Manual Testing: Techniques and the age of AI

(1) Common Manual Testing Techniques.

Manual Testing -
->Manual testing is the process where tester or QA analysts execute test cases without any automated tools. It is the foundation of software quality. Here are the most common ways testers approach a product.

1. Black Box Testing:
   ->To verify the functionality of an application against the requirement specification is called as Black Box testing.
   ->In other words, you can simply tell the testing performed by the testers is called as Black Box testing.
   ->Black box testing is also called as functional testing or behavioral testing.

2. White Box Testing:
   ->Testing each and every line in code is called as White Box testing.
   ->Generally, this testing is done by developers.
   ->White Box testing is also called as open box testing or unit testing.

3.Exploratory Testing:
->Testing is performed in a manner without following a script, the tester explores the app like user perspective and trying to find bugs/defects.

4.Regression Testing:
->Regression testing is the process of re-running existing tests after a software change to ensure that the change hasn't broken any previously working functionality.

(2) Boundary Value Analysis(BVA).

->BVA is a technique based on the idea that errors are most likely to occur at the "boundaries" of input values rather than in the middle.

Eg:
->Enter the password in allotted field that accepts password between 8 and 16 characters.
-> We test in way like instead of testing 10 or 12 characters we need to test like below

. Minimum - 1 that is 8-1 = 7(just below) the minimum value(8), so its invalid password due to its just below the minimum.
. In the same way for Maximum + 1 that is 16+1 = 17(just above) the maximum value (16), so its invalid password due to its just above the maximum.

-> By focusing on these "edges" testers can find significant bugs with very few test cases.

(3) Decision Table Testing.

->Decision table testing is a black box testing technique that uses a simple structured table to test a system with complex business rules and multiple input combinations.
->This helps ensure that no possible scenario or logical paths are missed during testing

Eg:

(4) The Future of Manual Testing in the Age of AI.

-> I would not say manual testing is disappearing. It is evolving from repetitive clicking to high-level strategic thinking.
-> I would say AI handles the boring stuff. Repetitive tasks like regression testing, data entry and basic bug detection.
->In meantime, humans testers focus on areas AI can't master, such as user experience (UX), empathy, and complex problem solving.
->Finally, I am very confidently saying that human testers still do the best in finding unexpected bugs by using intuition and "what-if" scenarios.
->Usability and feel that is judging if an app is easy, pleasant, or frustrating for a real person to use.
->I can say manual testers will transition into hybrid roles - using AI as a "Co-tester" to work faster while spending more time on high-risk, creative, and ethical areas.