Bridging the Gap: Addressing Software Testing Challenges in Namibian Startups through a Tailored Training Approach

Software testing is an important aspect of the software development process. It assists in ensuring that the software meets the user's requirements and is of high quality. However, testing can be a challenging task, especially for startups. This paper identifies some of the key software testing challenges experienced by 11 Namibian startups. The findings reveal a range of challenges, including a lack of familiarity with testing methods and techniques, unable to use various testing tools proficiently, especially appropriate test automation tools, lack of extensive test coverage of software products, and unsure of when to start testing the software. The challenges lead to poor product quality, which poses a threat to the Namibian software startup ecosystem. As a first step towards addressing the challenges, the study proposes a software testing training approach tailored to the specific requirements of startups. The training program will be devised through a combination of theoretical and empirical approaches. The approach to training will center around an integration of the cognitive and affective domains of Bloom's Taxonomy framework, emphasizing Awareness, Skills, and Attitude, which will guide the needs assessment, design, delivery, and evaluation stages of the training program. Concurrently, empirical data will be gathered through needs assessments, participant feedback, performance metrics, and observations, important in grounding the theoretical concepts in the specific context of the startups and their requirements. The training approach has the potential to assist researchers, educators, and industry professionals in delivering essential software testing training to software developers.