What is QA in software development?

What is QA in software development?

As you know, QA stands for quality assurance, which is the process of ensuring product quality. It is the most critical part of the software development process. Some people have the misconception that quality assurance is only about testing, but in reality, it involves much more. The thing is, the testing phase is just a part of it.

Software development companies primarily use quality assurance (QA) to protect their brands and save time by addressing issues with products before they are shipped. So they wouldn’t have an error to fix, recall later, or send out a product that doesn’t work to the customers. This article will explain what QA means in detail, how it is distinct from testing, and other things.

How is software testing not the same as quality assurance?

As said earlier, there needs to be a better understanding between testing and quality assurance, and in this section, you will learn why they are different. Within the software development life cycle, software testing and quality assurance are two related but different processes. Both are necessary to ensure the quality of the end product.

• Software testing is the process of identifying and verifying whether the software applications or programs developed can meet the design specifications and user requirements. 
• It involves creating test plans, writing test cases, and performing manual and automated tests to ensure the product meets its specified requirements. 
• Quality assurance, on the other hand, is a set of processes or practices that focuses on the entire process of making sure that a product or service meets its design specifications and meets the needs of the user. 
• Its goal is to guarantee that it meets the established quality standards. 
• It is a continuous process that begins during the planning stages of a product or service and continues through the development, testing, and deployment of the product or service. 
• In the end, QA is necessary to guarantee the final product’s quality, which calls for a lot more work than manual testing.

Advantages of QA in software development

There are countless advantages to properly managing quality assurance for a software product. The following are some benefits that quality assurance and software testing can offer to the app development process: 

• Saves time and money
• Enhances the customer experience
• Increases the productivity and efficiency of the organisation
• Ensure the development of secure software products

1. Saves time and money

The first and foremost benefit is that when best practices of quality assurance are used, you can save much time spent by developers on the entire development process. When software applications are developed, quality assurance (QA) can make sure everything is going according to plan by carrying out thorough testing at every stage to guarantee that bugs are promptly fixed. Developers can move forward without having to make changes repeatedly.

• So, there will not be any delay or rework in the software development process, which will boost your process and improve app performance and the product’s dependability. 
• The set standards can help you identify the flaws in a product and address them in the early stages, which will reduce risks that could have an impact on how the application operates. 
• When test cases and a systematic plan for software quality assurance are put into place, everyone on the team knows exactly how and why to run tests. 
• Additionally, you can save a significant amount of money throughout the software development process with prompt feedback and prioritised fixes. 

2. Enhances the customer experience

Quality assurance is of great importance when it comes to enhancing the customer experience. If the customers are satisfied with the quality of the product they get delivered, the positive reviews they give can help increase the revenue of the software development firm. 

So, ensuring the excellent quality of the product will not only improve the client’s experience but also help businesses offer the best services to the end-users. This will also help the company build trust and loyalty among its customers. It will also help to increase the customer base and gain more referrals.

3. Increases the productivity and efficiency of the organisation

The most important focus should be on the quality assurance phase of your software development process. No, it is not because your software always has bugs. That being said, it is because you want to avoid haphazard fixes, confusion of any kind, and disorganised software. You will be able to work more productively and peacefully if you take an organised approach to QA testing from the outset of your development plan.

• Software developers will be able to deliver incremental product features on time if you use an agile approach for your project.
• You can manage the development and quality assurance of the product at the same time when you create an application using this method. 
• The time that could be spent on other crucial QA tasks will be saved, productivity will increase, and efficiency will be enhanced. 
• Customers will be satisfied, and the service will be improved.

4. Ensure the development of secure software products

It can ensure the safety of the applications and avoid any data leaks, and various parameters are tested to do that. The interactions with the application will help make sure that all systems and functional parts cooperate to protect your data. Thereby, you can make sure you are delivering more enriched and safer products to your customers. Providing a high-quality product will enable you to establish a solid reputation for your company by bringing in more delighted clients.

So, you read about quality assurance, its difference from testing, and its benefits. Implementing QA practices has helped many firms build trust and loyalty among their customers by providing flawless software products without any errors and with cost-effectiveness. It has ensured the customers are getting exactly what they paid for, making sure there’s no extra work involved in dealing with unexpected errors. If a business understands the strategies and knows how to apply them effectively, it can benefit from quality assurance services in every way.

Interesting Links:

The Functions And Duties Of Quality Assurance In Software Development

Check out more information about QA in Software Creation

Pictures: Canva

The author: Sascha Thattil works at Software-Developer-India.com which is a part of the YUHIRO Group. YUHIRO is a German-Indian enterprise which provides programmers to IT companies, agencies and IT departments.