Week 1 - Introduction to Software Testing 

Overview of software testing

The importance of Quality Assurance and Testing

Roles in testing

Practice

Assignment

Tester Track

Testing and Quality Assurance

Testing and Quality Assurance are closely related, but they are not the same.

Testing

Testing is mainly focused on evaluating the product and identifying problems.

Quality Assurance

Quality Assurance (QA) is broader and more process-oriented. It focuses on preventing defects by improving

how software is built.

Examples of QA activities

• improving development and testing workflows
• introducing review practices
• defining quality standards
• improving acceptance criteria
• improving communication between roles
• applying lessons learned from previous issues

Testing vs QA

• Testing asks: Does this product work correctly?
• QA asks: How can we improve the process so fewer problems happen in the future?

Key takeaway: Testing is mainly product-oriented. QA is process-oriented and focuses on defect

prevention and continuous improvement.

Self-check

• Is testing the same as QA?
• Why is QA considered process-oriented?

The seven principles of testing

The ISTQB defines seven principles that help guide testing practices.

1. Testing shows the presence of defects, not their absence

Testing can reveal defects, but it cannot prove that no defects exist.

2. Exhaustive testing is impossible

It is impossible to test every possible combination of inputs and conditions, so testing must be prioritized.

3. Early testing saves time and money

The earlier a problem is found, the easier and cheaper it is to fix.

4. Defects cluster together

A small number of areas often contain a large number of defects, so those areas need more attention.

5. The pesticide paradox

If the same tests are repeated again and again, they become less effective at finding new defects. Tests should

be reviewed and updated regularly.

6. Testing is context-dependent

Testing approaches depend on the product, domain, users, and risks.

7. Absence-of-errors fallacy

A system with few known defects can still fail if it does not meet user or business needs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goaZTAzsLMk&t=58s

Self-check

• Why is exhaustive testing impossible?
• Why can a product still fail even if very few bugs are found?

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