Show that you start testing at the requirements stage, not after code is written. Early involvement catches the most expensive defects.
Strong answers cover: requirements analysis, test plan creation (scope, approach, resources, timeline), test case design (positive, negative, edge cases, boundary values), test environment setup, execution, defect reporting, and sign-off criteria. Best candidates mention risk-based testing and involve testing early in the development cycle.
Baseline QA question. Tests process knowledge and strategic thinking. Candidates who only describe "running tests" without strategy are likely manual testers without broader quality perspective.