Table of Contents
You might have an idea who the SDETs are and the essential skills that are required to become an SDET. However, just when you have got the role of an SDET (which you always wanted) your journey won’t end there. Though Software developers in test (SDETs) are one of the most important parts of the tech industry there are certain behaviors or should we say “strategies” that are crucial to gaining more success in the role of SDET. So let’s discuss what makes an SDET an SDET a great individual. Continue reading the following for more information.
1- Improve Your development skills
Learning about the popular testing APIs is crucial to becoming an SDET for sure. While you can learn from platforms like WEDEVX’s SDET certification program you shouldn’t just rely on learning for once. Even if you choose to learn from some other platform, you will be suggested to have a better grip on software development skills as well. If your goal is to become more proficient in the field then have a firm grip on programming logic and concepts.
The later stages of your job especially for larger projects from bigger tech companies are more focused on object-oriented programming, more structured decisions, and data structures alongside structured reptency. You should focus on clean coding practices along with the design patterns as they play an important role in maintenance, reusability, and extendability.
2- Look beyond Testing and Development
Software testing and quality assurance are undoubtedly one of the most important parts of the software development cycle. However, these days quality assurance is more than important and it is a strategy for the organization. It is apart from the regular testing that is conducted to validate. As an SDET, you will need to understand and pay attention to identify the risks and problems within an application or software. Just like manual testers, the SDETs should assess the software according to the user’s point of view to provide a better user experience for human users.
Furthermore, the business stakeholder perspective should be overlooked. It can significantly boost their efficiency and productivity. This perspective requires them to understand that they don’t need entire technical downloads and test codes. Stakeholders always look for the big picture so you should be providing this during the key meetings and presentations. This will put both parties on the same platforms and they will understand the same language.
3- Understanding To Be intentions
Ameture SDETs who have just learned automation will go for automating for their every project. Or any project that can be automated. This is because they believe that automating every bit of the project is better without knowing the consequences.
However, eliminating manual testing in this way isn’t possible. Experienced SDETs understand that blindly going for automation of projects can be risky. Fully Automating the app testing can cause more problems than it solves. This is the reason why they intentionally make decisions to automate their tests and ensure that their selections align with their end goal.
4- Simplify And Automate Your Product’s Tech Setup
Automating the software at the UI layer can be a risky task according to the seasoned SDETs. This is the reason they do it only when it is crucial and they do it by sparing it from the rest. They understand that they should be relying on the more reliable parts of the software to automate for better results.
They will always look for the part of the software that will help them to conduct faster target testing. Unit and service layer testing is a good choice according to them and they won’t even hesitate to conduct any. This will require them to opt for having better knowledge of multiple knowledge tools and experience to use them accordingly.
5- Explore New Automation Tools
While opting for SDET certification, you will learn about at least one automation tool. However, becoming a proficient SDET requires you to be familiar with different automation tools. Continuously expand your toolset experience by learning their importance and working. Several forums often feature inquiries about repurposing tools like Selenium WebDriver for varied tasks.
Professional SDETs will understand and learn to assess them according to their problem. Rather than fitting every challenge to a familiar tool, they select tools based on specific needs. This enhances their problem-solving mind and teaches them how to think out of the box.
Bonus tips: Improve Collaboration
One of the best things about the experienced SDETs is that they know that they aren’t here only for automation. They will always focus on strategy before planning the automating their project. To strategize their automation they will collaborate with other important individuals as well. This will include manual testers as well. The importance of manual testers still cannot be overlooked by them because they know about the application much deeper and they can help the SDETs to come up with the right strategy for testing. The collaboration with them is extremely useful in determining what tests should be automated.
Related Posts:
Another valued collaboration is with the developers. Developers have dedicated knowledge about coding so they can help the SDETs not only with the code base about the test automation but the additional layers suitable for testing. Collaboration with the business analysts and product owners also provides value to SDETs as well. They can help the students understand the importance of certain features in the application and how they will be used. They can provide comprehensive information about the customers and how they are using these features. All of this information is valuable in understanding and creating a strategy for automation.
Importance Of Becoming A Professional SDET
Yes, becoming an SDET can be a rewarding career but becoming an SDET isn’t just enough. Your growth and success in becoming a proficient SDET matter a lot for you because:
You can bridge the gap between development and testing at a larger scale. As an SDET, you will be considered the software world’s Swiss army knife. You can code like a developer and test like a QA expert. However, mastering both will result in even more valuable projects on a larger scale. You can play a crucial role in a software development lifecycle.
Another thing is the multiple skills learning. Let’s face it, being a one-trick pony will not help you sustain in today’s competitive tech landscape. By becoming an SDET, you open doors to a plethora of opportunities. Whether you aspire to climb the corporate ladder, dive into cutting-edge technologies, or explore leadership roles, the SDET path provides a solid foundation for future growth.
Bottom Line
SDETs are valued individuals in the tech industry. However, more than just becoming the SDET is needed. You should keep learning and understand how well you can continue further to become not only proficient in SDET but also a profitable investment for the organization. So you should not only focus on your SDET certification with SDET boot camps but instead focus on consistent learning to grow better. Becoming a better self of your current version will help you enjoy greater advantages and the organization will want to retain your experience for the future.
