A few months ago, the departure of Volkswagen CEO Herbert Deiss from the company raised eyebrows due to one of the reasons cited for his removal: “poor software quality.” This reason would have been quite unthinkable just a couple of years ago.
Instances like this highlight the increasing significance of Quality Assurance (QA) across all organizations as they become more reliant on software. As applications grow more intricate, the imperative to foster a culture of high quality becomes more pervasive within software organizations.
However, it’s disconcerting that software companies continue to release products without adequately testing their code, as pointed out by Shaju Balakrishnan, Head of Quality Assurance and Testing at Forgeahead. In fact, Forrester Research confirms that “most code enters production without being tested.” Developers are now testing less than half of their application code. According to the Consortium for Information & Software Quality (CISQ), the repercussions of poor code quality result in operational failures that cost businesses up to $1.56 trillion.
So, how can software organizations cultivate a culture of quality? Let’s delve into this matter more profoundly.
Understanding a Quality Culture Quality is no longer solely the responsibility of software testing or QA teams; it’s a collective endeavor. It encompasses a collection of work behaviors where every employee strives for excellence. This encapsulates the essence of a Quality Culture.
In the realm of software development, a quality culture involves adhering to rigorous methodologies that consistently yield accurate outcomes. Within this framework, every team member is dedicated to enhancing their work quality and making decisions aligned with that objective. A quality culture distinguishes between a high-quality app that resonates with customers and a buggy app that fails to gain traction. Organizations that nurture a quality culture deliver top-tier products to customers while achieving their business objectives.
Obstacles to Establishing a Quality Culture in Software Companies Creating a quality culture necessitates an integrated approach that engages multiple teams and stakeholders. Several key challenges hinder the establishment of such a culture in software companies:
Insufficient Product Testing Pressure to meet release deadlines and overcome market pressures often leads to reduced testing efforts. However, there’s little justification for skimping on testing, even amid time constraints. Just as application development is crucial, so is QA and software testing throughout the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). Early testing can identify and address quality issues before they escalate into project delays and increased costs.
Communication Gaps among Employees Effective two-way communication among employees is pivotal for maintaining product quality. A lack of communication leads to information gaps, dampened morale, and inhibits proactive contributions. To foster a positive quality culture, software companies must establish effective communication channels with all product teams and solicit their feedback.
Bias in Decision-Making Human bias, particularly against code changes proposed by individuals from minority races or ethnicities, can undermine quality. Google’s report reveals how such bias costs the company significant developer hours daily. Anonymous code reviews and the automation of repetitive processes can mitigate this challenge.
Building a Quality Culture in Software Organizations Software development companies can cultivate a quality culture by clearly defining organizational values and business objectives. To ensure customer-focused values, companies must encourage employees to adopt a quality-centric approach across all products and functions, from design and development to marketing and customer support.
Alignment among teams based on empathy is crucial. Consistency in the definition of “quality” across teams is imperative. Initiatives like cross-functional pairing sessions foster collaboration and idea-sharing among different disciplines.
For a robust quality culture, organizations should establish a clear hierarchical structure with easily understandable business processes. Performance analysis helps identify strengths and weaknesses, enabling data-driven improvements.
As product quality gains prominence, QA teams must adapt to test an increasingly diverse range of technology factors and conditions. Quality teams should redefine their agenda and use their influence to establish processes, policies, and best practices that ensure the creation of high-quality software.
Software companies can instill a quality culture by:
- Prioritizing continuous development adaptable to changes and market dynamics.
- Training employees on the significance of a quality culture and reinforcing these values through activities.
- Engaging employees in conversations about the meaning of a “culture of quality” for their aspirations.
- Encouraging quality ownership, where each employee takes responsibility for fostering a Quality culture.
In Conclusion To sum up, software development firms can establish a Quality culture that encourages collaboration among diverse teams, all aimed at delivering high-quality products to end-users. Shaju Balakrishnan, the Head of Quality Assurance at Forgeahead, underscores the importance of software testing before product releases.
At Forgeahead, our quality assurance services extend beyond mere software testing. With over 22 years of industry experience in QA, we enhance test coverage and identify gaps in your software products. Receive a free estimate for your next software project within 24 hours, or consult our experts for project guidance.
