The purpose of manual software testing is to detect defects in the application under test and to show any deviations from the specification. A manual tester performs thorough and careful testing of the program or system under development. The errors found are documented and passed on to the software development team, who then make the necessary corrections based on the feedback. The manual software testing process is then repeated. Such a feedback loop can occur many times during a project - the end result is an application that meets all your needs and works without bugs. Find out more!

What is manual software testing?

During software development projects, minor and major errors can occur. Detecting and correcting them is critical for quality assurance. 

Manual software testing is a verification process in which tests are performed manually, without the use of an automated tool. The verification process consists of ensuring that customer requirements and user criteria are met. The manual tester generates a report on the defects detected, allowing the developers to make the necessary corrections. 

Key benefits of manual software testing:

• is essential for fixing bugs that occur during software development,
• gives an accurate picture of the user experience,
• detects bugs affecting functionality,
• the program is tested as a logically coherent whole, not just functions,
• bugs found by users can damage a company's reputation and a major bug can even lead to loss of customers - fortunately, this can be avoided by manual software testing,  
• thorough and detailed.

Examples of manual software testing

Acceptance testing

User acceptance testing (UAT) means that at the end of the testing phase, the application is tested by business users or real customers, and is intended to be finalised (ready to be deployed). This gives us an idea of the actual functionality that will be used later on and can highlight subtleties that can only be discovered with deep knowledge from daily use.

Functional testing

The essence of functional testing is that the test is designed to examine the operation of a particular function while using the application. The manual tester knows the input business data and tests the expected output against it. In the case of a financial application, this could be the value of interest and capital entered into the calculator and the expected result.

Integration and compatibility testing

Integration testing is a crucial process. It aims to verify how different software components and subsystems work together as a system. 

Compatibility testing is about finding out how a program, website or other digital product works across different browsers, devices or operating systems. Compatibility testing is particularly important for multiplatform software. 

Regression testing

An unintended consequence of fixing a bug may be that a software feature that has worked properly in the past is broken. This is when regression testing, which involves re-checking that the functionality worked properly in the past, can be really useful. 

Performance testing

A performance test is a test of whether the system can meet the performance requirements placed on it. The test involves the manual tester testing the application under increased load.

User experience testing (UX testing)

User experience testing, also known as UX testing, tests how intuitive the software is to use and how well it meets user expectations.

What are the tasks of a manual tester?

A manual tester performs tests with the appropriate tester and quality assurance skills. In the course of his/her work, he/she usually performs the following tasks:

1. carry out manual tests,
2. detecting errors
3. administration, tracking and tracing of errors,
4. writing test cases,
5. producing test scenarios,
6. liaising with business analysts and developers,
7. preparing documentation, reports.

In which cases can automated software testing be useful?

The combination of manual and automated software testing can help you achieve the best results for complex projects. Test automation can provide the following important benefits:

• can support the optimal use of resources,
• shorten the testing process,
• allows a higher degree of accuracy,
• increase test coverage,
• can reduce costs.

While manual software testing may be sufficient for smaller projects, for complex projects it is worth combining it with test automation.

Professional software testing

Since 2016, we have been supporting, testing and coordinating enterprise IT development, as well as developing enterprise-wide testing methodologies and business process automation. In this context, we implement enterprise-wide testing methodologies, develop colleagues and help select and implement the necessary testing and ticketing tools. In addition, we ensure the organisation and delivery of the necessary training and tutorials, and the preparation of documentation, thus ensuring effective change management.