Testing Interview Questions

What is a Test Plan?

A Test Plan is a document describing the scope, approach, resources, and schedule of intended testing activities. It identifies test items, the features to be tested, the testing tasks and who will do each task (roles and responsibilities) and any risks and its solutions.

What does test plan include

What does it include? A Test Plan includes Heading, Revision History, Table of Contents, Introduction, Scope, Approach, Overview, different types of testing that will be carried out, what software and hardware will be required, issues, risks, assumptions and sign off section

What is a Test Case? What does it include?

A Test Case is a document that describes step by step process how to test the application. A Test Case includes Test Case ID, Steps Description, Expected Output, Actual Output, Pass/Fail, Remarks

Did you have a situation where you did not have any documents (no requirement document, no Use Cases, or no Design Document) and you had to write the Test Cases? How did you write the Test Cases?

Yes. I have been to that kind of scenarios several times. There were companies where they had no documents at all. In that case, I had to discuss the application scenario and functionalities with the Business Analysts or developer. I kind of prepared a document in consultation with Business Analysts and Developers and then started writing Test Cases

Can you tell me what a Use Case is

A use case is a document that describes the user action and system response for a particular functionality. (you can also include, For example, in the Use Case given below, is a Use Case for login system for a company called Auto Parts One. This application is being developed by Digital Systems, Inc. The project name is Auto Parts One. However, the business owner (user) is a company called American Auto Parts of the North (imaginary name).

What is a Use Case and what does it include

A Use Case is a document that describes the user action and system response for a particular functionality. It includes cover page, Revision History, Table of Contents, Floe of Events (normal flow and alternative flow), Exceptions, Special Requirements, Pre-conditions and Post-conditions.

What is Software Development Life Cycle

The systems (or software) development life cycle (SDLC) is a conceptual model used in project management that describes the stages involved in an information system development project, from an initial feasibility study through maintenance of the completed application.

It includes the following different stages:

1. Requirement phase
2. Design phase
3. Coding (programming)
4. Testing
5. Release (Production)
6. Maintenance (Support)

What is Business Requirement Document (BRD)?

It is a document that describes the details of the application functionalities which is required by the user. This document is written by the Business Analysts.

What is Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC)?

The testing of software has its own life cycle. It starts with study and analyzing the requirements. Here is the software testing life cycle:

1. Requirement Study
2. Test Planning
3. Writing Test Cases
4. Review the Test Cases
5. Executing the Test Cases
6. Bug logging and tracking
7. Close or Reopen bugs

What is meant by Walk-thru meeting?

Before start working in a module and/or after accomplishing the testing of a module, the tester calls a meeting to disseminate his findings or to share his queries to other tester or leads of the company working on the same application that is called the Walk-thru meeting.

What is Build?

When each of the different modules of software is prepared, they are put in a single folder by the Configuration Management Team (CMT) and it is called the 'Build'. In other word, the developers put their code in the shared location (folder) and all those code (modules) are combined together so that it is a complete application that works.

What is meant by the Build Deployment?

When the Build so prepared by the CMT is sent to different Test Environments, it is called the Build Deployment.

What is Test Strategy?

A test strategy is an outline that describes the testing portion of the software development cycle. It is created to inform project managers, testers, and developers about some key issues of the testing process. This includes the testing objective, methods of testing new functions, total time and resources required for the project, and the testing environment.

Are Test Plan and Test Strategy same type of document?

No. They are different documents. Test Plan is a document that collects and organizes test cases by functional areas and/or types of testing in a form that can be presented to the other teams and/or customer where as the Test Strategy is the documented approach to testing. Test Plan is prepared by the tester whereas the Test Strategy is prepared by the QA Manager or QA lead.

What is Negative Testing?

Testing the system or application using negative data is called negative testing, for example, testing password entering 6 characters where it should be 8 characters should display a message.

When we test an application by putting negative values (instead of actual values), then the system should not allow the other values rather than the actual value. The system should give an message that the value is not correct. This is called negative testing.

What is the difference between Load Testing and Performance Testing

Basically Load, Stress and Performance Testing are the same. However, Load testing is the test to check the users' response time of number of users of any one scenario of the application whereas Performance Testing is the test to check the user response time for multiple scenario of the same application

What is SQL?

SQL stands for Structured Query Language. SQL is an ANSI (American National Standards Institute) standard computer language for accessing and manipulating database systems. SQL statements are used to retrieve and update data in a database. SQL works with database programs like MS Access, DB2, Informix, MS SQL Server, Oracle, Sybase, etc.

What is a Primary Key?

In a database table, the Primary Key is a column which has a unique value for each of the row within that column. It can't have NULL value.

What is a Unique Key?

In a database table, the Unique Key is a column which may or may not have null value of each of the row within that column.

What is Backend Testing

It is a test to check whether the data displayed in the GUI front end report format matches with the particular data in the original database.

What is XML?

-XML stands for EXtensible Markup Language.
-XML is a markup language much like HTML.
-XML was designed to describe data.

Where do you see yourself in another 5 years

Answer: I see myself a QA Lead in another 5 years.
(You can also say "QA Manager", but since the QA Manager is taking your interview most of the time, they some times feel challenged. Therefore, it might be a good idea to limit you to QA Lead)

Why are you in QA?

Answer: I like this job, because it is process oriented. Meaning that I get an opportunity to work from analyzing the requirement documents to writing test plans, test cases, testing the application, logging defects, retesting, preparing reports and finally testing in production as well. Therefore, I am involved from the very beginning to the end of the software development life cycle (SDLC) process. I like this.
Another reason is I like to find defects. I enjoy logging defects. The more defects I find, the happier I am

If you have no documentation about the product, how do you test an application? Describe the process.

Answer: Well, this is a situation where I have come across several times. Some of the companies in my previous projects did not have any documents. In this case, I went to the Business Analyst and some times to developers to find out how exactly the functionalities work, how to navigate from one page to another page and so on. After getting a clear vision, I write test cases based on the conversation (which is a step by step procedure to test an application) and get ready for testing.

How do you make sure that it is quality software?

Answer: There is a certain process how the quality of software is guaranteed (ensured). If is defined by the 'exit criteria'. (What it means is, a QA Manager writes a document called Test Strategy. This Test Strategy defines the 'exit criteria'.) Exit Criteria gives the measurement, for example, in order to confirm the quality, how many critical defects, high defects, medium defect and low defect are acceptable? These are all defined in the exit criteria. (Normally in practice, for a quality software, there should no critical defects (0 critical), no high defect (0 high), no medium defect (0 medium) and may be 1 low defect

Let us say you have a web application to test. How do you go about testing it? What is the process?

Answer: First of all, I will look at the requirement documents (or design document in some companies). The requirement document will tell us what the functionalities in the application (software) are. Once I analyze the requirement documents (one module=one requirement document). After that, I will write test plans for each module (one module =one test plan). Then after the test plan is complete, I will write test cases (One module can have hundreds, even thousands test cases). Once the test cases are ready and the application is ready (or once the build is ready), then I will start testing. Before I start testing, however, I will make sure the test environments, test data and defect logging tools are in place. This is how I will go about testing an application

How would you ensure that you have covered 100% testing

Answer: The testing coverage is defined by exit criteria (There is exit criteria and entry criteria in the Test Strategy). For example, if the exit criteria says "The software will be acceptable to the client only if there are no critical defects, no high defects, no medium defects and only two low defects", then all the critical, high, medium should be zero. Only 2 low defects are acceptable. Thus, 100% coverage is measured by the exit criteria. Also, 100% test cases must be executed in order to cover 100% of testing.

What are the different tests that can be done for Client Server Application and Web-based Application. Give details.

Answer: For both client server and web based applications, the testing is the same except one thing: We test web based applications in different browsers, for example, Internet Explorer (will test in different versions like IE 5.0, IE 6.0, IE 7.0), Firefox, Safari (for Mac) and so on where as for client server, we don't need to test in the browsers.

What are your strengths?

Answer: I am a very detailed oriented person. I have the sense of urgency. I can prioritize my job according to the deadline. I am very much dedicated towards my job. I am honest. I have the skills and expertise in QA process. These are some of my strengths

What is your weakness?

Answer: I think my weakness is that whenever I am given some responsibilities and there is a deadline for it, I work day and night, 7 days a week. This is probably bad for my family life, but I can't sleep unless I am done with my assignments.
(Note: You should think of your weakness where because of your weakness (like the one above), still the employer benefits. DON'T SAY anything negative thing, like "I cannot work long hours, it is hard for me pick up things, it is difficult for me to understand requirement documents etc)

What is an Exploratory Testing?

Exploratory testing often performed as a black box testing technique, the tester learns things that together with experience and creativity generate new good tests to run.

Benefits:

Following are the benefits of Exploratory Testing:

·        Exploratory testing takes less preparation.

·        Critical defects are found very quickly.

·        The testers can use reasoning based approach on the results of previous results to guide their future testing on the fly.