Software Testing Diplomacy: A Tester’s Guide on How to Deal with Programmers!

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 "You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar."


Deliver the bitter medicine in a sugar-coated capsule:
Most of the times, as testers we are the bearer of bad news. We will have to tell the programmers that their baby(code) is ugly. And clearly, no mother will ever want to hear such a statement [irrespective of how ugly her baby really is]. Hence, I can understand how difficult it can be for the programmers to accept the fact that their code is defective and someone else has detected it. To deliver such a bad news, you will have to do so tactfully and professionally! Hence, testers may have to be diplomatic when confronting a programmer with a fundamental goof. Diplomacy, tact and a smile on the face - all can work to the tester’s advantage and are essential in preserving a harmonious relationship with the programmers.

Be unbiased:
While communicating, treat programmers and testers alike (e.g. refer them as "we" instead of "you". Make the programmers feel that they belong to us and together we are a team.). Restrain from any blame game. The programmers should not feel that they are being targeted for anything. I have seen that if the programmers are once convinced about the importance and the complexity of our job, they start respecting our craft. I often tell my programmers that because of them I earn my bread and butter and because of me their jobs are saved from getting sacked. It is essentially a symbiotic relationship between a tester and a programmer. And once the programmers realize this fact, gaining their cooperation becomes easy.

Maintain a sweet tongue:
Make sure that you don’t make the programmer embarrassed while reporting a defect in her code. They are also human beings who are prone to errors. It is quite natural for them to make mistakes. Do realize this and stop making your bug reports weapons of embarrassment for your programmer, every time you report a bug. To earn respect, start showing them respect. Above all else, watch your temper and leave aside your ego. As the old proverb warns us, "You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar." A little courtesy can go a long way towards building successful and long-lasting relationships. A balanced combination of humility and humor can be fruitful.

Source: Google, Software Testing Tricks

 Happy Learning !

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