Why is there a confrontation between developers and testers?
Elena Borzakova
8 replies
Do you know how to avoid this?
Replies
Nick Basile@nickjbasile
By the nature of their relationship, testers are critiquing the work of the developers and pointing out flaws and issues. So, there's always a level of tension here.
The best way to avoid this is to work with developers to understand that QA isn't about putting down their work, it's about making the experience better for users. Yes, that sounds obvious when said, but it's so easy to lose sight of that bigger picture.
It also helps to work with the testers to ensure their feedback is as positive as possible. It might seem small, but over time there's a big difference in saying "this is broken, fix it" and "we caught this issue, how might we solve it?"
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Maybe testers find bugs that developers are to blame?
actually, there is not such situation. It is just a stereotype.
all do their job. there could be some different psychological point of views but at the end, they work for same purpose.
when you take the things personal, it may be problem in any part of the business life.
good team members support each other, not blame! so, it is not about tester or dev, it is about personalities.
Communication is often a problem, as each party sees only its own vision of the world..
Perhaps they have different goals and the developers believe that testers intentionally try to find all the errors.
We need to establish good communication between employees.
A good practice to prevent this, in my opinion, is to involve testers early: involve testers at an early stage of the development process, for example, during the collection of requirements and design discussions. This again helps them to understand the project more deeply and gives them the opportunity to make a valuable contribution and get an idea from a testing point of view. At least we use it in our small team, and it works
High-quality communication corrects this problem
The confrontation or tension between developers and testers is not an inherent or unavoidable aspect of software development but can arise due to a variety of factors. This tension, often referred to as the "developer-tester divide," can occur in some organizations or projects, while others maintain a healthy collaboration between these roles. Here are some reasons why such confrontations might arise:
Different Objectives: Developers are primarily focused on building and delivering functional software, while testers are concerned with identifying defects and ensuring quality. This difference in objectives can sometimes lead to misunderstandings about priorities and expectations.
Time Constraints: Developers may feel pressure to deliver features quickly to meet deadlines, potentially leading to incomplete testing. Testers, on the other hand, might insist on more comprehensive testing to catch all possible issues.
Communication Issues: Poor communication can result in misunderstandings and a lack of alignment between developers and testers. Miscommunication about requirements, priorities, and expectations can lead to tension.
Blame Culture: In organizations with a blame-oriented culture, developers might be defensive when testers identify defects. Testers might be seen as pointing out the developers' mistakes, which can lead to strained relationships.
Ego and Ownership: Developers might take personal ownership of their code and feel defensive when testers find issues. Testers, too, might take pride in finding defects and emphasize their importance.
Resource Allocation: Disputes over resource allocation, such as not having enough time or personnel for thorough testing, can lead to frustration between developers and testers.
Perceived Competence: If there's a perception that one group is more skilled than the other, it can lead to tension. Developers might feel that testers don't understand the complexity of their work, and testers might think developers don't appreciate the challenges of finding defects.
Process and Methodology Differences: Different approaches to development and testing (e.g., Agile, Waterfall) can lead to conflicts over when testing should occur and how defects should be managed.
To address and mitigate these issues, organizations can take several steps:
Clear Communication: Foster open communication between developers and testers to ensure alignment on goals, expectations, and priorities.
Collaborative Culture: Encourage a culture of collaboration and shared responsibility for software quality. Developers and testers should work together as a team.
Early Involvement: Involve testers early in the development process to provide feedback on requirements and design, reducing misunderstandings later.
Educational Opportunities: Provide opportunities for developers to learn about testing challenges and for testers to understand development constraints.
Process Improvement: Continuously evaluate and improve development and testing processes to ensure they work well together and align with project goals.
By addressing these issues and promoting a culture of mutual respect and collaboration, organizations can minimize or even eliminate the tension between developers and testers, creating a more productive and harmonious working environment. san antonio garage door repair