A key role in the production of applications for business and personal use is software testing. A tester is usually one of many that take part in the initial phases prior to the product’s release, providing invaluable feedback that will be calculated and presented to the production team for alterations to be made.
Those involved in software testing usually work, or have worked, in the IT industry, meaning they are qualified to offer a professional opinion with their feedback. This helps the developers better understand some of the areas within the application that could need further improvement
Software testing may also require the assistance of members of the community, some who have no experience within the IT community. An example of this is when a software production company releases a beta test, where users can sample a program before its general release.
Testing roles vary considerably from project-to-project, some requiring minimal experience while others may need a candidate who has been working within the industry for many years. Payment is generally per project, with some beta tests offering no payment.