The Sogeti 2022-23 World Quality Report offers valuable insights into the present landscape of quality engineering practices within the software industry. In a time of rapid application development, the report underscores the challenges confronted by QA teams and underscores the evolving role of modern QA practices in the era of accelerated development.
So, what perspectives do the quality experts hold regarding these challenges and potential solutions? Forgeahead’s own Shaju Balakrishnan, Head of Quality Assurance and Testing, sheds light on how our software testing teams can uphold software quality amidst the escalating development pace. He affirms, “QA must transition into a quality engineering role, embedding systems that facilitate quality checks at each stage of the software creation process.”
In essence, elevating software quality necessitates the integration of QA testing with application design and development from early stages. A 2020 survey of application developers revealed that 21% were outpacing competitors in application development speed. An additional 21% and 19% expressed confidence in delivering mobile and web applications in just a couple of months.
In the realm of accelerated development, how can product companies ensure the quality of their applications? Let’s delve into this discussion.
Strategies to Expedite Software Testing
Quality Assurance (QA) stands as a pivotal factor in guaranteeing the optimal performance of every software application. Contemporary software companies are increasingly adopting DevOps and Agile approaches to hasten their development cycles. In the current landscape of frequent product releases, QA necessitates a fresh approach to maximize the efficacy of software testing.
Here are five strategies that product companies can adopt to accelerate their testing endeavors:
- Quality Engineering (QE)
Traditionally, Quality Assurance (QA) was the final checkpoint before deploying applications into production. However, the definition of quality has evolved. To ensure the functionality of applications, QA now encompasses diverse testing methods, including end-to-end and API testing.
With Agile and DevOps implementations, software testing has embraced the Shift-left paradigm, where testing runs parallel to development. Quality Engineering (QE) has emerged as the novel approach, embedding optimal QA practices into customer experience (CX). This shift empowers the entire development team to align with QA objectives, changing the focus from “does the feature work” to “does it meet customer needs.”
- Automated Testing
Automated testing can save around 15% (or more) of software testing time on average. It involves utilizing tools and solutions for application testing, reducing the reliance on human testers. Once implemented, automated testing operates autonomously, eliminating manual and repetitive tasks performed by QA engineers.
Automated testing is pivotal in Agile environments, expediting time-to-market without compromising quality metrics. Nonetheless, automated testing’s success hinges on selecting the right test cases and adhering to best practices, such as employing appropriate automation tools, replicating production environments, and integrating test automation early and consistently in the SDLC.
- Continuous Testing
The market for continuous testing tools is anticipated to reach $2.41 billion by 2023. Continuous testing, a form of automated testing, executes whenever developers add or update software code. This immediate testing approach ensures that application code is scrutinized for bugs as soon as it’s integrated into the main codebase.
Continuous testing not only trims testing time and effort but also benefits developers by eliminating the wait for QA teams to finish testing before addressing code-related issues. It’s synonymous with faster bug detection, improved code quality, seamless DevOps integration, and adaptability to evolving customer needs.
- Parallel Testing
Conventional software testing methods, whether manual or automated, are sequential, executing test cases one after another. Parallel testing, however, enables QA teams to concurrently execute multiple tests. For instance, new product features can be tested across various browsers, devices, and operating systems in parallel, conserving valuable time and effort.
Parallel testing also allows product companies to simultaneously run manual and automated test cases, providing instant feedback. This approach increases test coverage, streamlines testing, and synergizes well with automation testing to expedite product releases.
In Conclusion
In their pursuit of accelerated software testing, product companies might consider recruiting and training more QA engineers and testers. However, Shaju emphasizes the importance of achieving a harmonious balance between QA and QE to ensure effectiveness.
Leveraging Forgeahead’s extensive QA expertise, we can help identify inefficiencies, obstacles, and gaps that might impede your product release pace. Our seasoned QA team, boasting over 22 years of industry experience, can amplify your test coverage. Reach out now for a complimentary estimate for your next project within 24 hours.
Elevate your software quality assurance with Forgeahead. Let’s redefine your software testing pace together. Contact our expert consultants today.
