In a very short time, the role of QA tester has become crucial in the context of software development. As digital transformation ceases to be a set phrase to become a reality, the role of the software tester QA has become one of the most in-demand professional profiles, gaining weight in projects dedicated to software development.

But, what is a QA tester and how can it help companies improve quality and reduce costs and delivery times in software development? Let’s discuss it together.

What is a QA tester?

The term QA tester is used to describe the quality analyst, that is, the professional in charge of Quality Assurance processes. Through the work of the QA tester during the software test phases, it is possible to validate the quality of the final product, anticipating potential problems and eliminating errors.

In other words, the QA tester has the ability, through software testing, to detect and prevent potential problems in terms of usual experience and to determine if the platform is ready for delivery.

What is a QA tester: role functions

• Running all kinds of quality tests on the software: this includes unit tests, integration tests, stress tests or acceptance tests.
• Communication with all the professionals involved, from project managers, to product owners or scrum masters. In this sense, its work consists of interpreting the needs of the end users and communicating them to the developers; later, the QA tester also validates that those needs are covered before delivering the final product.
• Detection of problems and implementation of agile solutions
• QA tester automation, design and execution of test automation. In this regard, the QA tester can expand the spectrum of review tasks that companies can perform. Will trigger error alerts
• Presentation of high-value results and feedback, exposing potential development failures and the best ways to resolve them according to the objectives of each project. 
• The QA tester participates in the conceptualization of a product.

What is a QA tester: knowledge required

The QA tester must have exhaustive and specific knowledge about software development and they must be able to add value to the process for companies with their opinions and work ethic. 

The basic knowledge that the software tester QA must have is:

• Test types, including unit, integration, functional, performance, and security tests, that allow them to design testing strategies.
• Software development methodologies such as Agile, Scrum or Waterfall.
• Testing and automation tools, which will not only make their job easier but also expand their  capabilities.
• Databases, including SQL and other database technologies
• Programming languages such as Python, Java, C# and Ruby, so that they are capable of understanding potential errors at the code level

What is a QA tester: the work tools

There is a whole series of software tools aimed at facilitating the work of the QA tester and optimizing development processes in a company.

These are tools that address some of the most important challenges that the QA tester encounters, including time management or accurate detection of software problems, as well as effective communication with other professionals.

There are at least two types of platforms for QA tester automation. On one hand, there are platforms oriented to the execution of tests as such. Examples of this type of software are Selenium or PlayWright. We call these software tools “test executors”.

On the other hand, QA testers also need platforms that, integrated into the previous ones, complement some of the most complex processes. This is the case of icaria TDM, a platform dedicated to providing test data, together with the definition and validation of the expected result from the data perspective.

In this case, the software is linked to test execution oriented platforms to complete the first and last part of the test or, in other words, the delivery and validation phases.

The value of this type of tool is multiplied in a context in which many development processes face difficulties in finding valuable data and, at the same time, complying with the law and being anonymized. Thus, it facilitates the test data management processes and results in a reduction in waiting times and costs, along with higher quality end products.Do you want to know more about how these types of tools facilitate the work of the QA tester? At icaria Technology we can help you. Get in touch with us and speak directly with our team.