The Human Factors of the Agile Software Tester

Although there has been extensive research on the technological aspects of the software testers, little investigation has been conducted within human factors determinant for the software testing role. The current paper explores the human factors of the software testers working in agile projects, through a qualitative study focusing on the perception of these factors, in a software service company. We interviewed 13 agile team members; 6 testers, 5 developers, and 2 designers. Additionally, we observed 11 meetings and observed the teams at work. Our results show that the following six traits are pivotal for the software testing role, seen by working agile software professionals: able to see the whole picture, having good communication skills, being detailed-oriented, structured, creative, and adaptable. Based on our results, we propose how organizations may think when recruiting agile software testers, how the traits may be used as a reference for those considering a software testing career.