“You ask too many questions and slow the team down.”
That was told to me directly by a project manager. And honestly, that moment stayed with me. 🫥
It also got me thinking; have you ever wondered why testers ask so many questions?
Why Testers Ask So Many Questions
Testers are naturally curious. They ask questions to uncover missing information, hidden assumptions, and edge cases.
A tester might ask:
“What happens if the user skips this field?”
“How does this work on mobile?”
“Should this redirect the user or show an error?”
We’re not trying to make life harder. We’re trying to uncover gaps and assumptions that aren’t clear in the requirements. Often, the very need to ask a question means the requirement documentation was incomplete. 🫣
Not Just Many Questions But the Right Ones
It’s not about overwhelming the team by asking a lot of questions but it’s about asking the right ones at the right time which is more important.
Good testers don’t create chaos. We prevent it by asking:
“What’s the risk if this fails silently?”
“Is this consistent with how we handled it on the previous flow?”
“Could this break if the user’s input is too long or malformed?”
We don’t just ask questions; we ask valuable ones that improve decision-making, reduce risk, and inspire clarity. 🎯
My Personal Experience Asking Too Many Questions as a Tester
The PM mentioned that the project had a “critical” deadline. And by critical, they meant a 2–3 month window for delivery, which in software terms is still reasonable. Developers had time to work through their backlog. QA could have had enough time to prepare test cases, test data, and do early reviews of requirement specification document. But I wasn’t allowed to be part of that project.
My PM openly acknowledged:
“We know no one else can test at your level of detailed testing, but we can’t afford your pace for this project.”
It was both a compliment and a rejection in the same breath.
Yes, deadlines matters; yes, QA professionals understand business priorities. We know what a tight timeline feels like. And we don’t ignore what the project demands in terms of speed or delivery pressure.
But we also know what quality means. And it doesn’t come from speed alone as it comes from thinking ahead. If you’re curious how this mindset evolves over time, read my reflection here.
What Happens When Testers Don’t Ask Enough Questions?
If something slips post-release, the same people will ask:
“Who tested this?”
“Why wasn’t this caught earlier?”
That’s why testers ask questions.
Not to be difficult but to protect users, product, and the brand reputation.
This is a gentle reminder:
- Testers don’t ask questions to delay; we ask them to de-risk.
- Questions from QA are for clarity-seeking.
- If we don’t ask now, users will answer later… through bug reports.
So the next time a tester asks “What if…?”
Know that they’re not slowing the team but they’re investing in your future confidence.
Let’s normalize curiosity in software quality. Let’s respect the value of thoughtful testing.
And let’s work together because we’re on the same team. 🤝
🧪Have you ever been appreciated (or misunderstood) for asking “too many questions” as a tester?
Drop your story in the comments below. I’d love to hear it.
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