Three Things I Like About What I Do

From time to time I am asked what I like about my job or why I choose software testing over other disciplines. Over the past years, my answers have revolved around three aspects that are my main motivators: Learning, teamwork and impact.

I will explain why these three aspects make the job as a software tester fun and fascinating to me.

Software development is an unknown ocean of knowledge. Waiting to be discovered by setting sail and starting to explore.

Here are some of the areas I look out for:

• The software under test.

• The business and domain.

• The development process.

• The technologies and tools used to build and operate the software.

• The approaches and tools used across all roles.

Any of these aspects and more might be worth exploring and learning about to improve my testing approach. Depending on my needs, I can choose the areas worth learning and decide how much I want to know about them. Over time, this will lead to broad knowledge in different areas. And in some of these areas to in-depth knowledge. Knowledge that might be useful in all the challenges that lie ahead.

Like our world, the industry changes constantly. I can be in the same organisation or project for years and get regular learning opportunities:

• A new feature is implemented? I can learn about the technology and business behind it.

• The development process changes? I can learn if and what benefits the change brings in our context.

• New colleagues join? I can learn about their approaches and backgrounds I have never heard about.

Should I find myself in a situation without learning opportunities and this for a longer period of time, I can, as a last resort, choose to move on to another project or organisation.

In 13 years, I have constantly learnt so many interesting things. And I hope it never ends.

I like to explore and unravel complex software systems. What could be more complex than software? People - working together.

The software projects I have worked on have involved many people with different backgrounds, personalities, roles, responsibilities and experiences. Experimenting and finding approaches that enable all these people to collaborate and build valuable software is a fascinating challenge. It takes a lot of dedication, patience and knowledge to make it happen. I like that.

It is interesting to find out what approach to software testing suits the team, together with colleagues who challenge me. I have to give reasons and argue for my ideas and decisions. I have to incorporate the ideas from others.

It is also an opportunity to make them understand my approach to software testing. To clear up misconceptions they may have. To show them what professional software testers who are passionate about their work can achieve.

I have been fortunate enough to work with people who value testers. I think this is an important aspect of why my job has been so fulfilling.

I believe that software testers can make a difference. And I am happy to have found a job that provides such opportunities.

I like helping organisations and people get better. Not just in the field of software testing. In any field. I like to understand why things are the way they are. I like to understand the history behind it. I like to uncover possible improvements. And I like to use my knowledge, experience and perspective, and that of others, to make those improvements a reality. By discussing possible solutions and running small experiments to test them.

I can also have an impact on the people who use the software. For example, by learning about their problems and how software can help solve them, or by thinking about different personas and risks, among other things. To build software that solves real problems that matter for real people.

At the end of the day, I hope this helps to make the users happy and the business successful.

Others can have an impact on me as well. Throughout my career, I have met so many wonderful, smart and supportive people. They had an impact on me.

I am convinced they have made me a better tester and a better person.

The last two aspects are related to the first. Over the years, I have realised that my job is more interesting, more valuable, easier and more enjoyable when the team works well together and the business is successful.

These environments allow me to learn without barriers. They allow me to focus on exploring and experimenting with the software. They allow me to be involved throughout the whole development lifecycle. They allow me to do the fascinating and valuable parts of my job, rather than the boring and monotonous ones.

That is why I care about these things.

What I like about my job has changed over the years. Experiences change us and alter what we value. And I am curious to see what other aspects I will discover that will motivate me in the future.

What is your job and what do you like about it?

Have a great day,
Florian