuAib_5rYaNim2BocT7zcA" alt="Ignored test efforts" width="400" height="400" /><figcaption>The unpleasant phenomenon in Agile testing 4&nbsp;</figcaption></figure></div>



<h2 id="commenting-defects"><span id="Commenting_defectsnbsp"><strong>Commenting defects&nbsp;</strong></span></h2>



<p><p style="padding-bottom: 30px">Agile recommends reducing waste and weeding out all the overhead activities. Development teams who do not use external bug reporting tools, encourage team members to report the bugs within the user story tickets. In such cases, the test team will miss out on the most valuable QA activity “root cause analysis”. Why is it even important? Defects are a mirror to the health of the application, a good quality report states the weak links and helps the development team in strengthening those areas which need deeper attention.</p></p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/OvOyCBgRq_6ruLf6WjmnaLZM7_MdLqQSMXBByYQ0UBe4y-TEdIA2N8BRY2CgNcrB4w2iyML35Qdx3SvNiEaXZYn1wjmT0tBya2xi0kkYxpHNcXTzxLGzv-ivJovBMUthNoVUactR6xoKRBX-hUc" alt="Commenting defects" width="400" height="400" /><figcaption>The unpleasant phenomenon in Agile testing 5&nbsp;</figcaption></figure></div>



<p style="padding-top: 20px">Teams commenting defects within the user story will be unable to aggregate the bugs and feed the root cause analysis activity. The whole idea of iterative development is driven by continuous improvement, when defects are not accessible teams miss out on valuable intrinsic details. To avoid this becoming a distractor in agile testing, it is important to educate development teams about the importance of defect analysis and follow bug reporting either using dedicated tools or some other way where they can aggregate data over a period of time&nbsp;</p>



<h2 id="piggybacking-testers"><span id="Piggybacking_testersnbsp"><strong>Piggybacking testers&nbsp;</strong></span></h2>



<p>Early feedback helps development teams to adopt changes more easily. User stories checked earlier in the development cycle help to establish an early feedback loop. In the real world situation, when the user story is developed and tested PO’s are expected to do a walk-through and bring forth any changes if required.&nbsp;</p>



<p>POs/PM create dependency on testers to give them the demo of a new feature. If the tester and PO fail to catch up on time, the tickets just pile up in the QA lane thus increasing the cycle time. Apprehend this bottleneck even before it piles up to cause deeper issues. Encourage POs to put their hands on the application and try out the features themselves. Doing so not just reduce the latency but also helps business to understand how the feature fits with wider application.&nbsp;</p>



<p style="padding-top: 10px">Related reads:</p>



<p><a href="https://testsigma.com/regression-testing/regression-testing-in-agile" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://testsigma.com/regression-testing/regression-testing-in-agile </a><a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/common-challenges-in-continuous-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://testsigma.com/blog/common-challenges-in-continuous-testing/ <br></a><a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/top-test-automation-challenges-to-look-out-for/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://testsigma.com/blog/top-test-automation-challenges-to-look-out-for/ </a><a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/understanding-agile-testing-framework/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://testsigma.com/blog/understanding-agile-testing-framework/ </a><a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/challenges-insprint-automation-regression-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://testsigma.com/blog/challenges-insprint-automation-regression-testing/</a></p>


The Unpleasant Phenomenon In Agile Testing


<p>The platform for a centralized solution for all testing efforts, PractiTest, is well known amongst many agile teams. Although nowadays, several features within this tool, which was once well reputed for testing effectively, have been claimed to be absent or contain various issues.</p>



<p>For such reasons, QA engineers are looking ceaseless for the top <strong>PractiTest alternatives</strong>, and this article will mention some of the best ones!</p>



<p></p>



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets"><p class="toc_title">Table Of Contents</p><ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#What_is_a_PractiTest_Tool"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">1</span> What is a PractiTest Tool?</a></li><li><a href="#Cons_of_PractiTest"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">2</span> Cons of PractiTest</a><ul><li><a href="#Duration_of_Free_trial"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">2.1</span> Duration of Free trial</a></li><li><a href="#Cloud-Based_Access_Only"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">2.2</span> Cloud-Based Access Only</a></li><li><a href="#Performance_and_Missing_Features"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">2.3</span> Performance and Missing Features</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Why_to_consider_PractiTest_Alternatives"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">3</span> Why to consider PractiTest Alternatives?</a></li><li><a href="#PractiTest_Alternatives_and_Competitors"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">4</span> PractiTest Alternatives and Competitors</a></li><li><a href="#Best_PractiTest_Alternatives_Free_and_Paid_for_2024"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">5</span> Best PractiTest Alternatives (Free and Paid) for 2024</a><ul><li><a href="#Testsigma"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">5.1</span> Testsigma</a></li><li><a href="#TestRail"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">5.2</span> TestRail</a></li><li><a href="#TestLink"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">5.3</span> TestLink</a></li><li><a href="#Zephyr"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">5.4</span> Zephyr</a></li><li><a href="#SpiraTest"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">5.5</span> SpiraTest</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Which_is_the_Best_PractiTest_Alternative"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">6</span> Which is the Best PractiTest Alternative?</a></li><li><a href="#Conclusion"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">7</span> Conclusion</a></li><li><a href="#Frequently_Asked_Questions"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">8</span> Frequently Asked Questions</a><ul><li><a href="#Why_Choose_PractiTest"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">8.1</span> Why Choose PractiTest?</a></li></ul></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="h-what-is-a-practitest-tool"><span id="What_is_a_PractiTest_Tool"><strong>What is a PractiTest Tool</strong>?</span></h2>



<p>PractiTest is a test management tool. In a nutshell, it allows you to organize any testing operations with the help of managed fields and filters, which can also be linked to other entities.</p>



<p>These test management features contain manual testing and the newly added attribute to carry out automated tests with the help of test automation tools. Using this management tool, you can also create test cases to review them.</p>



<h2 id="h-cons-of-practitest"><span id="Cons_of_PractiTest"><strong>Cons of PractiTest</strong></span></h2>



<p>PractiTest lacks in several aspects of requirements, including improper review of high-quality software and several bugs within their test management tool. A few of their cons are listed below.</p>



<h3 id="h-duration-of-free-trial"><span id="Duration_of_Free_trial"><strong>Duration of Free trial</strong></span></h3>



<p>PractiTest allows 14 days of a free trial. After that, using this software costs <strong>$15 per month</strong>. As several other test management tools are either completely free or offer a more significant trial period, the existing competitors seem the cost-effective choice.</p>



<h3 id="h-cloud-based-access-only"><span id="Cloud-Based_Access_Only"><strong>Cloud-Based Access Only</strong></span></h3>



<p>Unlike their competitors, this particular test management tool runs only on the cloud, and there are quite a few challenges in <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/cloud-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cloud testing</a>. Also, some of the modules in this software do not contain some particular features, such as reporting.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 id="h-performance-and-missing-features"><span id="Performance_and_Missing_Features"><strong>Performance and Missing Features</strong></span></h3>



<p>Although easy to use, the user interface often lags as the front-end is somewhat old-fashioned compared to several other test management tools.</p>



<p>In addition, people have faced several other problems with this tool and their test data. Although development teams have claimed to fix the bugs at the earliest, such reasons have caused customers to look for a better alternative to PractiTest.</p>



<h2 id="why-to-consider-practitest-alternatives"><span id="Why_to_consider_PractiTest_Alternatives"><strong><strong>Why to consider </strong>PractiTest Alternatives</strong>?</span></h2>



<p>Though PractiTest is user-friendly and intuitive, it may require some time for users to familiarize themselves with its numerous features. Teams with limited resources and budget constraints may find it difficult to train and onboard new users to become proficient with the tool.&nbsp;</p>



<p>It supports integration with other testing tools, but having an internal engine for test automation would be a great advantage. Also, the user interface of PractiTest, particularly with filters and tags, can make test management tasks tedious rather than streamlining.</p>



<h2 id="h-practitest-alternatives-and-competitors"><span id="PractiTest_Alternatives_and_Competitors"><strong>PractiTest Alternatives and Competitors</strong></span></h2>



<p>Several websites with similar yet better test management features are available today. We have curated a list of the best PractiTest alternatives below.</p>



<ul><li>Testsigma</li><li>TestRail</li><li>TestLin</li><li>Zephyr</li><li>Postman</li><li>SpiraTest</li><li>UserTesting</li></ul>



<p>These are some of the best<strong> test case management </strong>software that includes primary and secondary features for managing manual and automated testing, as well as traceability and coverage reports.</p>



<p></p>



<h2 id="h-best-practitest-alternatives-free-and-paid-for-2024"><span id="Best_PractiTest_Alternatives_Free_and_Paid_for_2024"><strong><strong>Best PractiTest Alternatives (Free and Paid) for 2024</strong></strong></span></h2>



<p>There are numerous alternatives to PractiTest in the market that offer unique features and capabilities for test management. Here, we will discuss in detail the top PractiTest alternatives,</p>



<h3 id="testsigma"><span id="Testsigma"><strong>Testsigma</strong></span></h3>



<p>Testsigma is a low-code, cloud-based, AI-driven test automation tool that allows you to automate web, mobile, desktop app, and <a href="https://testsigma.com/guides/api-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">API testing</a> in a single platform. Using Testsigma, you can easily create, update, and maintain test cases on the cloud without any hassle.&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/Ogx3-WfrUoLDJsJ8aFFSXVq62QvtjWQnxPH6cR51Ca4q51egreBmbBkcpM_-h73-an_ry50lBZtOfEyOQK2yTOLVXrH7ShjBdiPlxKR7IsTrx1w2mLxaGCM89-yjgCrYuIfvfKb3KD55dxZ8v0WlvVI" alt="PractiTest Alternative" /></figure>



<p></p>



<p>You can perform different types of functional testing, like regression, integration, API, system, cross-browser testing, and more, in one place. It is the perfect tool for both technical and non-technical users.&nbsp;</p>



<p>That is, you can automate testing using both scriptless and <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/scripted-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">script-based testing</a>.</p>



<p>It supports scriptless test automation using NLPs and the Record-and-Playback feature, which you can use to automate even complex workflows easily and efficiently. For code-based testing, it supports Java. That is, you can create custom Java scripts to test specific complex scenarios that might require coding.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/V-FJRNSVtCIRQwKp6HKuwrAu4FY9QxlvDzqCTXLgKzvAcWL_9As4KrYhmSiQ9Q2w82Meia5BNAPu_YE5XcuchCcFgIGci7FHxB5XTIAtZOWX6D6izOzWzLu-yKu2vQBkUymxHszruyLBXEKVt-Ruc80" alt="Testsigma" /></figure>



<p></p>



<p>Testsigma makes your test automation 10x faster and accelerates the time-to-market by 8x faster. It supports built-in <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/test-case-review/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">test case review</a> management. That is, you can create test cases and assign them to your QA manager or test lead for peer review.&nbsp;</p>



<p>It easily integrates with product management, bug-tracking, collaboration, and CI/CD tools like Jira, Bamboo, CircleCI, Jenkins, etc, in just a click. You can integrate <a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">automated testing</a> in the CI/CD and DevOps pipeline for continuous testing.</p>



<p>Testsigma supports 3000+ real devices/tablets and 1000+OS/browser combos, so you can easily test your applications on the cloud without having to do it manually. It makes your cross-browser testing, portability, and compatibility testing so efficient with the use of a real device cloud.</p>



<h3 id="h-testrail"><span id="TestRail"><strong>TestRail</strong></span></h3>



<p>TestRail is a web-based test case management tool that provides a trial duration of one month. This test management software can be used for any website and desktop-based applications.</p>



<p>This test management software has one of the most easy-to-use and manageable test suite features. TestRail also helps keep track of testing history, making it easy to monitor the number of failed and successful tests. </p>



<p>Numerous helpful features such as these are why many QA engineers favor TestRail.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" width="1897" height="922" src="https://testsigma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Screenshot-2022-07-08-112709.png" alt="TestRail - Practitest alternatives" class="wp-image-19764" /></figure>



<div style="height:20px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>



<h3 id="h-testlink"><span id="TestLink"><strong>TestLink</strong></span></h3>



<p>TestLink provides you with test management facilities in the form of a website with simple test steps. This Practitest alternative is effortless to set up and is often used to review test cases and generate reports.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://testsigma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/1-1.jpg" alt="testlink dashboard" class="wp-image-19762" width="-115" height="-69" /></figure></div>



<div style="height:20px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>



<p>It also has several features such as the ability to cover multiple test runs for numerous projects simultaneously. The best thing about TestLink is that it is free and can be integrated with many tools, including JIRA, Bugzilla, etc.</p>



<p></p>



<h3 id="h-zephyr"><span id="Zephyr"><strong>Zephyr</strong></span></h3>



<p></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" width="1896" height="930" src="https://testsigma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/zwp.png" alt="Zephyr - Practitest alternatives" class="wp-image-19759" /></figure>



<div style="height:20px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>



<p>It allows you to access its features and fields easily. This test-management tool can easily trace any particular story mapped to other tests.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The progress of any ongoing testing can be seen by using Zephyr. This feature provides scope for a team to keep track of all aspects of testing. For such reasons, Zephyr has received much positive feedback from users.</p>



<p></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" width="2646" height="1374" src="https://testsigma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/image-4.png" alt="Testsigma - Zephyr" class="wp-image-19772" /></figure>



<div style="height:19px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>



<p>Zephyr is a cloud-based test creation and management system. It is a plug-in for JIRA. Like PractiTest, this alternative also has a 14-day trial duration; but costs <strong>$10</strong>/month, which makes it a more cost-effective solution than Practitest.&nbsp;They also have 3 different hosting options to pick what&#8217;s best for you.</p>



<p></p>



<h3 id="h-spiratest"><span id="SpiraTest"><strong>SpiraTest</strong></span></h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" width="2640" height="1422" src="https://testsigma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/image-2.png" alt="Bug management in spiratest" class="wp-image-19749" /></figure>



<div style="height:20px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>



<p>SpiraTest is a test case management tool with a trial duration of 30 days. This alternative to PractiTest is better in several aspects, such as its management interface, data, and many other features like Test Management, Bug Tracking, and Requirements Management. Many recommend using SpiraTest to avoid failures in managing the priorities for your team&#8217;s testing, traceability, etc.</p>



<p>Depending on the number of users the price can be changed. Here is a quick overview of SpiraTest pricing.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://testsigma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/image-3.png" alt="pricing of SpiraTest" /></figure>



<h2 id="which-is-the-best-practitest-alternative"><span id="Which_is_the_Best_PractiTest_Alternative"><strong>Which is the Best PractiTest Alternative?</strong></span></h2>



<p>The best alternative to PractiTest is the one that suits your testing needs, budget, business requirements, and such. There are several <a href="https://testsigma.com/test-management-tools" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">test management tools</a> in the market that provide excellent test case management solutions and support test automation as well. Below, we will list the top PractiTest alternatives so you can easily find the best one that suits your needs.</p>



<h2 id="h-conclusion"><span id="Conclusion"><strong>Conclusion</strong></span></h2>



<p>This article has listed some of the best alternatives to PractiTest. By considering your essential integration, test environments, manual and automated test management requirements, and budget, choose the one best suited to your needs.</p>



<h2 id="frequently-asked-questions"><span id="Frequently_Asked_Questions"><strong>Frequently Asked Questions</strong></span></h2>



<h3 id="why-choose-practitest"><span id="Why_Choose_PractiTest"><strong>Why Choose PractiTest?</strong></span></h3>



<p>You can choose PractiTest for the various features it provides its users, including,</p>



<ul><li>Provide end-to-end test management solution</li><li>Supports AI-powered features</li><li>Supports integration with Jira, CI/CD, and <a href="https://testsigma.com/qa-automation-tools" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">test automation tools</a></li><li>Customizable dashboards</li><li>Detailed Reporting</li></ul>


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<p>When it comes to automation testing, Worksoft Certify has impressed thousands of users. However, this automation platform has also been chided for its inability to work properly with web-based applications and for not being open-source.</p>



<p>If Worksoft doesn’t work for your business, it&#8217;s time to start looking for a smart and efficient alternative. In this post, we list some of the best Worksoft alternatives.</p>



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets"><p class="toc_title">Table Of Contents</p><ul class="toc_list"><ul><li><a href="#Worksoft_Certify_Why_is_this_Automated_Testing_Platform_so_popular"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">0.1</span> Worksoft Certify: Why is this Automated Testing Platform so popular</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#5_Best_Worksoft_Alternatives"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">1</span> 5 Best Worksoft Alternatives </a><ul><li><a href="#1_Testsigma"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">1.1</span> 1. Testsigma</a></li><li><a href="#2_Tricentis_Tosca"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">1.2</span> 2. Tricentis Tosca</a><ul><li><a href="#Worksoft_Vs_Tricentis_Tosca_8211_Which_One_Shows_Better_Regression_Testing"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_3">1.2.1</span> Worksoft Vs. Tricentis Tosca &#8211; Which One Shows Better Regression Testing?</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#3_Katalon_Studio"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">1.3</span> 3. Katalon Studio</a><ul><li><a href="#Worksoft_Vs_Katalon_Studio_8211_How_Are_They_Different"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_3">1.3.1</span> Worksoft Vs. Katalon Studio &#8211; How Are They Different?</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#4_LambdaTest"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">1.4</span> 4. LambdaTest</a><ul><li><a href="#Worksoft_Vs_LambdaTest_differences"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_3">1.4.1</span> Worksoft Vs. LambdaTest: differences</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#5_Micro_Focus"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">1.5</span> 5. Micro Focus</a><ul><li><a href="#Worksoft_Certify_Vs_Micro_Focus_8211_Which_Is_a_Better_Option_for_Performance_Testing"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_3">1.5.1</span> Worksoft Certify Vs. Micro Focus &#8211; Which Is a Better Option for Performance Testing?</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Final_Words"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_2">1.6</span> Final Words</a></li></ul></li></ul></div>
<h3 id="h-worksoft-certify-why-is-this-automated-testing-platform-so-popular"><span id="Worksoft_Certify_Why_is_this_Automated_Testing_Platform_so_popular"><strong>Worksoft Certify: Why is this Automated Testing Platform so popular</strong></span></h3>



<p>From automation testing for packaged software to enterprise applications, Worksoft Certify has shown a lot of growth over the past few years. Apart from running web automation tests, this tool has shown remarkable success in functional testing, regression testing, and performance testing.</p>



<p>It also has the ability to automate web applications without seeking assistance from any intermediary tool. You can also improve your business process outcomes and develop operational efficiencies with the help of this tool. It comes with cross-browser support and has the capability to work with different platforms like Java, Web, Desktop, etc.</p>



<p>One of the main reasons why users prefer this tool is because of its seamless SAP automation testing. This is the best tool for the SAP platform, which is why it has gained so much fame among software developers. The initial setup is pretty easy, and the online customer support system is very cooperative.</p>



<p>With so many benefits, this tool could have been the best tool for web apps if it did not have some major drawbacks.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This test automation tool cannot customize the test data results and does not bear a powerful OCR framework for managing automated tests. There is also minimum flexibility in test management due to no involvement in coding.</p>



<p>One of the biggest disadvantages of Worksoft is that it is not an open-source tool. So, this tool tends to have slower automated testing, pricier license, and limited options when working with web-based apps.</p>



<p>Although Worksoft Certify has an effective role in test automation, regression testing, and performance testing, its limitations are still difficult to get past. This is why you need some excellent Worksoft Certify alternatives to manage your projects and apps.</p>



<h2 id="h-5-best-worksoft-alternatives"><span id="5_Best_Worksoft_Alternatives"><strong>5 Best Worksoft Alternatives</strong> </span></h2>



<p>Finding an automated testing platform can be a challenging task, especially when there are so many to choose from. Have a look at our top alternatives for Worksoft Certify-</p>



<h3 id="1-testsigma"><span id="1_Testsigma">1. <strong><a href="https://testsigma.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Testsigma</a></strong></span></h3>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignleft"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/oZaz9IIyOKWOJszaFGeo0Dd3wduKm7eT5jeOJDgPy4TzcmmQWcr1COaS_fpmFD3oDWiS-VSz1MYGQ0Fg2zZ46qNYaa9qSr8YzhBZ17D8riyCln8to7D5B3oajDd1xnq6tCP5THsFSHr-lHKe5Q" alt="Testsigma" /></figure></div>



<p>When it comes to automation tests, <a href="https://testsigma.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Testsigma </a>can do just about everything. From functional testing to <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/how-to-measure-when-testing-is-enough/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data driven</a> testing, to parallelization, cross-browser testing, multi-device end-to-end testing and visual testing, there&#8217;s nothing you can&#8217;t achieve with Testsigma.</p>



<p>This test automation tool has been developed to fully support mobile testing, web testing, and API testing. Beginners with minimum HTML knowledge can easily work with this tool, as it doesn&#8217;t require a lot of coding expertise.</p>



<p>Testsigma works without any coded setup, so a wide range of users, from testers to engineers, can use it freely. Testsigma is also one of the few leading <a href="https://github.com/testsigmahq/testsigma" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>open source </strong>alternatives to Worksoft</a>. This free version is not possible with Worksoft. With Testsigma, the ease of use and flexibility has opened doors to QA engineers, software development engineers in test (SDET) as well as QA analysts and manual testers. It allows you to write or generate automated tests for web, mobile apps, and APIs in plain English, which makes them easy to create, edit, and maintain.</p>



<p>You can enjoy the live support and 24/7 online support from the customer service team of Testsigma. Among the highlights are its complete test management platform, making it a Salesforce for test automation, and its built-in integration with a wide range of CICD tools like Codeship, CircleCI, GitHub, LT Browser and more for the most cohesively automated pipeline.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 id="2-tricentis-tosca"><span id="2_Tricentis_Tosca">2. <strong>Tricentis Tosca</strong></span></h3>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignleft"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Jhqwc5P1mTOdXN-9_yOjnV7HUXoXSmO5cVd-A9aF9Cf_W-uyDRVMD8AaBhvPc2NRz9q0BZxJr5ldx6QBEIphWZa6MtLEXaDwvP8CsJLwCGykOtybNzfPshQbcrFFZM7X0SNbGuRdR14JOCAwQg" alt="Tricentis Tosca" /></figure></div>



<p>One of the best alternatives that you can consider for Worksoft Certify is the Tricentis Tosca solution. The reason why this one is so popular in the market is because of its ability to provide a codeless and user-friendly experience.&nbsp;</p>



<p>If you&#8217;re in need of a testing platform for UI-based scenarios for your applications, Tricentis Tosca should be a good choice. Not only does it perform a better job at real device testing, but it also has decent reporting and analytics.</p>



<h4 id="h-worksoft-vs-tricentis-tosca-which-one-shows-better-regression-testing"><span id="Worksoft_Vs_Tricentis_Tosca_8211_Which_One_Shows_Better_Regression_Testing"><strong>Worksoft Vs. Tricentis Tosca &#8211; Which One Shows Better Regression Testing?</strong></span></h4>



<p>Tricentis Tosca is definitely a better cloud solution for regression testing compared to Worksoft. Worksoft shows limitations to functional test automation, which is not the case with Tricentis.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Tricentis covers a lot of testing options starting from software testing, mobile testing, application development, and so on.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Tricentis Tosca has pricing flexibility, smooth end to end testing and ability to integrate with NeoLoad, DATPROF, HexaWise, and so on. This is one of the better tools for security testing and cross-browser testing.</p>



<p>If you&#8217;re an amateur at test execution and you want something that will not require coding knowledge, Tricentis Tosca is right up your alley.</p>



<h3 id="3-katalon-studio"><span id="3_Katalon_Studio">3. <strong>Katalon Studio</strong></span></h3>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignleft"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/xS-13Wd_TE7uijt7-OQuesgL0Ooj21QRiZpaUjKe8IA8xVEQPLzB-kcmlnQpdJz-ko18bPkaFB6kPAp3Z08Elx4AF1LscjUWDuz83r_EEmVGdGUoFAp5tJmq1_sEHwJAqfD7yZ6fJlKLwXhu7w" alt="Katalon Studio" /></figure></div>



<p>This is an evergreen test automation tool designed to provide the fastest and most efficient service to software testers, development teams, and business enterprises.</p>



<p>It comes with built-in project templates to make the automation quick and easy. You can also find ready-made test case libraries and object cache to start your test automation as fast as possible.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Katalon Studio makes the execution of tests simpler and easier, generates automated tests in a wide range of browsers, and performs API testing effortlessly.</p>



<h4 id="worksoft-vs-katalon-studio-how-are-they-different"><span id="Worksoft_Vs_Katalon_Studio_8211_How_Are_They_Different"><strong>Worksoft Vs. Katalon Studio &#8211; How Are They Different?</strong></span></h4>



<p>When it comes to a flawless end to end testing, Katalon Studio does a better job than Worksoft. Katalon Studio supports both Windows and Mac. Its free version is an amazing opportunity for beginners to easily learn and achieve test automation skills. This test tool also does a great job with functional, mobile, automated, and API testing, which is not possible with Worksoft. Worksoft also lags behind in parameterized testing and supporting parallel execution, both of which are perfectly supported by Katalon Studio. One feature that we admired about this test tool is it has a user-friendly approach and targets testers and developers of all kinds of fields. From beginners to experts, everyone can have an amazing experience with this tool. The recording utility ensures maximum reusability by securing all the UI attributes. If you&#8217;re looking for a nice, well rounded test automation tool, Katalon Studio is going to do wonders for you.</p>



<h3 id="4-lambdatest"><span id="4_LambdaTest">4. <strong>LambdaTest</strong></span></h3>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignleft"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/6DP95A202m3U-P6r2TeuSxxgUvt3jqHN2Bg3-ejKHV-nGdbDmVPrKhIRhj4jv5dZYannFK5tdOsl390eo8FkDU7gqInYYcpDj90npvQNZVyqZdPINczlwqIPCTdfBkYfzRHQPrnQhx4sC2ZAFQ" alt="LambdaTest" /></figure></div>



<p>LambdaTest has been one of the most popular functional testing cloud solutions for a long time. Its ability to manage and supervise scalable automated tests has always fascinated software testers and developers.</p>



<p>This tool helps to obtain maximum browser coverage by running tests over multiple browsers, real mobile devices, and mobile applications. It also comes with a safe and secure Selenium Grid that helps run Selenium tests in a short duration of time.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Besides, the addition of the Cypress CLI in this tool assists in broadening the Cypress test coverage to a wide range of browsers across different platforms.</p>



<p>LambdaTest also has a big role in conducting seamless manual testing, functional mobile testing, and visual UI tests.</p>



<h4 id="worksoft-vs-lambdatest-differences"><span id="Worksoft_Vs_LambdaTest_differences"><strong>Worksoft Vs. LambdaTest: differences</strong></span></h4>



<p>When it comes to automated testing, LambdaTest is one step ahead of Worksoft. Its capability to support Windows, Mac and SAAS makes this software better than many other tools in the market.</p>



<p>LambdaTest targets a much bigger audience of developers of web and mobile applications, SAAS business companies, software companies, and QA analysts. But with Worksoft, the audience is limited to only software testers and developers.</p>



<p>The 24/7 live support feature of LambdaTest is a blessing to many testers and engineers, which is not possible with Worksoft. To make things easier, LambdaTest also comes with a free trial and free version features. Worksoft does not provide such a feature.</p>



<p>The performance and test automation capacities of LambdaTest, with its functional software testing, parallel execution, requirement-based testing, and reporting features are great.</p>



<p>Another notable feature of this tool is its integrations with a large number of web-based services like Jira Software and Work Management, Backlog, BitBucket, and GitHub. We also liked the incorporation of Selenium Grid and Cypress CLI to ensure better browser coverage for operating devices and systems.</p>



<p>If your biggest concerns are smooth automated testing, running seamless manual tests, and controlling the pace of test cases, LambdaTest will not disappoint you.</p>



<h3 id="5-micro-focus"><span id="5_Micro_Focus">5. <strong>Micro Focus</strong></span></h3>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignleft"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/hGriZukEaaV09hUCPhv-PTG1XDBkPkfzhJnIgsnaQ87Gici6SjSRXBEf21VaHUwP3-BFcRhBXoUG94uU24CQsaIVFNNdymi1VjcII4aR2v6CV4qZJrbEABE4eQnlVCue8yCTJtuINK6secn94A" alt="Micro focus" /></figure></div>



<p>If you&#8217;ve been in the software testing industry for quite some time, you must have heard of the automation platform Micro Focus UFT One.</p>



<p>This automation tool covers test automation for web applications, mobile applications, mainframe applications, and desktop-based applications. It works at a faster pace than most testing tools and does a satisfactory job at performance testing. The free version of this tool is very convenient for occasional testers and software developers.</p>



<h4 id="h-worksoft-certify-vs-micro-focus-which-is-a-better-option-for-performance-testing"><span id="Worksoft_Certify_Vs_Micro_Focus_8211_Which_Is_a_Better_Option_for_Performance_Testing"><strong>Worksoft Certify Vs. Micro Focus &#8211; Which Is a Better Option for Performance Testing?</strong></span></h4>



<p>When it comes to conducting smooth performance tests, Micro Focus is definitely a better automation platform compared to Worksoft.</p>



<p>Its ability to carry out API testing is phenomenal. Worksoft only deals with automated and functional testing, so its testing options are quite limited. However, with Micro Focus, you can try out a lot of testing options, including regression, software, and interface testing.</p>



<p>Micro Focus shows an impressive end to end test automation performance in comparison to different tools. From AI testing to integration with different test assets, Micro Focus provided an accelerated testing service.</p>



<h3 id="h-final-words"><span id="Final_Words"><strong>Final Words</strong></span></h3>



<p>We hope our list of the top Worksoft Certify alternatives can help you in choosing an automation tool that can work with test execution and improve mobile application and web browser performance.</p>



<p>We recommend choosing Testsigma as Worksoft alternative because of their intelligent end to end test automation abilities, scalable pricing, and <a href="https://testsigma.com/integrations" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">integrations</a>.</p>


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<p>Working in software development as a tester, it can be difficult to find time to improve the testing process when you are the bottleneck to release with lots of tickets, stories or features to test. I am currently a QA Lead at <a href="https://cerahq.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Cera Care</a>, one of the fastest growing healthcare startups in Europe. Working in this fast moving environment is very challenging for my team, where features are prioritised over anything else and teams have up to 6 developers to 1 QA engineer. </p>



<p>As you can imagine this does not allow much time for activities outside of feature testing. <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/testing-vs-quality-assurance-vs-quality-control-whats-the-difference/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Quality</a> is compromised as the feature will be described as a minimal viable product (MVP). Improvements are added to the backlog to be implemented after the initial pilots or user feedback. </p>



<p><p style="padding-bottom: 30px">Before being able to tackle the quality technical debt another priority comes along meaning there is no time to revisit the feature. What has this got to do with being an active tester you might ask? Well, that’s where the testing role within my team has changed to more of an advisor and involves collaborating closely with developers, product, user experience (UX) and data.</p></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/dI1RSiHdiHE94aLrHdLqNb1rn8ZBI_OFRwjrBFsRif39IG66YpL-gK413gqrMK512G4tQQHeHyZjVlieNb1eSgRIpg3jEKi0ect1jWj_lgGyBsX9Nb7zvOzdjuXFDZJyHJn3WtfoBRlBVShefA" alt="Testsigma - How To Be An Active Tester" width="600" height="400" /></figure>



<p><p style="padding-bottom: 20px">Tester stereotype by<a href="https://unsplash.com/@markusspiske?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow"> Markus Spiske</a></p></p>



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets"><p class="toc_title">Table Of Contents</p><ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#How_to_break_down_the_traditional_testers_stereotype"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">1</span> How to break down the traditional testers stereotype</a></li><li><a href="#Being_proactive_instead_of_reactive_in_testing"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">2</span> Being proactive instead of reactive in testing</a></li><li><a href="#Getting_involved_in_development_discussions"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">3</span> Getting involved in development discussions</a></li><li><a href="#Working_with_data_to_understand_user_funnels"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">4</span> Working with data to understand user funnels</a></li><li><a href="#Tester_participation_is_often_a_2_way_process"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">5</span> Tester participation is often a 2 way process</a></li><li><a href="#Testers_everywhere"><span class="toc_number toc_depth_1">6</span> Testers everywhere</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="how-to-break-down-the-traditional-testers-stereotype"><span id="How_to_break_down_the_traditional_testers_stereotype">How to break down the traditional testers stereotype</span></h2>



<p>Only a short while ago, I had a conversation with a startup founder who I explained the difference between checking and testing in relation to the value a tester can provide to the development process. With a strong product knowledge and an inquisitive mindset to explore the inner workings of a system. </p>



<p>The tester can get involved in conversations at the beginning of the development process. In my current organisation that starts with user research to discover what the current challenges are that the user is facing. At this stage the tester can sit in on the user research sessions or read the results that are published on <a href="https://dovetail.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dove</a><a href="https://dovetail.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">t</a><a href="https://dovetail.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ail</a>. </p>



<p>This insight is invaluable for the testers to understand how the user would interact with the feature once it has been developed. They can form realistic scenarios when they come to explore the system and run their <a href="https://www.developsense.com/blog/2009/04/of-testing-tours-and-dashboards/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">testing tours</a>.</p>



<h2 id="being-proactive-instead-of-reactive-in-testing"><span id="Being_proactive_instead_of_reactive_in_testing">Being proactive instead of reactive in testing</span></h2>



<p>Building on the participation of the tester in the user experience research phase. Sometimes you need help from other people and teams to enable your productivity. Such as investigating ways to make parts of the system easier to test with developers. Or finding data to improve your test data set with the data analysts. </p>



<p>This can be a frustrating process of waiting for others&#8217; time and delaying hands-on testing activities. This is where testers, by becoming an advisor, advocate or coach (however you want to describe it) can be very valuable. </p>



<p>Collaborating with the product team to make user stories clearer and easier to implement. Refining those acceptance criteria and improving the definition of done for development to include testing, monitoring and release documentation. This frees up testers time to concentrate on activities which refine the testing focus, increase the quality of the test data or open up almost impossible areas to test. </p>



<p>Read here more on <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/active-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Active Testing</a></p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/QzLyZj5iRtUz5t2f0FzVXUlts-zI8BjQPBYnWbF0JZYep0BSgmE67_0RWV_b9d3_RhfzLFH8sVQLAfWNXu8JpYoVlY4O0DUqC0ociPv6Ls4aJctPmswaoDPJv72trMbL_TlgmHcpGPJu_622xg" alt="Testsigma - Being proactive instead of reactive in testing" width="600" height="400" /><figcaption>Developer and tester collaboration by<a href="https://unsplash.com/@charlesdeluvio?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow"> charlesdeluvio</a></figcaption></figure></div>



<h2 id="getting-involved-in-development-discussions"><span id="Getting_involved_in_development_discussions">Getting involved in development discussions</span></h2>



<p>Whether you consider yourself a technical or non-technical person (what the word technical means in terms of testing is another blog article). You can always get involved in developer discussions such as “technical refinements” (also called whiteboarding sessions). </p>



<p>Raising questions around testability and consistency across API specifications for example is really important to improve the quality of the application. Also at the code review stage of development, a tester can ask the developer to walk them through the feature and the tests they’ve implemented. Identify edge cases and discover any cases which aren’t covered by the automated checks. Understanding the test coverage and where to focus your testing can help identify issues quicker.</p>



<h2 id="working-with-data-to-understand-user-funnels"><span id="Working_with_data_to_understand_user_funnels">Working with data to understand user funnels</span></h2>



<p>One of the most powerful collaborations a tester can make in my opinion is working with the data team. Whether that be looking at user funnels or considering data requirements in the development process. Analysing data in customer data tools like <a href="https://segment.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">segment</a> can help you identify the most important parts of the system for your users. Also the aim of analysing production data is to validate test scenarios and possibly identify new scenarios. </p>



<p>Walking through the user funnels with data analysts can help understand what the data is saying. Statistics was never my strong point, despite studying it at A Level (UK college exams) and taking statistics modules at university in my psychology degree (You can read more about my journey on my <a href="https://www.pactman.co.uk/api-contract-testing-blog" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">blog</a>). The data team also provides the bridge between the business and application data. For example in my organisation, reports provided by the data team are crucial for finance to pay employees on time.</p>



<p style="padding-bottom: 30px"> In this example, the data engineers extract and transform the data from the application databases. Meaning the data platform has no direct dependencies on the application itself, only the data in the database. This can lead to data issues downstream without any breaking changes within the application. See the diagram below to explain the complexities of what I described.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://testsigma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Data-dependencies-from-web-application.png" alt="Testsigma - Working with data to understand user funnels" class="wp-image-19599" width="600" height="400" /><figcaption>Data dependencies from web application</figcaption></figure></div>



<h2 id="tester-participation-is-often-a-2-way-process"><span id="Tester_participation_is_often_a_2_way_process">Tester participation is often a 2 way process</span></h2>



<p>Tester participation is a two way communication. With all the teams involved that I described above it can feel like as a tester you are the one always asking for people to help you out. However, it&#8217;s very much a two way street, later down the line everyone will appreciate your pestering and constant asking of questions. Working closely with these teams you can develop an understanding for each representative&#8217;s specific interests in the application, enabling you to understand and speak their language. </p>



<p>Putting in the effort to build these relationships and understand the team&#8217;s challenges will influence the quality of the product. Though it may seem very one sided. There are many situations where the tester will be called upon as well such as reproducing live issues from product owners, developers asking testers to create some test data, UX clarifying whether the designs are still up-to-date or data analysts requesting a dump of pre-production environment to run through their data pipeline.</p>



<h2 id="testers-everywhere"><span id="Testers_everywhere">Testers everywhere</span></h2>



<p>To wrap things up, testers pop up everywhere within the software development lifecycle (SDLC). Being curious is a key asset of the tester within the engineering function. Asking questions is another core skill to encourage conversations and discover unknown information. By participating in all the activities described here, a tester can discover interesting insights previously never discovered. </p>



<p>By collaborating with people across the engineering function, a tester can improve their communication with technical and non-technical people. Proactively exploring information from multiple sources helps to paint a clearer picture of the whole software development process and beyond.</p>



<p><button class="btn bg-primary cta-btn" style="margin: auto"><a style="color:#fff" href="https://github.com/testsigmahq/testsigma" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Collaborate better on your test automation tasks with Testsigma, try it here.</a></button></p><br>



<p><strong>Related reads:</strong></p>



<p><a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/how-to-be-an-efficient-and-productive-software-tester/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">How to be an efficient and productive software tester?</a></p>



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<p class="has-small-font-size"><br><p class="has-small-font-size">PC: <a href="https://www.freepik.com/vectors/developer" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Developer vector created by storyset &#8211; www.freepik.com</a></p></p>


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