15 QA Tester Interview Questions (2024)

1. Can you explain how you would execute a Risk-Based Testing Strategy?

Risk-Based Testing Strategy is a popular topic during QA Tester interviews because it tests the candidate's ability to prioritize and their understanding of the software's critical aspects. Interviewers look for testers who can identify potential problem areas and prioritize them based on risk.

In a Risk-Based Testing Strategy, the first step would be to identify potential risks in the software that could affect its functionality or performance. These risks are then prioritized based on their impact and likelihood of occurrence. The testing effort is then directed towards the most significant risks first. This approach ensures that the most critical areas of the software are tested thoroughly, even in a scenario where there might not be enough time to test everything.

2. How would you handle a situation where a developer disputes a bug you've reported?

This question gauges your interpersonal skills and how you handle conflicts. It's important to have clear communication and maintain respect while presenting your points, as such situations are common during the debugging process.

In a situation where a Developer disputes a bug I’ve reported, I would first ensure that I've understood the functionality correctly. If I'm confident about the bug, I would explain my perspective, presenting the steps to reproduce the bug and any relevant test data or screenshots. If necessary, I would also involve a third party, like a business Analyst or Project Manager, for resolution.

3. What criteria do you use to decide when you should automate a test?

Automation is an essential aspect of QA testing. Employers want to know if you understand when it's beneficial to automate tests and when it's not necessary or even counter-productive.

I would consider automating a test if it's repetitive, requires multiple data sets, is very prone to human error, or if it's a high-risk area of the application. However, exploratory, usability, or ad-hoc tests might not be suitable for automation, as they rely on human observation and intuition.

4. Can you define what a 'test case' is?

This question tests your understanding of basic testing principles. It's important to highlight the key elements that a good test case should contain.

A test case is a set of actions executed to verify a specific feature or functionality of an application. It contains test steps, test data, precondition, postcondition, expected results, and actual results. It plays a crucial role in determining whether a system works correctly against the defined specifications.

5. What is your approach to Regression Testing?

Regression Testing is a crucial part of any testing phase. The interviewer wants to see if you understand its importance and how to conduct it in a resource-effective manner.

Regression testing is conducted after modifications or enhancements are made to the application to ensure that existing functionality still works as expected. My approach would be to identify critical functions in the application that could be affected by changes and automate those regression tests if possible, to save time in future testing cycles.

6. Can you explain what is meant by 'boundary value analysis'?

Boundary Value Analysis (BVA) is a popular technique in system level tests. Your ability to explain BVA shows your understanding of testing techniques and the logic behind them.

Boundary Value Analysis is a testing technique used to identify errors at boundaries rather than finding those exist in the center of the input domain. It involves testing the boundary values of valid and invalid partitions. The rationale is that many faults are observed at the extreme ends of input domains.

7. How do you ensure that you have covered everything during your testing process?

This question helps the interviewer understand how you apply structured methodologies to ensure complete testing coverage. Your answer should show a systematic approach.

To ensure that I've covered everything during my testing process, I use traceability matrices, which map test cases to requirements. This helps me ensure that all requirements are covered by at least one test case. Furthermore, I organize my test cases into functional areas and different types of testing, which also helps ensure coverage.

8. What are the essential components you would include in a bug report?

Your ability to generate a detailed, effective bug report is crucial. This question tests your understanding of what information developers need to understand and fix the issue.

An effective bug report should include the bug ID, product, bug detection date, tester name, defect description, steps to reproduce, severity, priority, status, and screenshots if possible. It can also be beneficial to include what the expected and actual results were.

9. What is the role of 'configuration management' in QA?

Configuration management is often overlooked, but it plays a crucial role in QA. The interviewer wants to know if you understand its implications on the testing process.

Configuration management in QA ensures that a system is tested against the correct configuration, and it also keeps track of changes made during testing. It involves maintaining an inventory of the hardware and software settings and ensuring that tests are performed in the correct environment. It is critical for consistency, repeatability, and accuracy in testing.

10. Can you explain what 'sanity testing' is?

The term 'sanity testing' is often used in QA and is a commonly asked interview question. Your ability to explain it indicates your familiarity with basic testing concepts.

Sanity testing is a type of software testing performed after receiving a software build, with minor changes in code, or functionality, to ascertain that the bugs have been fixed and no further issues are introduced due to these changes. The goal is to determine that the proposed functionality works roughly as expected.

11. How do you define 'user acceptance testing'?

Understanding User Acceptance Testing (UAT) is crucial for any QA tester. The interviewer wants to ensure that you understand its importance in the testing life cycle.

User Acceptance Testing (UAT) is the last phase of testing, performed by the end-users to ensure that the software meets their expectations and works as designed. It validates that the system is ready for production and is configured to the user's requirements.

12. What are 'black box' and 'white box' testing?

One of the most commonly asked questions during QA tester interviews, understanding these two forms of testing shows the interviewer your grasp of fundamental testing principles.

Black box testing is a method of software testing where the functionality of an application is tested without looking at the internal code structure. On the other hand, white box testing involves testing the internal logic and structure of the code. Both types of testing are crucial and are used at different stages of the testing cycle.

13. What is 'load testing' and why is it important?

Understanding different types of performance testing, such as load testing, is vital for any QA tester. Your ability to explain its importance could express your understanding of performance testing.

Load testing is a type of performance testing conducted to evaluate the system's behavior under a specific expected load. It helps identify the maximum operating capacity of an application and any bottlenecks that can interrupt its smooth functioning. It's crucial in ensuring that an application can withstand a high user load.

14. Can you explain the difference between 'validation' and 'verification'?

These terms are often confused, but understanding the difference between them is critical. It can illustrate your understanding of QA testing principles.

Verification is the process of checking that a product meets specified requirements. It is a preventive measure which ensures that the product is designed to deliver all functionality to the customer; it typically involves reviews and meetings to evaluate documents, plans, code, requirements and specifications. Validation, on the other hand, is the process of checking that the system meets the user's requirements, and is functionally correct and complete. It's an active process where actual product properties are tested.

15. What strategies do you use for 'stress testing'?

Your ability to explain stress testing strategies shows your understanding of performance testing. It's important to highlight the purpose and benefits of stress testing in your answer.

Stress testing involves testing an application under extreme workloads to see how it handles high traffic or data processing. The objective is to identify the breaking point of an application. My strategy involves gradually increasing the load on the system until it reaches its threshold. By doing this, we can understand the maximum capacity of the application and its behavior at peak times.