The Tester’s Mindset: Thinking Beyond the Code

Software testing is more than creating tests, reporting bugs, or ensuring that a piece of software meets the specified requirements. It starts with a different mindset — a way of thinking about software in order to anticipate risks, overcome biases, think critically, and dive deeper into the complexities of a software application. 

This mindset brings a tester’s focus from technical complexity to overall quality and user satisfaction.

I have worked with inspiring testers from all over the world. 

In this article, we will discuss the key aspects of a tester’s mindset; we will explore the way expert testers think, the reason behind their practices, and the principles they incorporate to ensure that the software is robust, reliable, and ready for the real world.

Risk Investigators

One of the fundamental traits of a good tester is the ability to investigate risks. Testers are Risk Investigators. 

We believe in the possibility of risks. 

Risk is the primary motivation for testing. If there is no risk, there is no need for any kind of testing. Whenever the testers interact with any feature, they ask questions to find potential risks:

• “What could go wrong?”
• “What specifically may not work?”
• “In what way it might not work?”
• “Is that sort of failure likely?”

This mentality helps testers with test design as well as the sampling tests for execution. While designing tests, the tester asks questions such as:

• “Why does this test exist?”
• “Is there an alternative test that covers the product?”
• “What value does the test bring?”
• “Can this test be clubbed with an existing test?”

Whether a new feature is introduced or there is a subtle change in an existing one, the tester looks for potential risks. They’re realists, as they understand that software development involves various choices and each choice comes with its fair share of risk and potential pitfalls.

Bias Breakers

Humans are biased. 

But, biases aren’t always bad.  

The problem begins when we pretend that biases don’t exist. Whether it’s confirmation bias, where we see only what we expect to see, or positivity bias, where we’re over-motivated by the success stories and fancy claims. 

All these mental biases affect our judgment and perception of reality. 

Testers, conscious of such biases, actively engage in conscious debiasing and act as bias breakers.

If you are new to the concept of biases, the cognitive bias codex showcases a list of 188 different biases that people face in day-to-day life. 

The tech industry is deeply affected by such biases.

To break free from biases, testers use strategies like:

• Pair Testing: Two testers work together, questioning each other’s assumptions, and bringing different perspectives to the table.
• De Bono Thinking Hats: Good testers actively engage with developers, product owners, business analysts, or even fresh testers to gain diverse perspectives and opinions. While a developer may find no flaw in a feature, a tester might see potential edge cases where it could break. 

This activity increases a tester’s awareness giving him a 360-degree perspective.

• Second Order Thinking: This involves moving beyond the immediate problem and considering multiple layers of implications and consequences of a given decision.

Biases can make testing socially challenging. 

While everyone else on the team would be cheering for a quick release, the tester would have to work against the biases to explore, experiment, and evaluate any open risks and critical areas. 

It’s like fighting an uphill battle. Having an awareness of biases and the strategies to work around them is what sets a good tester apart.

Critical Thinkers

A critical skill that defines a tester, critical thinking. 

Critical thinking is all about analyzing your thought process and asking probing questions. It’s like a shortcut formula for testing. I use this three-question formula that I learned from James Bach to think critically:

• Huh? – Does this make sense?
• Really?? – Is this true?
• So?? – Okay, Maybe it’s true! But, what does this mean in the context of this product?

For example, during a requirement review, a good tester often challenges vague or ambiguous requirements, asking questions like, “What if the user does something unexpected here?” 

or 

during product demos, a tester might question the assumptions behind the design, think about potential failure points, and reconsider the idea that the design even makes sense.

Testers are always on the lookout for uncovered pathways—those unconventional areas where bugs are probably hidden. 

They think about failure possibilities, not just the happy paths that a user might take, but the edge cases, the “what if?” scenarios that could lead to unexpected results

Activity Focused Over Artifact Focused

Testing is not limited to the end product, but all the activities involved in getting there. In the words of the famous testing expert, Michael Bolton:

While the artifacts can be useful to some degree, the key point of the exercise is the exercise: developing the tester’s mind and mental models. The map is not the territory, and it’s the mapping, not the map, that’s the important bit.

Good testers know that the whole point of testing is a journey, an ongoing process of investigation, exploration, and experimentation. They focus on 

• Testing Sessions: Engaging in hands-on testing activities where testers interact with the software to uncover issues.
• Investigation: Digging deeper into areas of the software that seem problematic, unclear, risky, uncovered, etc.
• Exploration: Navigating through the software in an unscripted manner, seeking out unknowns, recording observations, making notes, etc.
• Scripting Good Ideas: Writing tests that cover specific scenarios but being aware that the scripts are only as good as the thought process behind them.

By being activity-focused, good testers know that artifacts such as bug reports, test reports, and test scripts are just the by-products of essential testing activities. Artifacts are important, but they should never be the top focus of good testers. 

The best testers care more about activities carried out, the insight gained during the journey, the understanding of the product, and the potential issues identified along the way.

Problem Finders

Testers look for problems. They believe in the Veblen’s Principle, i.e.,

There’s no change, no matter how awful, that won’t benefit some people, and no change, no matter how good, that won’t hurt some.

As responsible testers, this means asking questions such as: 

• What problems could this change create?
• How might customers get unhappy?
• How might we lose business?
• What could go wrong beyond the acceptance criteria?

Testers don’t just analyze the happy path—they’re concerned with what lies beyond it. They understand that problems can arise in unexpected areas. 

Testers actively seek out potential pitfalls before these become real issues.

Other Key Traits: Tester’s Mindset

Apart from core mindsets, these are some qualities that a good tester has:

• Honesty: Testers must be honest about the state of the software, even if the truth is difficult to hear. We are hired to present the true state of things.
• Patience: Testing can be a repetitive process, and patience is key to uncovering deeper issues. You will never get good results unless you develop patience in your testing approach.
• Showcasing Your Work: Testers need to effectively communicate their findings, status, risks, issues, etc. in a language that even non-technical stakeholders can understand. 

Projecting testing work is difficult as a lot of it comes from tacit knowledge. Your ability to showcase work will set you apart.

• Persuasion and Storytelling: A tester must be able to tell the story of a bug, persuading stakeholders of its importance and the potential impact it could have if left unaddressed.

The mindset of a tester is one of curiosity and skepticism. At the same time, it also needs a constant focus on quality. It involves thinking critically, challenging assumptions, and being vigilant for risks and potential issues. 

So, the next time you think about a software testing role, remember it’s not just an ordinary tech role — it has a lot to do with the correct mindset, one that requires a blend of skills, traits, and an unwavering commitment to excellence.