{"id":6775,"date":"2023-06-13T20:22:24","date_gmt":"2023-06-13T12:22:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/slash.bravefactor.com\/?post_type=resources&#038;p=6775"},"modified":"2024-01-31T13:00:38","modified_gmt":"2024-01-31T05:00:38","slug":"5-reasons-why-you-need-a-software-quality-assurance-tester-in-a-development-team","status":"publish","type":"resources","link":"https:\/\/slash.co\/articles\/5-reasons-why-you-need-a-software-quality-assurance-tester-in-a-development-team\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Reasons why you need a software quality assurance tester in a development team"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Launching a digital product without the supervision of a software quality assurance team is a big risk. A software bug can cost an expensive upgrade, and the solution takes time. For example, Pentagon had to spend <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2022-01-26\/f-35-fighter-jet-s--14-billion-software-upgrade-is-deployed-despite-flaws#xj4y7vzkg\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$14 billion<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to remove bugs in the F-35 jet\u2019s software. Therefore, getting your product tested before it costs you a fortune is highly recommended to save yourself from such situations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So in this article, you will learn the software quality assurance definition. We will walk you through the main SQA activities and plans. By the end, you will know what is QA, its meaning and importance in software development. You will also understand the difference between quality control vs quality assurance. And most importantly, the 5 reasons why you should have a QA tester in your team.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Definition of software quality assurance<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Software Quality Assurance (SQA) is a process that helps companies know whether their ongoing software engineering activities are meeting the set standards.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-7892 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/slash.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/01-Software-Quality-Assurance-385x235.jpg\" alt=\"Software Quality Assurance\" width=\"385\" height=\"235\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Quality assurance engineers are responsible for conducting these tasks. And therefore, they play a vital role by providing their insights to the software development teams.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chief components and activities of software quality assurance<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Every company has its own standards and procedures for software quality assurance. So answering the question of \u201cwhat is quality assurance\u201d depends on the organization\u2019s core operations and the type of software they build. But to ensure you have an idea of activities, we have listed 11 tasks that fit most firms.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Making a great SQA plan : <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It means building a plan that includes the SQA techniques and methods to apply them. A robust SQA plan also defines the software development activities required to be carried out throughout the project. The plan also highlights the experience, talent, and required expertise of the right tech team.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Building up checkpoints\u00a0 : <\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The software quality assurance team sets up quality checkpoints after a specific period. It ensures the software development proceeds as planned, and the results meet expectations.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Gathering requirement : <\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The plan encourages software designers to obtain high-quality specifications through engineering techniques. For instance, they may use the interview and Functional Analysis System Technique (FAST) methods to gather the information.<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This information helps software architects make a project estimation with the help of various techniques, including Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), Functional Point (FP), and Source Line of Codes (SLOC).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Conducting formal technical reviews : <\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A formal technical review is a process to analyze the design and quality of the software <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/slash.co\/articles\/4-key-strategies-for-successful-clickable-prototype-development\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">prototype<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. In this process, the technical staff accompany meetings to discuss the software\u2019s quality requirements and the prototype\u2019s design quality. FTRs play a major role in SQA planning as they help detect errors in the initial phase of software development.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Carrying out a multi-testing strategy : <\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No plans are complete without setting up a multi-testing strategy as it enhances the product\u2019s quality. It helps check the software product from all angles through various software testing methods.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Ensuring plan\u2019s adherence : <\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This activity ensures whether or not the teams are sticking to the plan. It is further divided into two sub-activities. Number 1 is <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Process Evaluation : <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This confirms that the established standards for the software project are correctly followed. The process is based on a time-to-time evaluation to find out if there is any need for adjustments. And number 2 is <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Process Monitoring : <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this step, the quality assurance team periodically collects the planned and executed process&#8217;s results. They interpret the outcomes to analyze if the process is maturing as per the expectations.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\"><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Control over change : <\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This process defines if the product amendment and changes are informed and controllable. It requires different automated and manual tools to check the effects of new changes on the software quality.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Change impact evaluation : <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The QA team finds and fixes errors, bringing changes to the product. This is the step where the team determines the impact of new changes on the project\u2019s functionality after handling the errors.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>SQA audit : <\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the SQA audit, the team inspects the difference between the set standards vs the actual software development process that has been followed. It helps authenticate the correctness of the strategic process compared to the actual results. This activity may also reveal infringements in following the planning.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Maintenance of records : <\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Documentation is a requisite in software quality assurance. It helps you save historical data, including audit results, test results, change request documentation, etc.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Building good intra and inter work relationships : <\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The QA team must work together with other cross-functional departments. There shouldn\u2019t be extreme internal and external conflicts, especially between the QA and software developers.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What a software quality assurance (SQA) plan looks like?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A software quality assurance plan is comprised of the following parts:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-7893 aligncenter lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/slash.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/02-Software-Quality-Assurance-1-385x340.png\" alt=\"Software Quality Assurance \" width=\"385\" height=\"340\" title=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 385px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 385\/340;\"><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Purpose <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>short<\/strong> project overview with well-defined SQA goals and the expected benefits.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Budget <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It includes details about the cost of training, hiring teams, software tools, or any other resources needed for the project.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Scope <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is a list of products and activities to be covered and performed.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Schedule <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It defines the milestones to be achieved in a specific time and the time spent on each activity.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Responsibilities <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This includes a list of tasks that each team member of the SQA team will be performing.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>References <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is a document in an SQA plan that offers guidance or additional knowledge on a specific topic.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Code Control <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It demonstrates ways to build a software product in a controlled environment.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Quality Acceptance Criteria <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It shows the names of the tests to be performed by the team. Moreover, the list also informs about a product&#8217;s criteria to become acceptable to the stakeholders and customers.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Tools and Techniques <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This part of the plan informs about the tools used in software quality assurance and the testing methods.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Testing Methodologies <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This part of the plan elaborates on the testing methods, such as white-box testing, stress testing, and integration testing, to be used in a project.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Software Configuration Management (SCM) <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SCM are the activities to be performed by the SQA team to track and control software changes.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Problem Reporting and Corrective Action (PRAC) <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is one of the important parts of SQA because it helps teams to identify and solve problems immediately.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Benefits of software quality assurance<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A quality assurance (QA) tester can bring plenty of advantages to the software engineering process. Here are a few of the most essential benefits.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cost reduction<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Time-saving<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Early recognition of system deficiency<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reduced risks of product failure<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">High user retention rate<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b><i>Also Read<\/i><\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/slash.co\/articles\/5-steps-to-increase-engagement-with-user-retention-design\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5 Steps to Increase Engagement with User Retention Design<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5 Reasons you need a software quality assurance (SQA) tester<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are the 5 reasons you must include a software quality assurance test engineer in your project.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-7894 aligncenter lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/slash.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/03-Software-Quality-Assurance-385x231.png\" alt=\"03 Software Quality Assurance\" width=\"385\" height=\"231\" title=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 385px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 385\/231;\"><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Improved software quality<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A QA engineer finds and fixes errors in a software product before it is launched. This improves the product\u2019s reliability, security, and usability.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Minimum risk of software failure<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many software fails due to defects not being determined and fixed during development. This damages the company\u2019s reputation and results in losing high revenue. But a quality engineer can reduce these risks by identifying and solving problems.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Greater customer satisfaction<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Customers love defectless solutions. But since developing 100% bug-free software is an <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.entrepreneur.com\/science-technology\/theres-no-such-thing-as-a-bug-free-app\/251742\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">unrealistic expectation<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, you can still try to make the product with minimum flaws. Through QA testing, you can build software with fewer errors that attract customers and creates affection.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Budget saver<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>It is difficult to fix problems in software once it is released. Although it is not impossible, it is time-consuming and requires more money. Contrarily, having a software tester can save you from overspending to fix issues later, as they already do in the development stages.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Development team on track<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A software quality assurance tester keeps the development team on track by offering valuable feedback through test cases. Their insights help developers with the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/slash.co\/articles\/10-benefits-of-using-design-thinking-for-innovation\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">design thinking<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> process, resulting in the building of highly valuable digital products.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><i>Also Read<\/i><\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <a href=\"https:\/\/slash.co\/articles\/4-things-to-consider-when-building-software-architecture\">4 Things to Consider When Building Software Architecture<\/a><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conclusion<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Software Quality Assurance helps organizations ensure that the product meets all the set requirements and fits its purpose. SQA plays a great role in the entire development cycle, from information gathering to testing and software deployment. Moreover, quality assurance is based on several activities and executed through a proper SQA plan.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At Slash, we comprehend your need for high software quality. Our rigorously vetted software development and QA teams can build products according to your expectations to meet your customers\u2019 needs. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/slash.co\/product-development\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contact us<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to begin right now.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>FAQs &#8211; software quality assurance<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>What is software quality assurance for? <\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Software Quality Assurance (SQA) is a significant part of software development to ensure the product has high quality.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>What are QA QC and QE in software testing? <\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are a few major differences when comparing quality assurance vs quality control. For example, QA focuses on the product\u2019s quality by defining standards, while QC focuses on defect prevention through unit, system, and integration testing. On the other hand, Quality Engineering (QE) focuses on improvement, selection of tools, and risk evaluation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>What is the difference between QA and SQA? <\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Quality Assurance (QA) means ensuring the quality of any product or service. Software Quality Assurance (SQA) is a quality check specific to software products.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>What is the SQA process? <\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The SQA process consists of different activities, such as planning, setting checkpoints, testing strategies, controlling changes and measuring their impact, and auditing. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":10382,"parent":0,"template":"","resource-topic":[63],"resource-type":[43],"class_list":["post-6775","resources","type-resources","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","resource-topic-software-development","resource-type-articles"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/slash.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resources\/6775","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/slash.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resources"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/slash.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/resources"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/slash.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10382"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/slash.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6775"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"resource-topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/slash.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource-topic?post=6775"},{"taxonomy":"resource-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/slash.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource-type?post=6775"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}