What UAE Software Students Think about Software Testing: A Replicated Study

TL;DR

This study explores UAE software students' perceptions of software testing, revealing predominantly negative attitudes and identifying key pros and cons influencing their career choices in testing.

Contribution

It provides new insights into UAE students' perceptions of software testing, highlighting cultural differences and soft skills importance in this career path.

Findings

Students perceive testing as a social role requiring soft skills.

UAE students have more negative attitudes towards testing than peers internationally.

Identified 7 pros and 9 cons influencing testing career decisions.

Abstract

Software testing is vital to improve software quality. However, software tester role is stigmatized, partly due to misperception and partly due to the treatment of the testing process within the software industry. The present study analyses this situation aiming to explore what might inhibit an individual from taking up a software testing career. In order to investigate this issue, we surveyed 132 senior students pursuing degrees in information systems, information and communication technology, computer science, computer engineering, software engineering, and other closely-related disciplines at three universities in the United Arab Emirates: two publicly funded and one top-notch private university. The students were asked to describe the PROs and CONs of taking up a career in software testing and to ponder the likelihood that they would take up the career themselves. The study identified 7 main PROs and 9 main CONSs for pursuing a testing career, and indicated that the role of software tester is perceived as a social role, which may require as many soft skills as technical prowess. The results also show that UAE software-related students have a stronger negative attitude towards software testing compared to their counterparts in other countries where similar investigations have been carried out in the past three years.