Last updated on October 26th, 2023
The recently released 2022–23 World Quality Report by Sogeti offers a valuable assessment of the prevailing state of quality engineering practices in the software industry. In the face of the ever-accelerating pace of application development, the report sheds light on the challenges confronting quality assurance (QA) teams. It underscores the evolving role of modern QA practices in this era of rapid development.
So, what do the experts in the quality domain have to say about these challenges and the potential solutions?
At Forgeahead, our Head of Quality Assurance and Testing, Shaju Balakrishnan, has addressed this challenge. He emphasizes the imperative transformation of QA into a quality engineering role. He says, “QA will have to transform into a quality engineering role and embed systems that allow quality checks at every stage of the process of software creation.” In essence, Shaju emphasizes that making high-quality software depends on smoothly including QA testing in every step of designing and developing the application, right from the start.
In a 2020 survey of application developers, it was found that 21% of respondents claimed to be building applications faster than their competitors. An additional 21% and 19% expressed confidence in their ability to deliver mobile and web applications in a matter of mere months.
However, in the face of this accelerated development, how can product companies ensure the quality of their applications? Let’s delve into five strategies to expedite software testing.
Four Strategies to Accelerate Software Quality Testing
- Quality Engineering (QE)
Traditionally, quality assurance (QA) served as the final checkpoint in the application development process, just prior to deploying the application into production. However, today’s understanding of quality has evolved. To ensure that any application functions as expected, QA has expanded to encompass various testing methodologies, including end-to-end and API testing.
With the adoption of Agile and DevOps, software testing now adheres to the “shift-left” approach, running in parallel to the development process. Quality Engineering (QE) emerges as the “new” approach, infusing the best QA practices into the customer experience (CX). QE shifts the focus from “does the feature work” to “does it work for our customers,” empowering the entire development team to align with QA objectives.
- Automated Testing
On average, automated testing can save approximately 15% (or more) of software testing time. Automated testing utilizes tools and solutions to conduct application testing, minimizing reliance on human testers. Once deployed, automated testing operates without human intervention, eliminating manual and repetitive tasks previously handled by QA engineers. Automation testing in Agile environments proves critical to accelerating time-to-market without compromising quality metrics.
To ensure the effectiveness of automated testing, it is vital to adhere to best practices, including choosing the right automation tools and frameworks, customizing the testing environment to mirror the production setup, and initiating test automation early and frequently in the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).
- Continuous Testing
The global market for continuous testing tools is projected to reach $2.41 billion by 2023. Continuous testing, a form of automated testing, is executed each time developers introduce or update software code. This means that the application code undergoes automatic testing for bugs as soon as it is written and integrated into the primary codebase.
In addition to reducing testing time and effort, continuous testing also benefits application developers by obviating the need to wait for QA teams to complete their testing before addressing code-related issues. This approach saves both development time and costs, facilitating faster software releases.
Continuous testing offers benefits like faster bug detection, enhanced code quality, seamless integration into the DevOps process, and adaptability to changing customer requirements.
- Parallel Testing
Most software testing methodologies, whether manual or automated, are traditionally sequential, involving the execution of test cases one after the other. Parallel testing, however, enables QA teams to perform multiple tests concurrently. This approach can encompass testing new product features across different browsers, devices, and operating systems in parallel, optimizing time and effort.
Moreover, product companies can execute both manual and automated test cases simultaneously to provide immediate feedback. Parallel testing delivers increased test coverage, reduced testing time, and improved efficiency, ultimately leading to shorter testing cycles and expedited product releases.
Conclusion
To address the need for accelerated software testing, product companies may consider the recruitment and training of additional QA engineers and testers. Nevertheless, achieving a harmonious balance between QA and QE is imperative for this strategy to succeed.
At Forgeahead, with our extensive focus on QA and quality engineering, we can help you identify inefficiencies, roadblocks, and gaps that may impede the pace of your product releases. Our QA team boasts over 22 years of industry experience and can maximize your test coverage. We can provide a free estimate for your upcoming project in under 24 hours. Consult with our expert consultants now to elevate your software quality and assure success in the digital realm.
Forge ahead with quality engineering. Contact us today to accelerate your software testing and ensure the success of your digital initiatives.
