404: Manual testing not found.
Entry inspired by Lisa Crispin.
Entry inspired by Lisa Crispin.
Manual Testing
16th January 2025
Before my actual testing career started, I was a "manual tester" for a week in ~2001, stepping in for a colleague. My job was to test the installation manual for a piece of software. That is what manual tester means in the context of software, right?
20th January 2025
Human driven testing activities, that are not using or focused on building automated checks. Manual testing may still make use of tools and code, but is driven by a human and not a computer.
A potentially broad term, manual testing could be applied to any part of software testing. However there is a good chance, people use the term manual testing to mean, human driven test execution.
The term can be controversial, because it is sometimes used to down play the skill needed for testing, outside of the value of automation.
It used to be said, that there is no such thing as manual testing, because all testing is manual in the same way that all development is manual. This line of thinking is currently being challenged by the introduction of generative Ai tools that are, with varying degrees of success, attempting to automate development, as well as testing.
A potentially broad term, manual testing could be applied to any part of software testing. However there is a good chance, people use the term manual testing to mean, human driven test execution.
The term can be controversial, because it is sometimes used to down play the skill needed for testing, outside of the value of automation.
It used to be said, that there is no such thing as manual testing, because all testing is manual in the same way that all development is manual. This line of thinking is currently being challenged by the introduction of generative Ai tools that are, with varying degrees of success, attempting to automate development, as well as testing.
20th January 2025
Transform your inputs into a ready-to-run test suite. Test both web UIs and backend APIs in minutes with KushoAI.
Explore MoT
Wed, 1 Oct
On the 1st & 2nd of October, 2025 we'll be back to Brighton for another TestBash: the largest software testing conference in the UK
Unlock the essential skills to transition into Test Automation through interactive, community-driven learning, backed by industry expertise
Debrief the week in Testing via a community radio show hosted by Simon Tomes and members of the community
