With the advancement of technology, hundreds and thousands of software are released almost every day. A business organization must ensure that the software applications are glitch-free and work efficiently without any break. Releasing buggy software without proper software testing and quality assurance is a big “no”! For instance, if a company launches new software that is full of glitches, it will cause disappointment and frustration among its customers along with a loss of revenue for the business organization. 

In the following blog, we shall talk about software quality assurance, why it is essential, and its best practices. But before diving deep, let us first understand what exactly is software quality assurance testing.

What is a Software Quality Assurance Test?

Software quality assurance (SQA) testing can be considered as an ongoing process that ensures that the software meets and complies with the established quality specifications of the company. A software quality assurance test tends to incorporate a set of activities that ensures everyone who is involved with the development of the software has implemented all procedures correctly. 

Software quality assurance generally works parallel with the software development process. It is an ongoing process that is applied throughout the software development life cycle. The QA testing checks for various quality issues in each software development phase instead of making quality checks after completion. The main aim of a software quality assurance test is to discover all the shortcomings in the software before it is released in the market for public use. If a business organization maintains good product quality, it can get various benefits such as reduced cost and time investment, faster improvement, better customer satisfaction, etc.

Key Concepts in SQA Testing

There are some important concepts in the software QA testing process. Each of these concepts has a specific purpose and they tend to provide valuable inputs to the overall software development lifecycle. 

Some of the key concepts in software quality assurance testing are as follows – 

• Unit Testing

A unit can be considered the smallest testable portion of an application or system that can be liked, compiled, loaded, and executed. With the help of unit testing, developers can do QA testing of each part separately during the coding phase. The main aim of unit testing is to test each part of the software by separating it. It is used to check whether the various components of each unit are fully functional or not.

Say, for example, the developer has written a code to take two numbers as input and return their sum.

void TestAdd1() { Assert.IsEqual(Add(5, 5), 10) }

In the code mentioned above,  the unit test “asserts” that 5 + 5 equals 10. If the add function returns anything else then the “Assert.IsEqual” will result in an error and the whole test case will fail.

• Integration Testing 

Just as the name suggests, integration means combining. Integration testing is the phase in software testing where the whole software module is tested or if it consists of multiple software modules they are combined and then tested as a group.

It should be kept in mind that these components are already working well individually, but they may break when integrated with other components. As a result, it is very important for developers to gradually integrate various components of the software and then do proper QA testing of all the components as a unified group. 

Say for example, while manufacturing a car, the fuel system may be tested in collaboration with an exhaust system, and later, these two parts working are tested in collaboration with the working of an engine.

• System Testing

System testing is also known as system integration testing or system-level testing. It refers to that phase in software development where the QA testing team tends to evaluate how the various components of an application interact together in the full, integrated system or application.

For instance, an e-commerce website has different modules like a registration page, login page, product page, payment page, etc. These modules are tested by the developer first, which will be unit testing. The two or more modules will be tested in collaboration with each other. That will be integration testing. But after the completion of all the modules, when the overall website functioning is tested, then that is called system testing.

Common SQA Tools and Technologies

Software quality assurance (SQA) tools are various software applications or platforms that can assist testers in various tasks and activities related to software quality assurance. From planning and designing to executing, monitoring, and reporting the whole SQA testing process and results, these latest tools and technologies can be beneficial in multiple ways. However, it should also be noted that there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to choosing the QA tools and technologies. A company should select those tools only that align with their overall business goals and preferences. They should also ensure that SQA tools are compatible with the existing tools and technologies.

Some of the most common tools and technologies used for SQA are as follows –

• Kobiton

Kobiton is majorly used by developers to build, test, deploy, and release mobile apps, websites, and IoT devices on real devices, on-premise, or in the cloud. With the help of Kobiton, the QA testing team can test on a wide range of devices and easily replay a manual test session across multiple devices to get instant feedback on their app. In addition, this tool also tends to offer powerful APIs and built-in test automation tools that enable users to implement automation testing easily.

• Testsigma

Testsigma can be considered a powerful cloud-based test automation platform that allows the QA testing team to automate tests for web, mobile, and desktop apps along with application programming interfaces (APIs) in minutes.  The Testsigma tool tends to unify all the capabilities of a traditional, fragmented test stack into a single space.

Various Testsigma features include features such as built-in visual testing, codeless automation,2FA testing, parametrized or data-driven testing, continuous integration, etc. 

• Mabl 

Mabl is considered a low-code, intelligent test automation platform mainly built for Agile teams. With the help of mabl, the QA testing team can integrate end-to-end software testing into the entire development lifecycle. In addition, this tool also allows teams to integrate testing into existing workflows with issue tracking, CI/CD, communication tools, and much more.

Some of the interesting features of Mabl include selenium import/export, cross-browser and mobile testing, accessibility testing, machine learning auto-healing, and so much more.

• Mobot 

Mobot is a full-service testing platform that specializes in using various mechanical robots to test various mobile devices. With the help of the Mobot tool, the QA testing team can offload tests that were previously only testable via manual testing, and automate them using actual robots.

The Mobot tool tends to include various interesting features such as no code, human-verified test results, self-serve test uploads, AI-powered test automation, Bluetooth device testing, and a continuous testing integration system.

Automation in SQA

QA automation or automated testing refers to the process of designing and developing automation scripts that help to run tests on the software using various automation tools. It is useful to perform repetitive testing tasks that were previously performed by testers manually. QA automation helps to increase test coverage and accuracy by eliminating any chance of human-prone errors.

Data accuracy and data relevancy can be considered as the two most important prerequisites for automated testing to give accurate results. One of the most common challenges faced during automated testing is Code smell. A Code smell is a part of a code that is not “technically wrong” but its implementation is chaotic and becomes a pain during the execution. So, it is the responsibility of testers to take care of the quality of code so that it does not affect the development cycle through automated testing. The tester should eliminate the found code smells by applying proper programming principles, maybe by removing duplication or introducing meaningful names for variables. 

Performance Testing

Performance testing can be considered a type of software testing that tends to focus on evaluating the performance and scalability of a system or application. 

Various types of performance testing include Load Testing, Stress Testing, Endurance Testing, Throttle Testing, Peak Testing, and Scalability Testing.

The main aim of performance testing is to identify bottlenecks, measure system performance under various loads and conditions, and ensure that the system can handle the expected number of users or transactions.

One of the most common challenges faced during performance testing is the lack of proper testing scenarios. To have the correct outcome, the business organization needs to test the application under reasonable scenarios using performance testing tools. However, in today’s fast-paced business environment, lots of companies do not have that budget or environment for executing the tests. One of the most efficient ways to conduct performance testing is to generate a replica of the production environment.

Functional testing

Functional testing is a type of testing that helps to check whether each application feature works as per the software requirements. Each function is compared to the corresponding requirement to ensure whether its output is consistent with the end user’s expectations.

One of the main challenges of conducting functional testing is setting up and maintaining a complex or changing test environment that can simulate the real-world conditions and interactions of the system. A complex or changing test environment can cause various problems such as configuration errors, compatibility problems, network failures, or performance degradation, that can affect the reliability and validity of the test results. To overcome this challenge, an experienced performance tester should use various automation tools, such as virtualization, containerization, or cloud services, to create and manage the test environment more easily and efficiently.

Security Testing

Security testing mainly focuses on identifying and addressing security vulnerabilities in a software application. It helps to ensure that the software is secure from malicious attacks, data breaches, and unauthorized access. 

One of the most common challenges during security testing is the risk of false positives and negatives. False positives are cases where the security testing tools or methods report a vulnerability that does not even exist. False negatives are the cases where the security testing tools or methods fail to detect a vulnerability that exists. Both false positives and negatives can affect the accuracy, reliability, and effectiveness of the overall testing results. To overcome this challenge, an experienced performance tester should first use multiple sources of information, such as logs, scans, reports, and tools, to cross-check and confirm the validity and severity of the test results. He or she should then tune the various tools used and then make a proper analysis.

Best Practices in Software Quality Assurance Testing

The two best practices in QA testing that contribute to maintaining the highest standards in product delivery are –

1. Collaborative testing 

Collaborative testing is a type of software QA testing method in which various stakeholders from different departments such as customer support and development tend to take part in the overall testing process at all phases of the software development. 

Collaborative testing helps to improve the overall quality of software applications by detecting and resolving various glitches during the development process. 

2. Continuous Testing

Continuous testing (CT) refers to the process of software development during which the application is tested continuously throughout the entire software development life cycle (SDLC). 

Continuous QA testing checks the software quality across the software development life cycle (SDLC) and then provides valuable feedback for higher-quality software.

and enabling higher-quality software.

3. Proper Environment Management

Effective environment management is like the bedrock of well-structured glitch-free software. It provides the necessary foundation for developers, QA testing teams, and operations personnel to collaborate seamlessly and get the best results. Without proper environmental management, things can go haywire. Developers might unknowingly introduce bugs, QA teams might struggle to replicate issues, and operations might grapple with unstable production systems. This can lead to costly delays, security vulnerabilities, and a subpar user experience.

4. Setting up testing goals and requirement 

The  QA testing team should first have a look at the testing requirements and customer expectations before beginning with the software testing process. The QA team needs to have a clear understanding of what to do, how to do it, who is the target audience, as well as how to ensure that the testing process is done properly.

5. Agile testing

Agile Testing is a type of software QA testing that takes place simultaneously throughout the software development life cycle. All members of the project team along with the special experts and testers are involved in agile testing. Agile testing helps to find defects early in the development process and ensures that the software is constantly improving.

Key Benefits of SQA Testing

There are various benefits of software quality assurance tests for a business organization such as –

• Saves Money and Time 

With the help of various software quality assurance tests during the early stages of software development, a business organization can save lots of money, time, and effort. If a company releases flawed, poor-quality software, it will have to spend extra money to fix those bugs. 

• Improves Brand Value 

A bug-free software after proper QA testing increases the company’s credibility in the eyes of its targeted and potential customers. 

• Helps in Security and Compliance

Software quality assurance tests help business organizations ensure that their software product is efficient, secure, and trustworthy. It helps identify various weaknesses and vulnerabilities in software during the development stage itself, allowing for timely security fixes to protect against data breaches and threats. 

• Ensures a High-quality Software Product

With the help of software quality assurance tests, a business organization can eliminate bugs and guarantee that the final product meets industry-specific regulations, standards, and legal requirements.  It ensures that the software functions properly.

• Increases Efficiency and Productivity 

Efficiency and productivity are the two most important factors that a business organization should consider while developing and launching any new software. An experienced  QA testing team can identify defects early and avoid delays and rework. Their efforts can lead to a shorter time-to-market and software that passes the testing process on the first try. Avoiding constant errors or bugs and developing good quality software helps to boost the efficiency and productivity of a company.    

• Increases Consumer Confidence

Developing good quality glitch-free software after proper QA testing tends to increase the assurance and confidence of the customer regarding the business organization.

Future Trends in SQA

The latest and innovative software quality assurance test trends for the year 2024 are as follows: 

• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

The application of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) helps to enhance and automate various aspects of software QA testing. AI and ML help to optimize test coverage, efficiency, and performance, while providing recommendations and insights for quality improvement.

•  DevOps

DevOps QA testing functions with the prime aim of fostering the needs of the customer in the best possible ways. It automates most of the software testing process, encourages collaboration between the Development and Operations teams, increases deployment speed, reduces the delivery time, and promotes higher ROI.

• Performance engineering 

Performance engineering involves using user-focused best practices and techniques in all stages of the software development life cycle (SDLC) to ensure that the final product is optimized appropriately. The activities involved in performance engineering focus on good architecture design, better UI/UX design, better code structure, software testing, quality assurance, etc. 

• Blockchain testing

Blockchain testing is the systematic evaluation of various functional components of the blockchain (e.g. smart contracts). Unlike traditional software  QA testing, blockchain testing includes blocks, mining, transactions, wallets, etc. Blockchain testing helps improve various quality stages, from system performance to the security of blockchain implementation.

Wrapping Up

In today’s digital age, there is a wide range of quality assurance test that helps to ensure that the various software delivered to the users, meets necessary quality, security requirements, and reliability. A business organization should hire a quality assurance tester, develop bug-free software applications, and take their company to the next level. 

Also Read: An Ultimate Guide to Choose the Best CRM Software For Small Business