Why Manual Testing is Important?

GOKUL M S | March 10, 2023

What Is Manual Testing

Manual testing is a software testing process in which test cases are executed manually without the help of automated tools. All test cases are run manually by testers from the end user's perspective. Check if the application works as specified in the requirements document. Test cases are planned and implemented to make the software application nearly 100% complete. A test case report is also generated manually. Manual testing is one of the most basic testing processes because it can find both visible and hidden bugs in software. The difference between the expected performance and the software-specified performance is defined as a defect. The developer fixed the bug and handed it over to the testers for testing again.

Why Manual Testing Is Important?

Manual testing is necessary for newly developed software before automated testing. This test requires a lot of effort and time, but it ensures that the software is error-free.

Why Do We Need Manual Testing?

Manual testing is essential because one of the fundamentals of software testing is "it can't be automated 100%". Every time the application came out and became unstable, had bugs or issues, or had problems while being used by end users.

If you don't want this kind of problem to happen, then you have to do a battery of tests to make sure your application is bug-free and stable, and you have to deliver a quality product to customers. The app is simpler for users to utilize.

When test engineers perform manual testing, they can test the application from the end user's perspective and familiarize themselves with the product. This allows you to create good test cases for your application and provide quick feedback on your application.

1. Manually Test Your Tests From a Human Perspective

Human testers can quickly notice when something is "wrong". Automated test scripts do not detect these visual issues. When testers interact with software like users do, they can discover usability problems and glitches in the user's interface. Automated test scripts cannot test these things.

2. Exploratory Testing Can Be Done Only Through Manually

Automated tests only perform the actions you tell them to. Testing is limited to certain limits because it requires planning and preparation to write. These limitations mean there is no room to deviate from the written exam to actually "examine" the application. Exploratory testing (or ad-hoc testing) allows you to answer questions like "What if I do this?" Go your own way without limits when testing.

3. Automated Tests May Contain Errors and Gaps

Just as code can contain bugs, automated test scripts can also contain bugs. This means that automated tests can report false positives and false negatives. By including human intervention throughout the testing process, these errors can be avoided.

4. Some Scenarios Are Technically Not Automatize or Too Costly

For example, consider an iPad app that relies heavily on typing gestures. Automating "tapping" is not only costly but may not be the most accurate test compared to a human finger touching her UI. It often makes more sense to manually test specific functionality. By the time you find the resources to write automated tests, manual tests may have been completed with bugs fixed. Sometimes it makes more sense to go the "manual" route.

5. Manual Testing Helps Understand the Whole Problem

Over time, automated testing can save you time. It's great for broad and quick results, but manual testing helps you understand the problem on a conceptual and emotional level. Connect with your end users and gain a level of empathy that automated testing can't.

Qualified test sites and quality assurance teams are the gateways to product stability. Manual and automated testing have their advantages. It's important to consider both testing approaches when designing your QA strategy. No matter how far automated testing goes, there will always be places for manual testing in software.

When Do We Use Manual Testing?

This type of testing is widely used in Agile methodologies and is based on determining test cases during the quality assurance process. Comparing manual and automated testing, exploratory testing eliminates the need to design test cases and scripts in advance.

Mobile Test

When testing mobile software functionality, it is important to ensure device compatibility with all possible user interactions. This includes, among other things, the application's behavior when interrupted by a call or an unstable Wi-Fi connection. It's also important to test how your mobile application responds to various screen touches and gestures. These use cases require a manual testing service to get quick feedback on app usage.

User Experience (UX) Testing

Also known as usability testing, this type of manual testing aims to measure the usability of an application, its ability to achieve specified goals, and its ease of use for potential customers. There's little point in automating tests when all you need to do is validate a test scenario once and perform a few actions. On the other hand, if a one-off test requires large amounts of data input, it may make sense to automate the test.

Features That Allow Faster Manual Testing

When you need to test small changes, automated testing takes time to code a script and run it in an automated tool. This process may take longer than manually testing the functionality immediately.

Tests Without Clear Pass/Fail Criteria

Migrating your software to a new platform may require interface changes or database rewrites, so you should test your software as soon as possible. Such activities are called "software maintenance" and are aimed at modifying and updating the software to meet the customer's needs.

In such projects, QA teams often don't have enough resources and time to create new documentation and automated test scripts for updated requirements. For this reason, pass and fail criteria may not be clearly defined. In such cases, manual testers can track down issues more quickly and compare test results with previous versions of the software.

Conclusion

A gateway to the stability of your products is provided by certified testing facilities and quality assurance personnel. Both human and automated testing has advantages. It's crucial to take into account both testing methodologies while developing your QA strategy. There will always be a need for manual testing in software, regardless of how much testing is automated. we sanesquare have a team of experienced and skilled testers who can assist you. If you have any doubts please get in touch with us.

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