V Skill HF-D7.4-004 sector-specific 11 skills
Software testing and quality assurance
Devises and runs tests on functionality and edge cases, records findings reproducibly and judges whether a solution can be released.
How hrmforce measures this
- Assessment method
- Work sample test · rho 0.33 (SD 0.09)
- hrmforce instrument
- Work sample test, Knowledge test (client-specific)
- Competency (50-framework)
- Commitment to Quality
- Trainability
- high
- Demand outlook 2026 to 2030
- rising
The candidate performs a representative work sample under standardised conditions.
Behavioural anchors
| Level | Behaviour at this level |
|---|---|
| N1 Guided | Works through a test script step by step and records every deviation with a screenshot and the steps taken. works under supervision and follows instruction · routine, one variable at a time · own task |
| N3 Proficient | Designs test cases including edge cases, automates repeatable tests and advises on release based on the findings. sets own approach and seeks input proactively · several variables, some ambiguity · own team or process |
| N5 Leading | Sets the organisation's test strategy and quality requirements and decides when software is not released. sets the standard and the policy · strategic, under high uncertainty · organisation, value chain or profession |
N2 and N4 are deliberately not anchored. Raters place them between the anchors, following the O*NET convention.
Underlying skills
These skills inherit the assessment route and the behavioural anchors of this construct.
| T | Skill | Definition | Demand outlook 2026 to 2030 |
|---|---|---|---|
| V | Writing unit tests Unit testing | Writes automated tests for individual functions with a clear expectation and independent starting state. | rising |
| V | Writing integration tests Integration testing | Tests cooperating components against a real database or service and checks that the integration works together. | rising |
| T | Playwright Playwright | Automates browser tests in Playwright that walk through user steps and verify results across browsers. | rising |
| T | Cypress Cypress | Builds end to end tests in Cypress for web applications and thereby verifies critical user journeys. | stable |
| V | Designing test cases Test case design | Derives test cases from requirements, covers edge cases and error paths and describes the expected outcome per case. | rising |
| V | Running a regression test Regression testing | Checks after a change whether previously working functionality still works and keeps the test set current. | stable |
| V | Preparing test data Test data | Creates realistic but non identifiable test data that covers the required variants and exceptions. | stable |
| V | Recording findings reproducibly Bug reporting | Describes a finding with steps, expected and actual result, environment and supporting evidence. | stable |
| V | Measuring code coverage Code coverage | Measures which part of the code is exercised by tests and uses that to find blind spots. | stable |
| V | Running a performance test Performance testing · Load testing | Loads a system with a realistic usage pattern and measures response time, throughput and the saturation point. | stable |
| V | Setting up test automation Test automation | Chooses what to automate, builds the test suite into the pipeline and keeps the run time manageable. | rising |