PLEASE NOTE: This Introduction and the next lesson 2. Concepts to Software Testing are a taste of the first two sections of a book that I have published on Amazon. This introduction and lesson are FREE, however, if you find them interesting and would like to read more, then why not purchase the complete book Manual Software Testing Made Easy
Welcome to my first book in a series of books (For Software Testers Series) that I will be producing. My aim for the series of books? To make you a Professional Software Test Analyst and earn you very good money!
The books have been written in a no-nonsense and straight forward way so as to hopefully get you up and running in no time and for you to find that job!
This introduction:
- Gives you an overview of what you will be learning
- Explains why you should become a Software Test Analyst
- Shows you how this book works
Table of contents
- Who is this book for?
- So…why become a Software Test Analyst?
- Can you learn enough from this tutorial alone to obtain a Test Analyst job?
- Approachable style to learning!
- Diagrams / Images in this book. Use the links to see them better!
- A Structure to help you learn
- Free application to practice your Software Testing
- Practice, practice, practice!
- This tutorial…is just the beginning of your testing career!
- Help me to help you, to help others!
1. Who is this book for?
This book has been written predominantly with beginners to the Software Testing world in mind, people who wish to become a Software Test Analyst. However, it can also be used as a refresher course or a serious reference guide for the more experienced professionals, as the content covers all the skills required for a Manual Test Analyst.
As already mentioned, it is one in a series of books that I will be producing, so as to enable you to become a Professional Software Test Analyst ! I have written things to allow you to learn in the most efficient and quickest way possible, showing you the best ways to test.
2. So…why become a Software Test Analyst?
Software Testing is a very rewarding job! Me, I love it! I have been in the IT world for over 30 years and must confess to never finding myself “watching the clock” and waiting to go home. There is always, always something new to learn in IT and the more you learn the more you will find that you just enjoy your day and…end up earning very good money!
My job allows me to use all the most enjoyable parts of being a Software Professional. It allows me to be a part of the whole Software Development Life Cycle team, by playing the role of a:
- Business process interpreter. Learning how a business works and to then be able to test its systems
- Technical developer (developing automation test scripts)
- Designer of tests. Be it high level designing or creating the actual tests to test a system
- Complex problem solver and tester of very important company systems
It allows me to be responsible for ensuring that £multi-billion company dependent systems are implemented correctly!
And do you know what? This is the great part of being a Test Analyst…you can earn a great living, a living where you can earn as much money as Software Developers!
If you do a search on the UK’s top job trending website https://www.itjobswatch.co.uk/ and put in Software Testing you will see the average pay being an exceptional amount! As of time of writing, 2025, a self employed Test Analyst (contractor) in the UK can earn in excess of £400 per day!
3. Can you learn enough from this tutorial alone to obtain a Test Analyst job?
The simple answer is…YES! Given that you follow this initial book seriously, understand and digest all the material and also complete all the “Test Yourself” tests satisfactorily, you will have enough knowledge to apply for that first Test Analyst’s job, something I show you how to do on my website (www.maketestingeasy.com/applyforthatfirstjob/).
This book will give you the basic concepts of how to test an application manually. You will see I have used the word “manually” here, that means that you will be able to test applications or systems without the use of any technical skills (Automation, SQL or API test skills etc that you may have heard of). Manual Testing IS something all companies very much rely upon people to do!
4. Approachable style to learning!
I have produced this book, hopefully, in a manner that I would have liked when I first learned Software Testing! Things may appear complex at times and very dry to learn, but please persevere, things will all slot into place if you finish the whole book and you complete the Test Yourself tests…and please, do ensure that you do the tests and that you understand what you have learned from each lesson!
I remember starting in IT many years ago and felt so very much overawed by how much I thought I had to learn…all at once! However, that is not the case, you just need to start slowly, and ensure you understand the topic you’re learning before moving onto the next topic.
5. Diagrams / Images in this book. Use the links to see them better!
To help with understanding things, I have used diagrams (images). These can sometimes be difficult to see clearly in an e-book. To help, if you click on any of the diagrams, then you will be taken to my website (www.maketestingeasy.com) where you can see it more clearly and even enlarge it (zoom in) if need be. To zoom in on any images on the website, just press the “Ctrl” and the “+” keys at the same time on your keyboard. To minimise just press the Ctrl and the “-” (minus) keys.
6. A structure to help you learn
To help you to learn about Software Testing more easily I have broken this book down into 4 main lessons, as can be seen in the following diagram. The lessons progress in a way where they build upon the previous topic step-by-step, slowly increasing your knowledge.
6.1 Concepts of Software Testing
This lesson introduces you to Software Testing, it will explain what it is, why we test software, who actually performs testing throughout a Project Life Cycle and what the Project Life Cycle is.
6.2 Understanding the SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle)…and where testing fits in?
In the first lesson, Concepts of Software Testing, you were introduced to the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). This lesson will expand on the SDLC’s “V Model” (the model I prefer to work with so as to explain testing) using this model I will guide you through the rest of the following lessons.
6.3 Verification Test Process (Static Testing)
This involves using static analysis techniques (reviews) without executing code. It is the process of reviewing the deliverables produced at each stage of the product development phase to find out whether specific requirements are being met.
6.4 Validation Test Process (Dynamic Testing)
This is where the actual hands-on testing is done…testing by running a system or part of a system.
This involves dynamic analysis techniques (functional and non-functional), by testing code that is being executed. Validation is the process to evaluate the software after the completion of a development phase to determine whether software meets the customer’s expectations and requirements.
My way of learning
To those completely new to Software Testing, as with learning anything new for the first time, it can sometimes be frustrating to understand things or even appear a little complex. Personally, what I do to overcome this is to break my learning down into “brain size chunks”. I make a list of the contents and tick them off only when I feel that I have learned them sufficiently…cementing my understanding, before moving onto the next topic!
When attempting to digest things, I always take a pencil and paper and make copious notes, using a rubber to improve my notes! Before I do move onto a new topic, I will then condense the notes again and again, being left with crib sheets!
“Test Yourself” tests
However, just to help you better remember what you have learned, I have introduced a Test Yourself test at the end of each lesson. Please ensure you give these a go, as they will confirm that you have digested things so as to be able to move onto the next lesson! When you do take the tests, if you score less than what I’ve indicated for each test, then I definitely suggest just slowly going over the lesson again, then…take the test again!
And the mantra I have used throughout my IT career… “The more I learn, the more I earn”!
7. “Free Application” to practice your Software Testing
If you would really like to use an application to test out things from this tutorial, then you could download and run a real life application called “HomeFinance”, as detailed in the “HomeFinance Application” tab on this website.
In order to help people learn Manual and Automation Testing, I have produced this real “Web Application” (an application that normally runs on the internet) that you can run locally on your own PC. By running it locally you can have complete control over the application and its data…enabling you to test to your heart’s content!
The download and installation of this free Application can be a little involved for people new to IT. The application is not essential to have for this tutorial, as the tutorial is a stand alone learning aid, but you will certainly find that it will help in your better understanding by using and playing around with it.
You can find how to download and install the application by clicking on the HomeFinance Application tab. Please do not be put off by some of the technical terms, length of the installation document or even if it feels like it’s getting a little complicated, just follow the simple installation guide step by step and this will ensure you have the application up and running in no time 🙂 !
8. Practice, practice, practice!
As stated, by following this tutorial it will, I believe, give you a very good understanding of Software Testing and will set you on your way to getting your first job in IT. However, this tutorial is just the beginning.
There really is nothing like “doing it” when it comes to learning something new! The “doing it”, in this case, is by actually testing “hands-on”. Once you have completed a section, then try to put your new found skills to the test (excuse the pun!) by looking at a Software Application (such as the HomeFinance Application, explained above) and writing some tests and testing it!
If you feel uncomfortable with downloading the HomeFinance Application then maybe look at an application that you use on a daily basis to see how you would test it, say Facebook, Google Chrome or a news channel on your PC or even a Mobile App such as WhatsApp.
9. This tutorial…is just the beginning of your testing career!
To really make an impact in your Software Test career, you should attempt to develop your technical skills and interview techniques.
Basic skills that you should definitely be looking to develop are:
- Interview techniques and understanding the questions that could be asked at interview time
- SQL (Structured Query Language) Basics to allow you to interrogate database data
- API (Application Programming Interface) Testing
More advanced skills involve using programming skills
- SQL programming using PL/SQL (Procedural Language SQL)
- Java programming for testers
- Selenium programming for Automation Testing
- Performance Testing
To ensure that you don’t miss any future tutorials that I publish, please Subscribe 🙂 !
10. Help me to help you, to help others!
I do realise that we all learn differently, therefore, please, please share with me your thoughts on how, perhaps, I can make things better! Just pop over to the “Contact Me…” tab and tell me what you would like to see or what you think would maybe help others if I included more or less info.
Ultimately, I would love to see a Software Test Community build from this website. A community where we can grow together, letting the content evolve into something that can be used by all to learn the Software Testing concepts as easy and efficiently as possible…and in so doing, making great Software Test Analyst Professionals!
So, let’s learn… 🙂
Next Lesson ⇒ 1. Concepts of Software Testing