Are you dipping your toes into the world of software testing? Maybe you’re finding the jargon baffling and you’re unsure where to begin. Beyond merely “playing” with software, testing might still seem like an exciting but distant dream job, where you get to explore innovative tech before anyone else. Fear not, Foxy-Tester is your new go-to guide.

So, what exactly does a tester do? Let’s break it down.

Imagine software development as a political spectrum. On the right, we have the “Old School” or Waterfall method: meticulously planned, with a set release date. Often, it feels like a race—developers rush, dropping buggy software in your lap, either leaving you ample time to chase down bugs or hardly any at all. Here, testing is about ensuring the software meets predefined requirements—sometimes chaotic, always crucial.

Then, on the left, there’s Agile—modern and flexible. Work is divided into bite-sized features, developed in short bursts known as “Sprints.” Both developers and testers have a say in how long things might take, using a rather quirky Fibonacci scale to estimate. It’s iterative, with each sprint refining the process, and testers and developers steering their destiny.

In Waterfall, you might get a hefty document outlining everything the software should do. Lucky? You’re prepping tests before the software even lands. Not so lucky? You’re improvising until a major bug throws a wrench in the works, giving you a much-needed pause to regroup for the next test cycle. Pro tip: where you find one bug, dig deeper—there’s likely more.

Agile, on the other hand, offers no place to hide but does give you a clear starting point for testing each feature before moving on. Yes, you’ll encounter bugs and repeat cycles, but the incremental work adds up, and progress is visible. Here, testing is collaborative, dynamic, and every cycle is a chance to refine and suggest improvements.

Stay tuned for future posts where we’ll dive deeper into what testing involves and daily focuses for you, the aspiring Foxy-Tester.