Part 1 – TESTER SKILLS

As promised, part 1 in the ISTQB 4.0: FOCUS on the TESTERS SKILLSETS & impact on testing SAP.

Main message:

ISTQB upgraded the standards based on JOB POSTINGs!!!, indicating the skills & toolsets organizations look for when recruiting testers: critical thinking, analytical skills, collaboration, independence, pride in delivering quality products, teamwork, and certification. Knowledge of tool sets are not included any more.

ISTQB focuses on technical skills: Testing knowledge, technical knowledge, domain knowledge, analytical critical thinking. SAP testing requires understanding the transition from ECC to S4, including changes in business partners, personalized Fiori apps, and changes on Finance streaspects.

The ISTQB FL emphasizes personal skills, shifting towards a more holistic approach with less emphasis on technical skills. Effective communication, active listening, and being a team player are vital for testers. In SAP testing, testers should proactively understand the impact of changes on the business, leading to more focused testing.

Effective communication skills are crucial for testers, as they often deliver bad news or report defects. Testers need to communicate defects constructively and collaborate with business representatives to create suitable acceptance test scenarios. In SAP testing, testers act as detectors or preventers of weaknesses in the system and work closely with business users. They should have good knowledge of busness activities, SAP flows, and the appropriate stakeholders to interact with.

The ISTQB FL highlights collaboration and team skills, emphasizing the importance of working effectively in a team and contributing to team goals. Collaboration and communication within the team enhance team dynamics and create synergy among different skill sets. Testers also work with developers to define the test strategy and test automation approaches. In SAP testing, testers have specialized branches and have to respect cultural differences, particularly when working with offshore teams. Testers are not involved in deciding on test automation approaches or tools; this responsibility lies with the test manager and the assigned Test Automation Engineer.

While ISTQB places less emphasis on toolsets, the SAP testing perspective disagrees, considering the selection of the right toolset crucial for the test process. SAP-compliant test tools like Q test enhance traceability, transparency, and ease of use for reporting test results and system maturity, even accessible through online platforms and mobile devices.

Watch the video: