Quality Analyst Interview Questions and Answers

In FY23, the Indian IT industry created around 290,000 new jobs, increasing the workforce to more than 5.4 million. This expansion highlights the need for qualified workers in cutting-edge fields and demonstrates the expanding role of technology across several businesses. Quality analysts play a vital role in the IT industry. QA is known to directly affect the customer experience, which will soon overshadow price and product as the key brand differentiator. In this quality analyst interview questions blog, we have enlisted 30 questions with answers to help you learn about coding interviews and develop the right skills. 

Quality Analyst Interview Questions For Entry-Level Candidates

Gaining employment in this field requires having a firm grasp of quality analyst interview questions. This part explores basic ideas and typical interview questions that test your logical abilities and problem-solving skills. These questions are a good place to start if you’re a fresher looking to start your career as a quality analyst.

Q1. What is the difference between severity and priority?

Sample Answer: Severity is the degree of difficulty in resolving the problem. Priority refers to the importance of resolving the problem. An issue is not always a high priority just because it is high severity and vice versa. 

Q2. When should QA start?

Sample Answer: QA should start as soon as possible. More problems are avoided later in the software development cycle when the earlier QA analysts, QA testers, and QA team leads become involved in the process. It is possible to do static testing before the software is completely operational. 

Q3. What is a bug?

Sample Answer: Any error, mistake, or malfunction in software code that hinders the proper operation of the program is referred to as a bug. Coding mistakes, misunderstandings of requirements, or poor communication can result in bugs. Typically, bugs are discovered during the testing stage, either by human or automated testing. In a ticketing system, bugs are submitted as tickets that include pertinent details including how to reproduce the issue, expected and actual results, and the bug’s severity and priority.

Q4. What is the difference between Assert and Verify commands in test automation?

Sample Answer: Both Assert and Verify are used to validate expected conditions during test execution. They are essential for ensuring that the application under test behaves as expected. 

The main difference between the Assert and Verify commands is:

• Assert: If the condition fails, the test is aborted, and the remaining tests are skipped. Assertions are used to validate the expected result of a test step or test.
• Verify: If the condition fails, the test continues to run and logs the failure. Verifies are also known as soft assertions. 

Also Read: Interview Questions for Freshers

Q5. What is a test plan? 

Sample Answer: A document that describes the specifics of the proposed test is called a test plan. Before testing starts, it outlines the necessary responsibilities, possible hazards and solutions, and resources that will be used.

Q6. What would you include in an automation test plan?

Sample Answer: The scope, goals, objectives, resource planning, estimations, and roles of every team member are all described in a test automation plan. It also includes a backup plan and possible hazards. Making an automation testing strategy is a big undertaking, but you don’t have to go into every detail. Instead, list some essential elements of a test plan. For example, talk about how the plan should describe the test automation’s design, implementation, defect management, and reporting.

Q7. What is the difference between quality assurance, quality control, and quality testing?

Sample Answer: The way a team and organization manage the test process is planned by quality assurance. Quality control identifies flaws in the software and makes recommendations for improvement. The procedure by which quality control and assurance identify errors is called testing. While QC tests the program and logs issues by the specified format, QA establishes the criteria for bug reporting in software testing. 

If QC determines that more information (such as a likely root cause) is required, QA can revise the standards to enhance problem reports in the future. Quality assurance plans how a team and organization handle the testing process. Software defects are found by quality control, which also offers suggestions for enhancements. Testing is the process used by quality assurance and control to find mistakes.

Q8. What is a test strategy?

Sample Answer: A high-level document that describes the methodology, goals, and techniques for software testing is called a test strategy. It serves as a roadmap that directs the testing team and is necessary to guarantee that all significant features of the program are verified.

A test strategy is crucial because it: 

• Aids in risk identification and testing scope definition.
• Simplifies resource allocation and aids in setting priorities.
• Describes the procedures, equipment, and schedules required to produce a high-quality product.

Q9. What do you think are some advantages of manual testing?

Sample Answer: The following are the benefits of manual testing:

• As compared to automated testing, it may be less costly.
• Learning how to conduct a manual test can be simpler for teams or individuals who are new to QA, allowing for a quicker rollout.
• Similarly, for short-term projects where test scripts won’t be utilized frequently, manual testing can be excellent.
• When conducting manual testing, you can examine the product from the perspective of the end user.
• Automating the GUI’s visual accessibility and preferences can be challenging, but testing it manually can seem more natural and produce more accurate results.

Q10. When you find a bug in production, how do you ensure the bug gets resolved?

Sample Answer: Writing a test case for the defect and doing a regression test right away is the best plan of action. In this manner, the software should be properly tested for that bug in all subsequent testing.

Quality Analyst Interview Questions for Mid-Level Candidates

We will discuss mid-level quality analyst interview questions and answers intended for seasoned workers in this section. Gaining an understanding of these types of questions will help you effectively address real-world problems and prove your QA proficiency in interviews.

Q11. Can you describe a time when you identified a significant issue during testing and how you addressed it?

Sample Answer: During regression testing for a prior project, I found a security flaw. After I reported the problem to the development team and documented it, we collaborated to prioritize a solution. A more robust security mechanism was implemented as a result of my suggestion to assess similar functionalities to prevent future instances.

Q12. How do you determine which test cases to automate and which to perform manually?

Sample Answer: Regression tests, performance tests, data-driven tests, complicated test cases, API tests, integration tests, and cross-browser testing are a few test kinds that can be automated. Since not everything can be automated, manual testing is still crucial. 

Ad hoc tests benefit from manual testing, particularly when there are short turnaround times or newly added features that aren’t yet automated. For exploratory work, complicated scenarios, UI/UX inspections, and situations requiring human judgment, manual testing is preferable. 

You can use a combination of manual and automated testing to optimize your testing strategy and improve your software quality. This hybrid approach ensures that the application is thoroughly tested.

Q13. What is quality assurance? Give a real-life example of quality assurance in software development.

Sample Answer: In software development, quality assurance (QA) is the process of confirming that software products fulfill quality standards and requirements by examining their security, usability, performance, and functionality. The QA team testing a mobile banking app before it is released to ensure that it functions properly on both the front end and the back end is a real-world example. 

On the front end, they verify that the user can log in, examine account balances, move money, and make payments; on the back end, they evaluate the code modules’ ability to communicate with one another. The development team promptly fixes any bugs that are discovered after the QA team records and reports them. The QA team then re-runs the test to confirm that the bug has been resolved and to validate that no new bugs arise.

Q14. What is your experience with automation testing tools?

Sample Answer: Rewriting tests from a manual format or text editor into executable automation code is known as automation testing. Writing, executing, debugging, and reporting test scripts are all made easier with the help of automation testing tools. Additionally, it must be compatible with important DevOps tools like containers, CI, and test and defect management.

Test automation tools are divided into different categories based on the application:

• Types of applications: Desktop, mobile, online, and API
• Application layer: API and user interface

Typical names according to the application kind include the following in regards to different categories:

• Testing web services and APIs: Katalon, SoapUI, and Postman
• Web UI testing: Cypress, TestComplete, Ranorex, and Katalon
• Mobile testing tools: Appium, XCUITest, Katalon, and TestComplete

Q15. What is your approach to test planning? Compare test plan vs test strategy. 

Sample Answer: A test strategy outlines a project’s or organization’s overall testing approach, whereas a test plan offers comprehensive guidance on how to carry out testing tasks.

Test Strategy: The scope, results, and methodology of the testing are described in this high-level document. Along with the overall testing schedule, it outlines the testing approaches, tools, and techniques to be employed. Usually created by the project management before the start of development, a test strategy is founded on predetermined standards.

Test Plan: A practical reference that offers comprehensive instructions and standards for carrying out testing tasks. It describes the methodology, goals, resources, timetable, and scope of testing a particular project or product. A test plan is usually dynamic and adaptable and is based on the test strategy.

For efficient project management and testing, both documents are necessary. Having a test plan can help prevent confusion about how to perform testing and what results to anticipate. A sound testing plan can assist in finding defects, guarantee software usability, and promote ongoing process improvement. 

Q16. What is exploratory testing?

Sample Answer: Exploratory testing is a testing methodology that combines test design, execution, and learning all at once. It is utilized when there is a requirement to identify problems not yet addressed by pre-existing test cases and when there is no established test plan or script. Experienced testers usually conduct exploratory testing using their creativity, intuition, and domain expertise to find software flaws.

Q17. What is Agile testing and the importance of Agile testing?

Sample Answer: Agile testing is a testing strategy that supports the Agile software development technique, which prioritizes quick iterations, cooperation, and ongoing feedback. Agile testing incorporates testing into the development process and conducts iterative, continuous testing throughout the product lifecycle. To guarantee that the published software satisfies client needs and is of high quality, Agile testing incorporates the entire team, including developers, testers, and stakeholders. 

Agile testing is crucial because it can identify flaws early in the development cycle, providing teams with plenty of opportunity to troubleshoot. Additionally, it permits ongoing testing of the application during the development cycle, allowing teams to react swiftly to evolving client needs and input.

Q18. Explain stress testing, load testing, and volume testing.

Sample Answer: Non-functional testing methods like load, volume, and stress testing are used to evaluate an application’s performance in real-world situations. Stress testing exposes the application to harsh circumstances outside of its typical working range. When problems arise, the developers can better handle system damage thanks to the information gained from stress testing sessions.

In load testing, the application is tested under various user load scenarios to see how effectively the system can manage typical traffic volumes. Performance bottlenecks including memory leaks, high CPU utilization, and sluggish response times can be found with load testing.

To assess an application’s ability to handle data processing, volume testing entails putting it through a lot of data. It looks for performance problems that can arise when an application processes a lot of data, like sluggish response times, corrupted data, and lost data. 

Q19. What is performance testing?

Sample Answer: Performance testing assesses how well the system performs under various workload scenarios, including responsiveness, scalability, stability, and speed. Its objective is to ascertain the behavior of the program in both typical and extreme usage situations, such as concurrent user interactions, heavy user traffic, or massive data volumes. Performance testing data is utilized to find and fix bottlenecks, improve system performance, and improve user experience.

Q20. What is accessibility testing?

Sample Answer: The process of assessing a software program or website’s usability for all users, including those with disabilities like visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive impairments, is known as accessibility testing. It evaluates how well the app works with assistive technology, including speech recognition software, screen readers, and magnifiers.

Quality Analyst Interview Questions and Answers For Expert-Level Candidates

We will discuss expert-level quality analyst interview questions with answers in this section. Quality analyst interviews are designed to probe not only your technical expertise but also your problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, and communication skills. The questions here focus more on your technical proficiency, along with process and methodology questions.

Q21. How do you perform visual testing?

Sample Answer: In manual visual testing, the web page’s layout and user interface components are examined by hand by the tester. Here, the tester must manually take screenshots or snapshots and compare them to baseline snapshots to identify any discrepancies and validate them for the team.

Q22. What are the key components of a good test case?

Sample Answer: Here are some key components of a good test case:

• Accuracy: The test case should be specific about what it’s testing and accurate. 
• Simplicity: The test case should be clear and simple so that any tester can understand it. 
• Repeatability: The test case should be able to be used to perform the test multiple times. 
• Reusability: The test case should be able to be reused to perform the test again in the future.
• Traceability: The test case should be traceable to requirements. 
• Independence: The test case should be able to be executed in any order without depending on other test cases.
• Test coverage: The test cases should cover each capability and component in the SRS document.

Q23. Explain API Testing and show your approach to API Testing.

Sample Answer: API testing is the process by which functionality, reliability, performance, as well as security, are verified and validated in the application programming interfaces. APIs serve as middlemen between software applications; they enable the former to interact and exchange data with one another. 

The main objective of testing an API is to verify that it provides the expected result, satisfies business needs, and allows for smooth interconnection between systems. Unlike traditional UI testing, API testing operates at the business logic layer and thus is very important for identifying problems at the correct phases of the development lifecycle.

API Testing Approach

• API Specifications Understanding: Understand the API documentation very well. Understand what endpoints, request methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, etc.), request/response formats, authentication mechanisms, headers, and any error codes are concerned.
• Test Scenarios: Determine test cases based on business requirements and API functionality. Include positive tests (valid inputs yielding expected outputs) and negative tests (handling of invalid inputs, edge cases, and error conditions).
• Set Up Test Environment: Configure the testing environment, ensuring the API is deployed, the database is accessible, and all dependencies (e.g., services, network) are functioning. Use tools like Postman, REST Assured, or SoapUI for setup.

Q24. What is your approach to identifying and reporting defects?

Sample Answer: Many QA testers do the following actions to find and report recently discovered flaws:

• Recreate the flaw and collect pertinent data, including system specifications, screenshots, logs, and reproduction instructions.
• Based on how the flaw affects the program and users, assign it a severity rating.
• Enter the flaw in a tracking tool together with a detailed description, the predicted and actual outcomes, and the methods to replicate it.
• Inform the development team of the flaw and work with them to determine the underlying cause and possible fixes.
• Continue to monitor the flaw until it has been addressed.

Q25. How can software QA processes be implemented without stifling productivity?

Sample Answer: Implement QA procedures gradually. Use consensus to agree on procedures, and as a company develops and grows, make adjustments and try new things. Rather than being suppressed, productivity will be increased. Problem detection will be less necessary if problems are prevented. Focus will be better, less effort will be wasted, and there will be fewer panic attacks and burnouts. 

At the same time, efforts should be made to make procedures straightforward and effective, reduce paperwork, encourage computer-based procedures and automated tracking and reporting, cut down on meeting time, and encourage training as a component of the quality assurance process. But bureaucracy is disliked by everyone, especially skilled technical types, and it may cause things to slow down a little in the short term. Typically, additional days of preparation and development will be needed, but less time will be required for late-night bug fixing.

BPO Quality Analyst Interview Questions with Answers

It’s beneficial to study standard quality analyst interview questions if you have an impending interview for a business process outsourcing (BPO) quality analyst position so you can prepare answers that highlight your qualifications. The interviewer can ascertain if you would succeed in this role by posing unique behavioral questions.

Q26. What do you mean by inbound and outbound services?

Sample Answer: Calls made by clients and potential clients are handled by inbound services. These calls may be about problems the customer is having making an order or with a product or service. Telephone answering, order processing, dispatch, and help desk services are examples of inbound services.

Sales are the main focus of outbound services. Instead of answering calls from current and potential clients, representatives make the calls. These consist of services including market research, survey outreach, charity fundraising, telesales and telemarketing sales, and post-sales follow-ups.

Q27. How would you handle a situation in which one of your coworkers highlights your mistakes in front of everyone?

Sample Answer: I would politely acknowledge my error and then outline the steps I would take to make it right. Later, I would approach my coworker to express my gratitude for alerting me to the error and to let them know that I would prefer it if they informed me about it individually.

Also Read: BPO Interview Questions and Answers

Q28. Could you tell me about an instance in which you had to provide difficult feedback to a co-worker?

Sample Answer: On a project we were working on together, I once had to give a coworker some tough criticism because they kept missing deadlines. Since it was interfering with the team’s ability to fulfill deadlines, I recognized this was a severe problem. I set up a meeting with the colleague to talk about the problem and explain how the team was being affected by their missed deadlines. 

I took care to hear their point of view and make an effort to comprehend any difficulties they were having that might be causing the problem. In the end, we devised a strategy to establish precise due dates and communicate with one another frequently to make sure we were fulfilling them. Because of these comments and our efforts to address the issue, the coworker’s performance improved and we were able to complete the project on time.

Q29. What are test scripts? 

Sample Answer: Testing scripts are step-by-step instructions that detail an entire procedure of testing a test case, with individual steps to check and verify each functionality. It is a software program where different tests are performed on various software products or applications. Testers must write and run these scripts to check whether the application meets the business requirements.

Q30. How have you used data to improve a product or process?

Sample Answer: In one of my prior positions, I used data analysis to enhance our company’s television subscription service to meet client needs better. We found that our consumers were more likely to use the subscription service to watch something else when they saw suggestions on their screen after pausing what they were watching. After collecting the data, we were able to implement this discovery throughout our screening service.

Conclusion

A thorough comprehension of quality standards, problem-solving skills, and good communication abilities are necessary to succeed in a quality analyst interview. You will be a strong candidate if you can show that you are eager to learn and adapt and take a proactive approach to upholding and enhancing quality standards. Gaining proficiency in these quality analyst interview questions will enable you to enter the BPO industry or any other IT sector as a quality analyst with assurance and help your team and company succeed. If you are interested in working in the field of data science, check out the data science coding interview questions and answers to gain more insights.