Manual Testing Projects for Your Portfolio: Practical Examples

Manual Testing Projects for Your Portfolio: Practical Examples to Land Your QA Job

Building a compelling QA portfolio is the single most effective way to stand out in a competitive job market. While theoretical knowledge is essential, hiring managers want to see practical testing skills in action. A portfolio filled with real-world testing projects demonstrates your critical thinking, attention to detail, and ability to apply methodologies. This guide provides a comprehensive blueprint for creating standout manual testing projects that will transform your QA portfolio from empty to exceptional, complete with actionable examples and documentation strategies.

Why Your QA Portfolio Needs Real Projects

Imagine two candidates: one lists "Proficient in Manual Testing" on their resume, and the other provides a link to a portfolio showcasing detailed test cases, bug reports, and test plans for a live application. The choice is clear. Practical testing projects solve the "experience paradox" for newcomers. They allow you to simulate a professional QA environment, develop a tester's mindset, and create artifacts that are directly relevant to the job you want.

5 Impactful Manual Testing Project Ideas

Choose projects that align with common business domains. This shows you understand not just how to test, but what to test in real-world contexts.

1. E-Commerce Website Testing Project

E-commerce is ubiquitous, making this an ideal domain. Select a site like a demo store (e.g., Amazon, eBay, or a open-source platform like Magento demo).

• Scope: Focus on critical user journeys.
• Key Test Areas:
  • User Registration & Login: Test validation, error messages, password recovery.
  • Product Search & Filtering: Verify search algorithms, filter combinations, and sort functions.
  • Shopping Cart & Checkout: End-to-end testing of adding items, updating quantities, applying coupons, and the payment gateway simulation (use sandbox modes).
  • Order History & Tracking: Test status updates and data consistency.
• Deliverables: A Test Plan document, 30-50 detailed test cases, and a bug report with at least 5-10 documented issues (UI, functional, and usability).

2. Mobile Application Usability & Functionality Test

With over 70% of digital media time spent on mobile, this skill is non-negotiable. Pick a popular app like a weather app, a note-taking app, or a travel booking app.

• Scope: Test on at least two different devices/emulators (iOS & Android).
• Key Test Areas:
  • Installation & Launch: App store download, permissions, and first-time launch.
  • Core Functionality: Test all primary features (e.g., creating a note, checking a forecast).
  • Usability & UX: Evaluate navigation flow, button sizes, readability, and overall user experience.
  • Interrupt Testing: Test behavior during calls, notifications, and network switches.
• Deliverables: A focused Test Strategy for mobile, test cases covering portrait/landscape modes, and bug reports highlighting platform-specific issues.

3. API Testing Using Postman

Modern manual testers must understand APIs. This project bridges manual and technical skills. Use public APIs like RESTful Booker, JSONPlaceholder, or GitHub API.

• Scope: Validate API endpoints for a specific workflow.
• Key Test Areas:
  • HTTP Methods: Test GET, POST, PUT, DELETE requests.
  • Response Validation: Verify status codes (200, 201, 404, 500), response headers, and JSON/XML body content.
  • Data-Driven Tests: Use Postman collections and variables to test with different input data sets.
  • Error Handling: Intentionally send invalid data to check error responses.
• Deliverables: A shared Postman collection, documentation of your test scenarios, and a report on API reliability and performance observations.

4. Desktop Software (Cross-Platform) Testing

Test a desktop application like a text editor (Notepad++, VS Code), a media player, or an open-source project. This highlights compatibility testing skills.

• Scope: Test on different operating systems (Windows, macOS, Linux) if possible, or different versions.
• Key Test Areas:
  • Installation & Uninstallation: Complete lifecycle testing.
  • File Operations: Open, save, save as, import, export.
  • Menu & Shortcut Functionality: Verify all menu items and keyboard shortcuts.
  • Settings/Preferences: Test configuration changes and persistence.

5. Accessibility Testing Project

This is a high-demand niche. Perform WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) compliance testing on a government or educational website, which are mandated to be accessible.

• Scope: Focus on key principles: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust (POUR).
• Key Test Areas:
  • Keyboard Navigation: Ensure all functionality is accessible via keyboard (Tab, Enter, Arrow keys).
  • Screen Reader Compatibility: Use free tools like NVDA or VoiceOver to check alt text, labels, and reading order.
  • Color Contrast & Text Size: Use browser dev tools or plugins like axe DevTools to audit contrast ratios.
• Deliverables: An accessibility audit report listing violations against WCAG 2.1 Level AA criteria and specific recommendations for fixes.

How to Document Your Projects Like a Pro

The presentation is as crucial as the work. Organize each project in your portfolio (use a site like GitHub Pages, Notion, or a personal website) with these sections:

1. Project Overview: Briefly describe the Application Under Test (AUT), your testing objectives, and scope.
2. Test Plan: Outline your approach, testing types, entry/exit criteria, and test environment.
3. Test Cases & Traceability Matrix: Show a sample of well-structured test cases (Test Case ID, Description, Steps, Test Data, Expected/Actual Result). A matrix shows how cases map to requirements.
4. Bug Reports: Showcase 3-5 of your best bug reports. Use a standard template: Title, Severity/Priority, Environment, Steps to Reproduce, Expected vs. Actual Result, and screenshots/videos.
5. Test Summary Report: Conclude with metrics: # of test cases executed, pass/fail rate, # of defects found, and key learnings.

Showcasing Your Portfolio in Interviews

Your portfolio is a conversation starter. Be prepared to walk an interviewer through one project in detail.

• Tell a Story: "For my e-commerce project, I started by analyzing the user flow for a guest checkout. I discovered a critical bug where..."
• Highlight Your Process: Emphasize how you designed test cases, prioritized testing, and reported issues.
• Discuss Trade-offs: Explain why you focused on certain test areas over others given time constraints.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Testing Google/Facebook: Avoid massively complex, ever-changing live sites. Use demo sites or specific versions.
• Poor Bug Reporting: Vague titles like "Button not working" are useless. Be specific: "Checkout button remains disabled after entering valid promo code 'SAVE10'."
• Ignoring Non-Functional Testing: Briefly include notes on usability, compatibility, or basic performance observations (e.g., "Page load time was consistently under 2 seconds").
• Not Explaining Your Choices: In your documentation, state *why* you tested something. This shows strategic thinking.

Building a portfolio of manual testing projects is an investment in your QA career. It transforms you from a candidate who *says* they have skills into one who *shows* it. By selecting practical applications, executing structured tests, and documenting your work professionally, you create undeniable evidence of your capability. Start with one practical testing project today—your future self in the interview room will thank you.