Situational Questions

Question 1

You have reported the bug to development and they say that it is not reproducible and request it to be closed. What do you think is the right thing to do?

Answer 1

• I’d try to reproduce it again on my computer
• If it is reproducible, I would try other computers.
• I would also try it on a developer machine.
• If it is not reproducible, I would need to check if the following is the same: build number, windows version, for web applications browser version.
• If it is still not reproducible, I would ask the developer to install a debugger on my machine, and step by step see how each line of code will work.
• If it won’t help, close the bug, it is not reproducible.

Question 2

How do you know if the bug you found is a hardware or software problem?

Answer 2

I would try to recreate the same test on another machine.

For example, if Text Editor does not print text on my printer, but does print on another machine, then it’s my hardware (or driver) problem. And if this function does not work on any other equipment, it is most likely a software problem.

Question 3

Is it possible to automate video games?

Answer 3

1: Ask a developer to replace the random number generator with a data file with known numbers. Each number associated with a specific game behavior. Based on that, test automation will deal with predictable conditions for each test case. • Solution for problem

There are 2 problems with video game automation:

1. Usually, the behavior of the game is random (you don’’t know to what side the ball is going to roll, right?) and defined by a random number generator. An automation tool on the other hand, works only for situations that are predictable. That is the first challenge.
2. While regular graphical user interfaces (GUI) of software applications contain standard window controls (command buttons, checkboxes, radio buttons, etc.), game’s GUI objects are normally custom images. Test automation tool won’’t recognize custom controls and define them as Generic or Custom. As a result, the ability to work with such objects for automation tool is limited. A: Start with acknowledging both challenges.

See T above. • Solution for problem

Question 4

The bug you reported is fixed. You are testing a new build of the application. Describe what you would do to make sure:

• The bug was really fixed
• Nothing else in the same area is broken

T: The interviewer is wondering if you understand the concept of regression testing

Answer 4

• Make all the steps to reproduce the bug again.
• Exercise major functionality in related feature areas

Question 5

A Software program prints labels on boxes with text in them and there are 6 label styles to choose from. For text the point sizes available for both portrait and landscape are 8, 12, 24, 36 and 48. You need to test every label style and point size combination for both portrait and landscape. How would you test this? How would you track that you had tested all combinations?

T: The interviewer is wondering if you can create a traceability matrix

Answer 5

Draw the matrix as below:

Question 6

Is an “A fast database retrieval rate” a testable requirement?

Answer 6

No, it is not. ‘Fast’ is subjective and needs to be defined in measurable terms. Whatever appears fast for a client-server accounting application might be dead slow for air traffic control software.

Question 7

Realizing you won’t be able to test everything - how do you decide what to test first?

T: The interviewer is wondering if you can prioritize your tasks

Answer 7

A: I would prioritize my tasks by risk. Risk has 2 components: Impact and Likelihood.

1. Impact - is how heavily the failure of test case will affect the system.
2. Likelihood - how likely it will happen (probability)

For each test case (or requirement) I will assign 2 variables: Impact and Likelihood. Then I will build a graph with 2 axes (Impact and Likelihood) and put all my test cases there.

1. First priority would be the test cases that have both high Impact and Likelihood.
2. Second those test cases that have high Impact, but low Likelihood
3. Third those test cases that have high Likelihood but low Impact
4. Fourth the remainder.

Question 8

What do you prefer black box or white box testing? The question also might sound like:

• What do you prefer; coding or testing?
• What do you like more manual or automated testing

T: Be wary of this question. If your answer will be ‘I like manual testing’ only, it looks like you don’t know how to code and create automated scripts. On the other hand if you would answer ‘I like automated testing more’, it creates an impression that you will leave when you find a position that involves an automation or development.

Answer 8

Right now I am applying for the black box manual tester position. At the same time I know test automation, which prepares me for the future as I would be interested in doing some white box testing or test automation. But it is not tomorrow, it is not what I am looking for right now.

Question 9

Write a simple test plan to test the following dialog box:

T : The interviewer wants to see your ability to identify test cases