Looking for the Sun - Software Testing

Business Analyst & Software Development

Business Analyst & Software Development

People are often impressed when they find out that I’m a business analyst who can also develop software. My preferred tech stack includes Microsoft C#, .NET, and Blazor. For those unfamiliar:

  • C# is Microsoft’s answer to Java (though it came after Java).
  • .NET is Microsoft’s backend framework, offering a wide range of services designed to help applications run on any system (though that vision is still evolving).
  • Blazor (initially developed by open-source contributors) is Microsoft’s latest attempt to create web applications that run everywhere—a dream that is still ongoing.

When I talk about programming, I like to tell people, "I can teach you how to do that." Writing code is often the easier part of software development. It’s the testing and debugging that are much harder. Some tests take two seconds, while others can take two weeks—and, honestly, testing is never really done.

For those outside the programming world, a two-second test might be as simple as verifying whether the application starts. A two-week test might involve simulating what happens when 65 people use the same function simultaneously, especially if you’ve only tested with 24 users.

So, what can be done? I’ve tried every four-letter word I know (even a few in Spanish), but they don’t help.

A smart developer, instead, reaches into their toolset and pulls out an Intelligent Testing Platform. Unlike manual testing where you constantly rewrite code to fix issues (fail, try, succeed, fail again), these platforms integrate testing into the development process itself. They aren’t an afterthought, but rather a core component of building quality software—a fact many overlook.

While I’m not advocating for any particular platform, I suggest checking out Applitools. Their documentation is readily available online without requiring sign-up, and it’s a great resource for those new to testing.

You can explore their resources here: Applitools Documentation.

In short, learning to program is within your reach. And when it comes to the harder part—fixing mistakes—being smart about how you approach testing will make all the difference.

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