When an interviewer asks, “How would you test a login page?” It feels like a simple question. Most engineers respond by immediately listing test cases: “I’d test a valid username and password, an invalid password, a locked account…”
This is the #1 mistake. It’s a reactive, checklist-style answer, and it fails to demonstrate what senior interviewers are truly looking for: strategic thinking.
A great answer isn't just a list of tests; it's a demonstration of your entire problem-solving process. You need to show that you are not just a tester, but a quality strategist. The key is to stop thinking about test cases and start thinking in terms of a testing framework.
I call it the "TESTED" framework, and it’s a systematic way to structure your answer for any "How would you test X?" scenario.
- T - Talk & Understand: Before you say anything else, ask clarifying questions. What are the business requirements? Are there performance or security considerations? This shows you don't make assumptions.
- E - Enumerate Test Types: List the broad categories of testing you would perform (e.g., Functional, UI, API, Performance, Security). This proves you think about quality from multiple dimensions.
- S - Strategize & Scope: Explain how you would prioritize your tests based on risk. What is the most critical user path that must work?
- T - Test Cases & Scenarios: Now you can provide a few high-impact examples of test cases (positive, negative, and edge cases).
- E - Environment, Tools & Data: Briefly describe the setup you would need.
- D - Define Success: Explain how you would measure the success of your testing effort.
By using a structured approach like this, you transform your answer from a simple list into a compelling demonstration of your professional process. You show the interviewer not just what you would test, but how you think—and that is what gets you the offer.
Found this helpful? My upcoming book, The SDET Playbook, goes into much greater detail on this and other frameworks. To get a FREE sample chapter that does a deep dive on the "TESTED" framework, sign up for my free 5-day SDET Interview Crash Course at: https://www.thesdetplaybook.com
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