Testing That Builds Trust Starts with Clear Communication

By Mari – Test Engineer at Groove Technology

In software development, testing is often seen as the final gatekeeper of product quality. But after working on many real-world projects, I’ve learned that testing isn't just about writing test cases or running scripts—it's about communication. Early conversations, alignment on expectations, and shared understanding between teams lay the groundwork for effective, high-quality testing.

In this blog, I want to share a real story from one of my projects—where communication helped me avoid a major issue—and reflect on how testers can become the bridge that connects business goals with technical execution.

01. What I’ve Learned from the Field: Where Communication Changes Everything

There was one project that sticks with me vividly. It was a new feature request added toward the end of a sprint. I joined the conversation, reviewed the user stories, and something didn’t quite make sense. Rather than assume, I spoke with the developers and clarified some logic. Then, I set up a quick sync with the client.

That short conversation changed the entire testing scope. The client had updated their internal business rules, but hadn’t yet communicated those changes to the rest of the team. The new logic meant several edge cases that weren’t accounted for in the original stories. If we hadn’t clarified that early, it would’ve been a post-release disaster.

I’ve seen enough projects to know this isn’t rare. Misalignment doesn’t always happen because of carelessness—it happens when assumptions replace communication.

02. Why Communication Is a Tester’s Strongest Starting Point

It’s often said that developers build the product while testers try to break it—but I see it differently. In reality, testers are there to build confidence. And that starts way before test execution—it starts in how we ask questions, confirm logic, and create shared understanding.

When requirements are incomplete, inconsistent, or ambiguous, testers are the first to notice. But spotting the issue is just the beginning. What we do next—how we raise it, to whom, and with what reasoning—determines whether that issue gets solved early or becomes tomorrow’s headache.

In another case, I was testing a seemingly simple update to a form component. While walking through the test flow, I noticed a subtle mismatch in behavior depending on user roles. I flagged it to the team. At first, some thought it wasn’t a blocker. But because I had taken the time to review earlier discussions and reference prior test cases, I could explain the business logic behind the concern. That conversation led to a small but important adjustment.

That’s the power of being curious and proactive.

03. The Hidden Costs of Poor Communication

Let’s be honest: most testing issues don’t stem from missed assertions or failed test steps. They come from misunderstanding what was supposed to happen in the first place.

And the cost? According to IBM, the cost to fix a bug after release can be 4 to 5 times higher than during development—and up to 100x higher than if caught in the requirement phase. In one of our past projects, we spent nearly two sprints undoing production bugs caused by mismatched assumptions between the dev and client teams. The bug wasn’t in the code—it was in the understanding.

These types of mistakes don’t just affect code—they affect client trust. I’ve learned that it’s far easier to ask a clarifying question now than to apologize later for a bug that slipped through.

04. My Routine to Ensure High-Quality Results

In every new project or feature, I start with the same principle: understand first, test later. I review the requirement specs and break down features into small, testable parts. If anything is unclear or contradicts previous modules, I raise it immediately—with both devs and clients.

Then, I prepare test cases based on the clarified logic—not just what’s written in tickets, but how the feature is expected to behave in real usage. I often reference client workflows or previous system behavior to ensure alignment.

After execution, I always run sanity checks—especially before releases. These quick validations help catch last-minute merge issues or overlooked regressions. It’s not just about test coverage—it’s about coverage of communication.

05. Real Challenges We Still Face

In theory, effective communication sounds simple. But in real-world projects, it can get tricky — especially when timelines are tight or we’re jumping into a project mid-way.

For example, in the project I mentioned earlier, I joined after development was already in progress. Not all documentation was up to date, and some decisions had been made verbally between the client and dev team. That meant when the SEO-related feature came in, I had to work extra hard to piece together the full picture. I didn’t know that many old URLs were still active, and that could have caused serious accessibility issues if we didn’t test properly.

Another challenge is that not every team member — especially new QCs — feels comfortable raising concerns. I’ve been there. In earlier projects, I hesitated to ask follow-up questions because I didn’t want to slow things down or seem like I didn’t understand. But I’ve learned that asking early prevents confusion later. These days, even if I’m 80% sure, I’ll still ask — just to confirm.

And of course, priorities shift fast. Sometimes, a new requirement gets added late in the sprint, or the client changes direction mid-way. Without a habit of ongoing communication, it’s easy for the test scope to miss something important. I’ve found that even a short Slack message or a 10-minute sync can clear things up before they become blockers.

Communication challenges aren’t always dramatic. Often, it’s just a missed detail — one that could have been caught with a single conversation. But those little gaps can lead to big bugs, and that’s why staying proactive matters.

06. Final Thoughts: Testing Is Not Just Execution. It’s Insight.

Being a good tester isn’t just about finding bugs—it’s about preventing the need for them in the first place. That happens through communication, alignment, and shared understanding.

At Groove Technology, we see our QCs as insight partners—not just script runners. If you want to elevate your testing practice, start by improving your conversations.

Watch my video above to see how I apply this communication-first approach in real projects. And if you'd like to learn more, contact us at contact@groovetechnology.com.

Mari is a Test Engineer at Groove Technology who focuses on bridging gaps through proactive communication to ensure high-quality results.