ICT system tester

Description

ICT system testers perform testing activities and some test planning activities. They may also debug and repair ICT systems and components although this mainly corresponds to designers and developers. They ensure that all systems and components function properly before delivering them to internal and external clients.

Excludes people performing managerial activities.

Other titles

The following job titles also refer to ICT system tester:

ICT systems testers
ICT systems tester
ICT systems test engineer
systems tester
IT system tester

Minimum qualifications

Bachelor’s degree is generally required to work as ICT system tester. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

ISCO skill level

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

  • the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
  • the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
  • the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

ICT system tester is a Skill level 4 occupation.

ICT system tester career path

Similar occupations

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to ICT system tester.

ICT integration tester
digital games tester
ICT test analyst
ICT accessibility tester
ICT usability tester

Long term prospects

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of ICT system tester. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of ICT system tester with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

Essential knowledge and skills

Essential knowledge

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of ICT system tester.

Software anomalies: The deviations of what is standard and exceptional events during software system performance, identification of incidents that can alter the flow and the process of system execution.
Levels of software testing: The levels of testing in the software development process, such as unit testing, integration testing, system testing and acceptance testing.
Systems theory: The principles that can be applied to all types of systems at all hierarchical levels, which describe the system’s internal organisation, its mechanisms of maintaining identity and stability and achieving adaptation and self-regulation and its dependencies and interaction with the environment.

Essential skills and competences

These skills are necessary for the role of ICT system tester.

Report test findings: Report test results with a focus on findings and recommendations, differentiating results by levels of severity. Include relevant information from the test plan and outline the test methodologies, using metrics, tables, and visual methods to clarify where needed.
Provide software testing documentation: Describe software testing procedures to the technical team and the analysis of test outcomes to users and clients in order to inform them about the state and efficiency of software.
Execute software tests: Perform tests to ensure that a software product will perform flawlessly under the specified customer requirements, using specialised software tools. Apply software testing techniques and tools in order to identify software defects (bugs) and malfunctions.
Address problems critically: Identify the strengths and weaknesses of various abstract, rational concepts, such as issues, opinions, and approaches related to a specific problematic situation in order to formulate solutions and alternative methods of tackling the situation.
Apply ict systems theory: Implement principles of ICT systems theory in order to explain and document system characteristics that can be applied universally to other systems
Manage system testing: Select, perform and track testings on software or hardware to detect system defects both within the integrated system units, the inter-assemblages and the system as a whole. Organise testings such as installation testing, security testing and graphical user interface testing.
Identify ict system weaknesses: Analyse the system and network architecture, hardware and software components and data in order to identify weaknesses and vulnerability to intrusions or attacks.
Replicate customer software issues: Use specialised tools to replicate and analyse the conditions that caused the set of software states or outputs reported by the customer in order to provide adequate solutions.
Perform security vulnerability assessments: Execute types of security testing, such as network penetration testing, wireless testing, code reviews, wireless and/or firewall assessments in accordance with industry-accepted methods and protocols to identify and analyse potential vulnerabilities.

Optional knowledge and skills

Optional knowledge

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of ICT system tester. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Agile project management: The agile project management approach is a methodology for planning, managing and overseeing of ICT resources in order to meet specific goals and using project management ICT tools.
Mdx: The computer language MDX is a query language for retrieval of information from a database and of documents containing the needed information. It is developed by the software company Microsoft.
Xquery: The computer language XQuery is a query language for retrieval of information from a database and of documents containing the needed information. It is developed by the international standards organisation World Wide Web Consortium.
Sparql: The computer language SPARQL is a query language for retrieval of information from a database and of documents containing the needed information. It is developed by the international standards organisation World Wide Web Consortium.
Ict debugging tools: The ICT tools used to test and debug programs and software code, such as GNU Debugger (GDB), Intel Debugger (IDB), Microsoft Visual Studio Debugger, Valgrind and WinDbg.
Ict system integration: The principles of integrating ICT components and products from a number of sources to create an operational ICT system, techniques which ensure interoperability and interfaces between components and the system.
Tools for ict test automation: The specialised software to execute or control tests and compare predicted testing outputs with actual testing results such as Selenium, QTP and LoadRunner
Resource description framework query language: The query languages such as SPARQL which are used to retrieve and manipulate data stored in Resource Description Framework format (RDF).
Query languages: The field of standardised computer languages for retrieval of information from a database and of documents containing the needed information.
Ldap: The computer language LDAP is a query language for retrieval of information from a database and of documents containing the needed information.
Ict system programming: The methods and tools required to develop system software, specifications of system architectures and interfacing techniques between network and system modules and components.
Ict project management methodologies: The methodologies or models for planning, managing and overseeing of ICT resources in order to meet specific goals, such methodologies are Waterfall, Incremental, V-Model, Scrum or Agile and using project management ICT tools.
Linq: The computer language LINQ is a query language for retrieval of information from a database and of documents containing the needed information. It is developed by the software company Microsoft.
Process-based management: The process-based management approach is a methodology for planning, managing and overseeing of ICT resources in order to meet specific goals and using project management ICT tools.
Lean project management: The lean project management approach is a methodology for planning, managing and overseeing of ICT resources in order to meet specific goals and using project management ICT tools.
N1ql: The computer language N1QL is a query language for retrieval of information from a database and of documents containing the needed information. It is developed by the software company Couchbase.
Ict network simulation: The methods and tools which enable modelling of the ICT network behaviour by calculating the data exchange among entities or capturing and reproducing characteristics from a functioning network.

Optional skills and competences

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of ICT system tester. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Manage schedule of tasks: Maintain an overview of all the incoming tasks in order to prioritise the tasks, plan their execution, and integrate new tasks as they present themselves.
Debug software: Repair computer code by analysing testing results, locating the defects causing the software to output an incorrect or unexpected result and removing these faults.
Use scripting programming: Utilise specialised ICT tools to create computer code that is interpreted by the corresponding run-time environments in order to extend applications and automate common computer operations. Use programming languages which support this method such as Unix Shell scripts, JavaScript, Python and Ruby.
Develop automated software tests: Create software test sets in an automated manner, ​using specialised languages or tools, that can be performed by testing tools in order to save resources, gain efficiency and effectiveness in test execution.
Develop ict test suite: Create a series of test cases to check software behaviour versus specifications. These test cases are then to be used during subsequent testing.
Monitor system performance: Measure system reliability and performance before, during and after component integration and during system operation and maintenance. Select and use performance monitoring tools and techniques, such as special software.
Conduct ict code review: Examine and review systematically computer source code to identify errors in any stage of development and to improve the overall software quality.
Solve ict system problems: Identify potential component malfunctions. Monitor, document and communicate about incidents. Deploy appropriate resources with minimal outage and deploy appropriate diagnostic tools.
Measure software usability: Check the convenience of the software product for the end user. Identify user problems and make adjustments to improve usability practice. Collect input data on how users evaluate software products.
Give live presentation: Deliver a speech or talk in which a new product, service, idea, or piece of work is demonstrated and explained to an audience.
Execute integration testing: Perform testing of system or software components grouped in multiple ways to evaluate their ability to interconnect, their interface and their ability to provide global functionality.
Perform software recovery testing: Execute testing using specialised software tools to force failure of software in a variety of ways and checking how fast and better the software can recover against any type of crash or failure.

ISCO group and title

2519 – Software and applications developers and analysts not elsewhere classified

 

 


 

 

References
  1. ICT system tester – ESCO
Last updated on August 8, 2022