Software Testing Process
Striving after high revenues and secure market positions, these days companies are forced to push for fast product releases. In the long term, this often leads to opposite results: software development in haste draws quality issues and, consequently, negative user feedback. How to keep the development process dynamic without compromising product quality and how to find a more efficient software testing solution? The answer is by building an effective software testing process for the project. In this post, we are listing down the top five crucial mistakes companies make when trying to do that.
Why do we test software in the first place?
Software testing is a set of practices aimed at detecting software errors and malfunctions in order to fix them and achieve stable and smooth performance. In other words, the only way to find out if a program’s working is to test it. Underestimating the importance of software testing means placing a blind bet on your project’s (if not the company’s) future. The key aim of QA analytics is to make sure everything works as specified, as well as define all the ways users interact with your software. It is important to understand that the testing process is not the end in itself, but just a method of achieving a fully operational end product. That being said, let’s get to the testing process mistakes we want you to avoid in your practice.
#1: Testing a product after it is completed
The linear approach of creating first and testing later works in many spheres, but not in software development. With digital products, capturing bugs at an early stage ensures that you will end up with a well-functioning product after the development stage is over. Modern methods of QA work suggest that testing starts simultaneously with the development process or even earlier, as in test-driven development. This strategy allows the teams to deliver a fault-free codebase without budget overspending, as the earlier you spot a bug, the less it costs to fix it. Details about the dedicated QA teams and their area of responsibility are available at the link: https://testfort.com/dedicated-software-qa-team.
#2: Limiting your QA team to one testing method only
Here we are talking about manual and automation testing — the two methods that are oftentimes used as contrary to one another. In fact, to get the most out of your software testing process, you should combine them both for different cases. While automation testing eliminates human error and decreases manual labor, a lot of testing scenarios still call for human interaction. Ultimately, if you create software for people, then it’s people (ideally those who have completed an appropriate software testing course) who should test it before the release.
Software Testing Process
#3: Disregarding UI/UX testing
Our experience proves that the vast majority of product owners think of UI/UX design and QA processes as something barely related and distant from each other. And that’s where they are wrong — user interface and experience require separate testing just like the code they’re implemented in. Allocating design testing as a part of your quality assurance system will help you to examine and improve such crucial aspects as application’s logic, intuitive use, navigation, and the overall impression it makes on testers from the color scheme to fonts.
#4: Claiming your product is absolutely bug-free
This might sound almost ridiculous, but do not fully rely on the absence of errors in the code. The thing is, error-free performance is not a synonym for high-quality software. The fact that your development team hasn’t seen the project crushing does not make it market-ready or worth releasing just yet. Quality software attributes include dozens of terms, like reliability, robustness, adequacy, and maintainability among many others. And every single one of these has to be thoroughly tested by dedicated QA and testing services. Even if you have the most skilled software developers working for you, after hiring testers you will discover that everyone has issues to fix after his code was checked by the third party.
#5: Scrimping on quality assurance budget
Thinking of QA as of a high-end splurge is probably the most harmful mistake a business can make when developing software. First of all, this is simply a misconception: in reality, the software testing process does not cost a fortune to establish. In case adding a full-time quality assurance team to your project does not fit your scope at the moment, you can always partner up with an outsourcing QA company. Not only it is fast and easy to set up, but QA outsourcing is also a very budget-friendly strategy. The market is saturated with QA testing companies that work at reasonable hourly rates, just check the company’s portfolio, read some online reviews, and pick the most reputable one.
Summing up
To add value to users’ lives with a digital product is the main driver behind any software project. That means a product owner has to take full responsibility for what he puts his name on. Software testing is a fundamental part of project development and basically the only way to make sure you’ve created something useful. If you don’t want some unfortunate system error to rain on your parade and ruin a potentially successful launch, never doubt the need to invest in the testing process. You will definitely get your investments back multiplied both financially and respectably.
