Quality Assurance (QA) is an essential aspect of the software development process. Experienced professionals carefully comb through every feature, addition, and component of a software program or application to determine if it lives up to their standards. In this highly competitive world, companies can’t afford to put out lackluster products. QA Testing is especially crucial in the software development industry because customers directly interact with and rely on software products. They’ll immediately notice if something isn’t working as it should. Here are some of the best practices for QA testing during software development:
When a company develops a product, the end goal is always to delight the user. You don’t want to create something clunky, slow, inefficient, or challenging to navigate. QA testing teams often miss the bigger picture while examining minute details. If the overall user experience is poor, these small details won’t matter.
Different audiences have different expectations. Developing a software program for millennials can be very different from developing a platform for an older audience. QA teams must keep the target audience in mind while assessing products to ensure it provides a good experience.
Oftentimes it isn’t feasible to comb through every aspect of a software program’s code during quality testing. Teams must optimize the process by prioritizing sections that are most important or relevant. Focus on testing components that directly impact users, since their experience is vital for a program’s functions.
Every software product has bugs that must be fixed to improve user experience, and QA teams need to focus on flaws in the most relevant sections of a program. For example, bugs in the order placement or complaint registration components of an app should be addressed immediately.
QA teams and developers must work together during the testing process. Open communication between these two departments can optimize both testing and the development processes. Testers get a clearer idea about the developer’s intentions, while developers understand how to improve the quality of their products actively.
Your program should work on platforms that users commonly use. Most people don’t have supercomputers or the latest operating systems. A large portion of your audience will want to run programs on slightly dated systems. Make sure every aspect of the product is working well on various platforms and real-life conditions.
Typically it’s important to have a dedicated team that focuses solely on security operations. Modern users have a healthy distrust for software applications and won’t trust any program without a reliable security system in place.
A performance assessment team will navigate a program or application from a user’s perspective. The process helps them identify issues in the performance of the end product and provide detailed reports on it.
Applications and software programs often use third-party components like social media plug-ins, shopping carts, etc. Users will only have a smooth experience if all third-party systems work efficiently with your program. Always check them carefully for compatibility issues or related problems.
No system is infallible, and QA teams are no exception to this rule. Fortunately, you have a large group of thousands of users willing to provide feedback on an application’s performance. Always take their inputs into account during the QA testing process.
A well-planned and well-executed QA routine will ensure the product that reaches your audience is as reliable and efficient as possible. Companies should also review their QA routines regularly to ensure they remain useful, especially if you notice that too many issues are slipping through the cracks.
At Number8, we believe in developing software that is user-friendly, reliable and completely functional. As a result, we are always recruiting talented QA professionals for quality assurance jobs on our team. To learn more about how we can help you complete and successfully launch your software project, contact us at 502-212-0978.
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