Traditionally QA or quality awareness testing was done at the end of the software development lifecycle or SDLC. This prolonged the software’s time-to-market. Detecting errors in developed software made its rectification, a time-consuming and tedious process.
The need for a time-efficient process led to the realisation that software development and error detection should go hand-in-hand. Testers and developers should work in tandem to facilitate the quick release of a bug-free product.
Quality Assurance—a short definition
Human errors made during the development of software can lead to the failure of the product or cause it to function weirdly. In both instances, the performance of the software is not at par with the expectations of the client. The consequences of missing even one small error in the software can prove to be disastrous. The client would lose credibility and goodwill, which will further result in a huge loss for the brand and its capacity for revenue generation.
QA involves certain appropriate software testing services that help to ensure the elimination of bugs and errors from every code of the software. This helps to guarantee:
- Software quality and reliability
- Ease of use leading to a great customer experience
- High performance even during times of increased load
- Compliance with the industry-specific statutory requirements
By definition, QA helps to validate all of the above by setting standard procedures and including processes involving:
- Planning for the tests
- Fulfilment
- Software monitoring.
However, QA does not deal with the actual procedure for software testing. By maintaining a process-oriented approach, it ensures the best outcome for the software quality.
Software testing services
This deals with the actual process of testing. By executing software and system components manually or automatically, one or more properties of the software can be tested to check for its functionality.
Software testing involves several different types of tests that are executed on the AUT or application under test. Some of the important categories of software testing include:
- Functional testing: This test ensures that the software works as per the client’s specifications and the convenience of the user. Some of the important types of functional tests include:
- Unit testing that tests to see if individual units of the software are error-free
- Component testing test-checks the app by testing its parts separately etc
- Non-functional testing: These tests focus on ensuring that the non-functional aspects of the software, like response time, scalability, performance, usability, security etc., are working properly. Some of the important non-functional tests include:
- Performance testing that evaluates the software’s performance
- Load testing, done to check whether the system can sustain the pressure of many users working concurrently
- Stress testing is done to see the software’s reaction when pushed to limits that are beyond its capabilities
- Maintenance and regression testing: Software is made to undergo regression testing during its developmental stages to check for its characteristic features and functionalities in detail. However, conducting regression testing is time and resource consuming.
Maintenance testing is generally done after the deployment of the software to check for the effectiveness of repairs done on the same.
Software testing benefits
QA and software testing services together ensure the quality and performance of the software. Hence, these measures are implemented before the software is deployed. Some of the benefits that make it mandatory to include QA and software testing as part of the SDLC include:
- Cost-effectiveness: Errors and bugs make software faulty, which, in turn, can cost the developer a lot of money. Software deployed without removing all bugs would make it difficult to detect errors and bugs. Fixing them after detection would incur humongous expenses. Incorporating QA and software testing during the SDLC helps testers and developers to debug the system as it is developed. This saves makes the process more cost-effective.
- Catastrophic corporate exigencies can be eliminated: Corporate software orders demand higher efficiency and accuracy. If the software is deployed without proper debugging, it may result in system blackouts, communication breakdowns and even misplacement of data. For a corporate, this situation can have disastrous consequences. Incorporation of QA testing ensures that the software deployed is:
- Capable of handling sensitive information
- Compatible with the current corporate system
- Empowered to give an error-free performance
- Working as per the expectation of the client
- Enhances client confidence: Prioritising QA and implementing software testing services send a strong message to the clients. It proves the commitment of the developers towards providing their clients with an error-free superlative product. This instils a sense of confidence in the client and enables developers to establish a strong market standing and build goodwill.
- Ensuring better user experience: It takes 10 to 20 seconds for a user to determine whether the website is worth spending time in. Online businesses have a very small window in which to convince the user to stay. A well-developed, error-free app plays a crucial role in the same. When the software undergoes a series of tests, the smooth functioning of its every aspect is ensured. With good navigability, usability and great functionality, the software is bound to provide users with a good virtual journey.
- Increases profitability: A well-designed app free from glitches and errors helps to provide users with a good experience. Great content management and website design will help in attracting customers while the other elements of the website will prompt the user to take the desired action. This will ultimately lead to greater traffic generation, enhanced conversions and increased opportunities for revenue generation. Thus, the incorporation of QA and software testing is imperative to increase the profitability of the client.
- Improves time-to-market: Software development involves many different stages, each of which deals with a separate aspect of the same. Incorporating QA and making the software undergo software testing services will enable developers to enter each phase with the assurance that the software developed so far is absolutely error-free. By working together developers and testers can thus, reduce the time taken to develop the software and improve its time-to-market.
The app is the face of an online business. It pays to invest in it for it enhances the online presence and brand visibility of the company. Incorporating QA and software testing during the SDLC is a small price to pay for the increased ROI that a well-tested and error-free software generates.
