Enhancement of QA process and methodologies

QA testing process and methodologies have proved to be quiet beneficial. They resulted in more dynamic and segregation flows leading us to a quality throughput. For any work to be successful, proper schedules, plan and process should be followed.

Continuous enhancement of QA process and methodologies are beneficial as requirements of end users change day by day. There is a need to cope up with the demands.

To take QA process and methodologies to next maturing level enhancements can be done through:

1) Various Brain Storming Sessions

2) Knowledge Sharing

3) Discussion of Challenges faced

4) Revise/ Modify the practices used

5) Improvisation of models/ metrics and evaluation factors

6) Usage of new tools available in market

7) Apply testing mixture (Use Manual + Automated+ Performance testing in fine proportion)

"Nothing is permanent except change"

Up-scaling QA processes and QA testing methodologiesis one of the strategic move adopted by most QA Testing companies. Nowadays, the developmental life-cycles are more typical than traditional QA testing methodology or QA process can handle. Being so agile and flexible, it has become almost indispensable to follow strict QA guidelines and to even keep them documented for future references in order to track any instantaneous break in the application. Furthermore the products being so responsive in nature, the test strategies and methodologies should be at par with it, changing every-time in order to complement the same. For such products, test cases should be created at run-time to better match the requirements and therefore avoiding it from being obsolete.

Enhancement can be considered as a positive change and positive change in a process will always lead to development. Of course enhancement in testing field is beneficial, and when it is on a treadmill, it indubitably effects quality of work which is Creed in our Testing Religion, Our motto is to provide quality work in the form of test cases and scenarios so as to make an application as robust as it can be. Gaining client trust and enticing more clients or organization by our work.

As a QA testingengineer to stand globally, we have to adapt to certain process and protocols that are essential for the change, and by the change we mean growth success and achievements.

To grow as a QA Engineer and to help grow the organization it is very important to understand the processes and methodologies used earlier and will be using in near future as an emerging organization.

Software testing or say QA testing is a niche area and requires constant innovation. Continuous Enhancement increases quality which is Creed in Testing Religion, Peer review is one big factor which can be implemented in teams , giving pool of ideas for different scenarios in application and following the most relevant direction is what it is all about, this way individual's work becomes team effort and hence the results are always affirmative and Factual. Obviously it increases maturity of work as well as enhance work environment.

There could be various suggestions to take software testing to the next level. Starting from giving respect to the test engineer by helping him learn how to code which would levitate his confidence and rapport with the developer. Help him in becoming a system specific dedicated tester which makes him more output driven. Providing business training for what they are about to test.

Preparation of test cases should start during the development phase to ensure nothing is left behind during crunch time. Tester should be on toes to monitor any requirement change done by the business team or the stakeholders. All these things if implemented properly can lead to a better software and better quality.

If you are associated with a QA testing company, you will agree that continuous enhancement of QA process and methodologies are beneficial.  “Change” in processes and methodologies are important. Being a QA Engineer, if we are following a similar process every time there have been certain situations when we miss something or escape a defect as we are not in habit of applying change in our process. Thus we do require changes in QA process after following the existing for certain period of time. It is not possible to create a perfect process in first attempt. Limitations and problems are found when we practically implement them. So in order to make the process robust and perfect, there is a continuous requirement of change in it.

Let me explain this with a small example, if we are working on an application which is not new. We have certain set of test cases to execute on that same module in every release cycle. Executing same set of test cases every time there is a possibility that we are missing a defect/bug which is reproducible by applying a different scenario. Thus escaping the defect in every release. If we would have changed our workflow and tried to take a different path that defect would not have escaped.

Methodologies are defined using logic. Are we sure whether the logic defined is strong enough to work in every situation or scenario? There are certain possibilities where we may find defect or loop hole in our methodology. Thus removing this defect or gap in methodology is necessary as it is being followed in building processes. Therefore we should continuously work on finding ways in how to improve our methods which will make our process better and we leave no scope in compromising Quality of our testing product.

 Summary:

To grow as a QA Engineer and to help grow the organization it is very important to understand the processes and methodologies used earlier and will be using in near future as an emerging organization.Methodologies are defined using logic. Are we sure whether the logic defined is strong enough to work in every situation or scenario? There are certain possibilities where we may find defect or loop hole in our methodology. Thus removing this defect or gap in methodology is necessary as it is being followed in building processes.

Keywords:  QA Testing, QA processes,QA testing methodologies

Author:

Knowledge Sharing Team at QA InfoTech is responsible for research on new tools & technologies for effective software testing across all industry verticals. QA InfoTech (an ISO 9001:2008 & CMMI III certified) is one of the leading Quality assurance Testing Companies with five testing “Centers of Excellence” in the United States and India.  It offers end to end QA testing services.

Links:

http://www.qainfotech.com/methodology.html