You don’t need IT skills to become a software tester!
Testbirds is an IT-based enterprise providing crowdsourced software testing services.
Seems complicated, right?If you do not consider yourself tech-savvy and think that everything related to IT (Information Technology) is beyond your knowledge, you might mistakenly think that Testbirds is not for you – just by reading this one sentence description. Part of the reason is that the IT language is laden with unfamiliar concepts and jargon, often making it hard for non-technical people to understand.This is nothing new; engineers and developers frequently experience trouble when explaining their ideas because they need to translate them into everyday language. The same goes for doctors explaining medical terms to their patients.However, not speaking the same ‘language’ does not mean that people cannot explain themselves. IT people might use a concept when referring to particular things, while non-technical people might explain it in their own words. In any case, there is always an alternative way of saying things. Therefore, you do not need to have IT knowledge to explain the functionality or usability of software.
Crowdtesting in Everyday Language
You might think that software testing is only for IT experts. If so, you are only right to a certain extent. Traditionally, software testing has been carried out internally, often by the developers themselves. However, in crowdtesting, the software testing is carried out by typical end-users of the app. The testers who represent the ‘crowd’ have various backgrounds, different levels of IT knowledge and test on their own devices in their own environment. If you have the association of software testing and a computer lab, you should make an association between crowdtesting and real-life conditions: at home, in the subway, at the supermarket…
Why is Crowdtesting Necessary?
An inside joke (and a stereotypical one) within the IT industry is that developers have different mindsets than non-technical people when it comes to using and interacting with computers. For example, while app developers might think highly of an app for its technical aspects, the typical end-user might have a more task-oriented mindset towards it and cares less about the technical glory. Steve Jobs’ success is perceived by many as a result of his ability to bridge the gap between these two different mindsets.In crowdtesting, the large pool of testers constitutes a multitude of people with similar needs yet with different views and opinions. Each tester is given the chance to find bugs and offer valuable advice, tips and suggestions for the improvement of the app based on their own experience. The experience is partially shaped by the tester’s level of IT skills as well as the device used for testing, providing different perspectives. By aggregating the test results, the different mindsets are combined, making the app more likely to succeed. Referring to James Surowiecki, the author of the book The Wisdom of the Crowds, the collective opinion of a group of individuals has proven to be of greater value than the opinion of a single expert, in this case the developer.Adding to that, the developer’s biased opinion must be taken into consideration. Since the app is created by the developer, he or she may be more prone to overlooking defects. It is a similar case with parents. When it comes to their children, they have a hard time accepting criticisms and opinions that differ from their own, although they know that their children are not perfect. In crowdtesting, this type of bias or organizational blindness is prevented – with your help. That is why you should not let your prior IT knowledge stop you from becoming a tester. At Testbirds, everyone can become a tester and make money by testing software.For more information, take a look at Testbirds’ Nest: https://nest.testbirds.com/home/client/crowd
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Testbirds specialises in the testing of software such as apps, websites and Internet of Things applications by using innovative technologies and solutions. Under the slogan, “Testing Reality”, the company offers various testing methods to its clients looking to optimise the user-friendliness and functionality of their digital products. With over 250,000 registered testers located in 193 countries, Testbirds is one of the world’s leading crowdtesting providers. In addition, the IT service provider utilises cloud based technologies to support customers in the optimisation of their digital products. The combination of the two testing methods delivers a unique and extensive portfolio that takes the quality of software to the next level. Testbirds was founded in 2011 by Philipp Benkler, Georg Hansbauer and Markus Steinhauser. Today, the company has over 100 employees. Other than its headquarters in Munich, there are now offices in Amsterdam, London and Stockholm, franchises in Hungary and Russia and sales partners in Italy.
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