What is the most important skill a software tester should have?

At the EuroSTAR Software Testing Conference in Manchester, after another very successful conference, we asked you, the software testing community, one question....
What is the most important skill a tester should have?
These are your answers from a conversation with Tony Bruce at EuroSTAR 2011 last November. Do you agree or disagree with the testers in this video? Let us know your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.
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[@robertkacala]

think like an idiot (regular customer)...it helps a lot :)

[@a.mubbashir]

0:33 Communication- Fred Beringer @fredberinger 1:14 Ability to Think 1:30 Analytical and Technical 1:50 Objective look, think(+1) and present his/her thought - Fiona Charles @FionaCCharles 2:20 Communication (+1) 2:30 Communication (+2) 3:20 (depends) Critical and Through (for some domain) 3:32 Passion and Enthusiasm 3:48 Knowing what battles to pick

[@FilipPandrc]

isn't communication +3 ?

[@minionsland]

according to me analysis the situation and Communication are main skills in testing .

[@thienhuynh5706]

There are so many important skills to be a Tester. In my opinion these 3 below skills are key. + critical thinking. + Problem solving. + Communication When you get bugs, you should try find out the problem behind the issue. What is logical, technical issues causing bugs, if you're able to find it down, you can describe the bug which is clearer and this is both Communication and Problem solving skills, when you're in rush situation, you need to know how to create solution and raise the current situation and testing solution that is suitable. Yeah there are more and more skills to say.

[@westsan]

Communication is a human skill, not a tester skill. Logic is important as well as curiosity regarding the product. But logic and a longer retention time for data is important.

[@robinweiss3750]

Tester is not a human?good to know, m8...:-)

[@texasmiller5781]

"Logic and curiosity about the product are important, as well as, data retention."

[@AverageDoggo]

Tell that to my instructor.

[@Love.Cook_Sanji]

Robin Weiss but not every human is a tester glad to know too mate 👍🏻

[@yottaXT]

i believe that you don't understand the level of communication they are trying to imply on that answer. Testers have to swap from a clueless end user to a product owner, software architect, a developer or a stakeholder, you need to change your mindset to *understand* every approach and then the rest of your skill set come in hand but not before.

[@haseebtechtutorals8099]

the most important skills for tester is to understand the requirement business logic,functional flow,impacts for completing work and communication is also important but communication doesn't have any priority in skills......tester work talk not a communication......................if someone good in communication but poor in knowledge then he/she cant be a professional tester.

[@Lektuerekurs]

All sensational points! I would also say "Communication" - and purely for the Tester (vs. Test Manager) I would add bonus skill, that was not important enough to be mentioned along the great points in the video: enjoy repetitive work every now and then. This is not meant negatively! Sometimes you have to repeat the same tasks and test cases days and weeks in a row, and that's okay, too. The last guy with the agile stuff is the best one though => use your head and heart and not some BS hype

[@shaikhaziz585]

I think the skill which tester needs is to think beyond a developer would think.

[@learnthenew3119]

Thanks to making such video from conferences.

[@koopjaap6012]

THE most important skill is the ability to get the best (most relevant) defects fixed

[@texasmiller5781]

The most important skill is an ability to get the most relevant defects fixed

[@faissrizz]

Understanding and Analyzing

[@j.jeventbalewadi6239]

Very nice solutions in this topic. .... Thanks. ....

[@charleslucas1784]

I agree that communication is the most important attribute of a Tester. Furthermore, have as much knowledge as possible of what you're going to test and ask questions, even if the question may sound "dumb" because you are the one responsible for saying yay or nay that either a certain software piece or the entire software is ready for production.

[@a.mubbashir]

I apologize in advance for the incorrect identification, please fell free to correct and add others :) And your can see @rosiesherry at 4:41 to 4:43 in the background :D

[@pumzile_]

Also dont doubt what u see. If ur not sure, ask.

[@brucemyklebust8886]

definetly a passion for testing!! but prey tell how is agile software dev. over rated?

[@alkesplastik5415]

back sound is louder than speakers it is disturb, but overall can be undaerstanding..

[@beeoneder6799]

I agree with what the last guy said. Agile has become a hype. Some testing fail because testers are forced to adapt to agile methodology. Truth hurts.

[@ysparrow1]

curiosity is the main ))

[@texasmiller5781]

Curiosity is paramount

[@rajeshkannah503]

Ability to think

[@user_____M]

First of all, you need to have a keen observation sense, second of all you need to have a talent for testing various possibilities, communication is useless without the first two.

[@danishpinay]

Thanks for this info. I am a new software tester 😊 good tips there.

[@SeXcLadii0000]

How did you land your first job as a software tester? Did you take courses before applying?

[@SkillsofAesthetics]

Depends, in my experience which is mostly bug detecting and reporting i would say communication which needs to be clear and effective but also the classic one which is eye for detail for improvements and finding the errors flaws bugs etc

[@edwardtaylor5411]

Looking to get into a new career at 41, any suggestions as I have no clue about this stuff.

[@jobmego1110]

Interesting that soft skills like communication and management got so many mentions...

[@appanna4054]

what they mean communication?DO they mean technical language which QA and IT PEople use?

[@JDJLalor]

@@appanna4054 Testers talk tech when it's appropriate. Communication will be about problems and solutions with stakeholders at various levels - development team, business analysts, higher management, customers.

[@yottaXT]

@@appanna4054 The *comunication* they mean is to be able to understand every level of approach to the product, from the end user to the stakeholder.

[@Advanceauto999]

The training is good I see about 20 or more doing this training, how many will get jobs is the question. With Agile and scrum being the new norm. I hope these training people are not churning out testers who will find it difficult to get jobs.

[@HarshKumar-js3jd]

pls avoid background sound. still good content

[@user-rm1ez3ku3y]

Good video

[@nataratafata-jh6kz]

is there a web site were I can study and practice testing?

[@nawang1980]

nataratafata0123 w3

[@juliebulletin5822]

CodingBat, Hacker rank

[@ExtraTerrestrials]

You need to be " pain in the ass " for your dev team lol. Ask as many questions as you can and prove your point

[@yottaXT]

That's the developer aproach normaly. The QA is more involved with the product owner as an extent of his capacity, so the QA most likely is just trying to build a better product.

[@nameless0073]

Me:Being able to see..... Literally🥴

[@divyangjani7600]

i think the analysis skill is the only thing

[@hpph5595]

i‘think software isvery importent job

[@AashishkumarSenthilkumar]

5:10 Me when my teacher ask me this question

[@mhdamayri2529]

I really didn't see that Agiel-hater coming.

[@augsburg81]

curiousity

[@hack001011]

Just automate everything.

[@alb8968]

curtis slepica can't be done, won't be done, shouldn't be done.

[@speedmilesgood]

C'est un français (le premier) ! xD Mais il parle avec un super accent anglais malgré quelques fois de voix bien Fr

[@EminoMeneko]

That sucks i'm not too much into spoken communication, but I speak better than the beared guy from what I hear.

[@sarahissa2109]

Grease quala exactly, just because someone speaks fluent English that doesn’t mean they’re smart.

[@TheKhan9191]

how i become a software developer how how how how plz tell me ?????

[@szervosz]

Get involved in any software developer's course is the key. Software developer is a broad term.

[@pithikoulis]

2:00 the irony?

[@Evil_Morty2000]

meanie

[@glapots]

How? Explain

[@Karimdelacreme]

What is the most important skill a software tester should have? Easy, Being able to piss of the developers :D

[@bezalkogolniy82]

beard is the most important

[@JustDoit-ts9od]

Cuteness at 2:25! Where does she work? :-)