Software Testers – Do nosotros (As)sure Quality?

I am a Software Tester. But do/can I assure quality of the s/w that I test? For that matter, is it practically possible for a tester to assure character of a product? Before going into much detail, I would similar to quote to a greater extent than or less widely accepted definitions of Testing, Quality in addition to Quality Assurance for the improve agreement of these terms:

“Testing is questioning a Product inward social club to evaluate it” –
James Bach

“Software Testing is a physical care for of empirical, technical investigation of the production nether examination conducted to render stakeholders amongst quality-related information.” –
Dr. Cem Kaner

"Quality is value to to a greater extent than or less person". –
Gerald M. Weinberg

“Quality assurance (QA) is the activity of providing evidence needed to found confidence amidst all concerned, that quality-related activities are beingness performed effectively. All those planned or systematic actions necessary to render adequate confidence that a production or service volition satisfy given requirements for quality. Quality Assurance is a work in addition to consistent twosome of character management proving fact-based external confidence to customers in addition to other stakeholders that a production meets needs, expectations, in addition to other requirements. QA assures the existence in addition to effectiveness of procedures that possess to brand certain - inward advance - that the expected levels of character volition endure reached.” – Wikipedia

I possess got seen testers/testing groups claiming to endure the character guardian of the project. They seek to show/prove that testers are the only bunch of people who genuinely aid for quality. Even they bring pride inward claiming themselves equally work of the Quality Assurance squad in addition to inquire for the powerfulness to block a unloosen if the production character is low! Actually nosotros should non blame the testers hither for this misconception. There are organizations that categorize testers into teams similar Quality Assurance groups, Quality Controller groups blah blah blah…

But honestly speaking, I tend to instruct confused yesteryear this categorization. I don’t intend that a tester has the ability, powerfulness or command to assure the character of a product. Here are to a greater extent than or less questions for those testers who believe they are assuring character of the production that they are testing:

a) Can you lot (the tester) stair out character of the product? If yes, how? [Please don’t demo me those so-called character metrics equally proof; I don’t believe much inward them equally they tin endure easily faked!]
b) How tin you lot justify that the production character is likewise depression in addition to thus its unloosen should endure blocked? How produce you lot stair out the character equally “too low”, “medium” or fifty-fifty “high”? When someone says the character of the production equally “too low”, tin you lot intend of a context when the character could possess got been “still lower”? When you lot order the character is “good”, tin you lot intend of a scenario when it could possess got been “better”?
c) As a tester, produce you lot possess got the authorisation to render necessary grooming to the projection squad in addition to so equally to assure a character product?
d) Have you lot seen a tester amongst “hire in addition to fire” authority?
e) Do you lot possess got the authorisation to bring a determination on whether to cook a põrnikas or not?
f) Do you lot possess got the authorisation to instruct to a greater extent than testers in addition to to a greater extent than fourth dimension for testing, for the examination project, equally in addition to when required?
g) Are you lot laid to assume responsibleness inward illustration the production fails? [In cases, where the testers claim to assure the character of the production in addition to had blocked the unloosen of the production due to it’s “low quality”! What if the production fails inward its subsequent release?]

Hence, I don’t intend that a tester tin assure character of a product. I believe inward medico Cem Kaner’s saying:

“Whatever QA is, it's non testing.”

As testers nosotros perform technical investigation of a product, to get together quality-related information. Our duty is to written report a problem. We serve equally technical advisors for the management. Testers get together useful information, which mightiness assistance the management inward taking an of import project-related decision. But nosotros DON’T ensure quality. Quality of the production is something, which is only out of our control. We mightiness show that a production doesn’t work! But tin nosotros show that a production does operate perfectly? H5N1 production mightiness endure working equally per its specifications. But that does non necessarily instruct inward a high character product! Quality is a relative term in addition to is multi dimensional. Think of a video game that is likewise robust in addition to stone company inward its architecture! But if it fails to entertain the user playing it, volition you lot withal telephone band it a high character product? Think over it.

Happy Testing…

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