In the past few years, automated testing has come a long way, so today, there is a discussion that it can completely replace manual tests shortly. Today we want to talk about the role of manual testing in software development to understand how correct this judgment is.
What is testing, and what are the main types?
No matter how good a programming team is, they are not immune to mistakes. When writing code, one inaccurate letter or punctuation mark can lead to severe problems in the work of the finished software. In this regard, the tester acts as an editor that reveals the slightest inaccuracies in the program code, which can show errors and bugs, which means you can fix them in time.
Today there are 2 main types of testing – automatic and manual. Each of them uses different techniques and is used at different stages of testing.
Automated testing uses various tools that allow you to identify testing errors. Typically, this type of test is used to evaluate the technical aspects of software (performance, vulnerabilities, cross-platform, functionality, and more). Practice shows that automatic tests can detect those errors that are not available for manual tests.
Manual testing identifies possible errors without the help of special tools but by studying the program code and interface by a specialized specialist. This testing is ideal if you want to ensure your users experience a great experience with your product.
Ideally, it would help if you used both types of testing because this allows you to identify the full range of errors, and correct them in time, which means you get a high-quality product.
The Role and Benefits of Manual Testing
You can only do manual tests if you want to get high-quality software. Today we want to discuss the benefits of these types of tests.
Manual testing is cheaper
You should prefer manual tests if you have a small startup with a limited budget. Automated test tools tend to be quite expensive, so manual tests are the way to go if you want to cut down on software development costs.
People better understand the needs of others
Current automated testing tools cannot simulate human behavior and assess their needs. If you want your product to be convenient and easy to use, it is better to prefer manual tests. They will be able to evaluate the quality of navigation, the choice of colors and fonts, and the location of buttons and links.
You may have seen sites that are entirely inconvenient for use. Usually, many pop-up windows cover the necessary buttons, a very bright interface that makes your eyes tired, and other problems. They could have been avoided by manual testing.
It makes it easier to test small changes
After you have run automated tests, programmers should fix the bugs they find. After that, it is necessary to conduct tests again to make sure that the corrections were made qualitatively and did not lead to the appearance of new errors. In this case, manual tests are better suited. They are much simpler than automatic ones and are many times cheaper.
Allows you to evaluate how the user will see your product
People prefer to use a program if it has a good interface. Please attract a few people who fall under your target audience. They will check how your product works and tell you what flaws they see or how you can improve it. Don’t expect only to get positive feedback, but if you can adequately evaluate the negative opinion about your product, it will help improve it.
Automated tests fail to evaluate the aesthetic components of the software
A beautiful interface is one of the guarantees that users will like your product. Manual tests will evaluate color matching, contrast, fonts, choice of graphic content, button length, and more.
Manual software testing services allow you to evaluate the quality of your interface to understand how you can improve it so that your users like it more.
Can test unpredictable aspects
Real people don’t always act predictably. In manual testing, a specialist can perform random or intuitive tests. It will allow you to simulate the actions of people who only sometimes behave predictably. Automated tests operate according to a specific scenario and may only cover some aspects of the company’s activities.
It allows you to evaluate whether your product is suitable
Thanks to manual tests, you can determine how your product can perform. Remove those functions for which it was created. So, simply put, if you create a calculator, such tests allow you to evaluate how correct it makes the calculations.
Thus, thanks to manual tests, you can assess how ready your product is for release and how much your users will like it. This type of test’s role is enormous because, in case of refusal, you will receive a product that will not be popular with potential users.
