Three Tools to Support a New Tester

Hi my name is Kevin. I’ve been a tester with PLATO Testing for three years. In that time, I’ve found some tools that were very helpful to me starting out as a tester, that I wish I had known about sooner.

First, it is important to have music listening apps like Spotify to get you in the testing zone and be ready to use Google to find answers to some of your new challenges. Once you’re grooving, here are some other tools I’ve been using that can help you with the organization and collaboration you need when getting started as a tester:

1. Trello – A web-based list making application. For testing, it can make working on some projects a little easier, as you can have lists of “to-dos” with cards of tasks below, an in-progress list with who is assigned and what is being done, and a list for completed tasks. We also use Trello to track which devices we have and who is using them. As a fun example, I created a list of all the TV shows I wanted to watch. There is a list of shows that I want to see, shows that are in progress, and shows that have been completed. When a show is completed, the tiles can be moved to the appropriate list. This was an easier way to visualize what my watching progress was, and to keep track of the content I still wanted to see.

2. Greenshot – A free, open source screenshot program for Windows. For testing, this is a valuable tool that can make documentation of defects simpler, quicker, and clearer for clients. With Greenshot, you can select an area and aspect ratio, open it in the Greenshot editor, paint, word, straight to email, or upload it to Imgur to get a shareable link. The Greenshot editor has tools for marking up the document accurately, like adding text to explain specific features. It’s a quick and convenient tool that makes taking screenshots seamless.

3. Excel/OneDrive – Excel is used quite a bit in testing, so having basic Excel skills upfront really helps. Creating spreadsheets for colleagues and clients to track defects and the test progress, and using clients’ defect tracker spreadsheets are common activities. We also use OneDrive as another important tool. For us, OneDrive means that the Excel sheet isn’t just local; it can be shared and collaborated upon. This centralizes documents so the whole team has the defect templates and relevant documentation we need, as well as all the screenshots we’ve taken with Greenshot, in one location.

When you’re starting out as a tester, tools like Trello and Excel/OneDrive can help you know where you fit in the process, and allow for smooth collaboration between testers. Greenshot helps you with accurate defect tracking and really saves time in creating effective and clear documentation. These tools helped me to build on my skills of organization, team work, and documentation that are the foundations of being an effective and creative tester.

Happy Testing!