Use of Non-IT Testers in Software Development

Because of a shortage of IT specialists, many companies which are not involved in software development business are forced to use employees who have minimal or no any knowledge about software development as testers. The author of this paper has used years of experience in working with such testers to provide a description of them, looking also at their most typical testing styles and the problems which occur for testers, their colleagues and bosses, and the overall software development processes. Non-IT testers often feel like second-class employees, because they are forced to work in an environment in which they do not have sufficient skills. This paper reviews issues which should be taken into account when training these testers, including the question of what exactly they should be taught. Examples and conclusions are used to provide advice on the more effective use of non-IT testers to achieve positive results.