5 Top Advantages of Validating Software through Software Testing

The integration of the physical world through the digital medium has seen an increased use of software or pieces of codes that are designed to achieve specific objectives. It is the software at the core of a network, computer or telecommunications system that has made the world stay interconnected. In fact, software is at the heart of the digital ecosystem that has enveloped businesses, institutions, organizations, governments and citizens.

Notably, software, whether used as a mobile app, an operating system, or a part of the embedded systems, has brought about a remarkable improvement in the lives of people. Thus, when so much is at stake on the proper functioning of software in various domains, devices, and networks, ensuring its quality is a foregone conclusion. The quality can only be ensured through the structured conduct of a software testing and quality assurance process.

However, the growing competition and changing market dynamics have meant quantity often takes precedence over quality. In other words, businesses, in order to become the first mover in the market and to cut costs often give a short shrift to softwarequality assurance testing. This approach has led to the mushrooming of various software products in the market that do not pass muster on the rubicon of quality. Thus, apart from nixing the user experience, a poor quality software can invite security risks as well. The risks can be related to hackers gaining access to the software and siphoning off sensitive personal or business data. And if that is not enough, then a poor quality software in embedded systems like an MRI machine, X ray, EEG and others can put the lives of patients in peril.

What are software testing and quality assurance?

These involve a number of steps to identify the vulnerabilities or glitches in a software. These can either be done concurrently or after the development process in the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC.) The testing process is all about validating the software from regulatory, functional, usability, or security points of view. Once the glitches are identified, the same are sent back to the development team for correction. If the software testing methodology involves testing post the development of software, the same is called the waterfall method. The problem with the waterfall model is its lack of consistency in achieving quality. Moreover, as the traditional waterfall model uses manual testing, it is mostly unreliable and time consuming.

The above mentioned lacuna of the waterfall model have brought about the concept of Agile followed by DevOps. According to these, the software quality assurance testing is carried out alongside development by using test automation. Furthermore, the need for continuous improvement and deployment of software has necessitated the involvement of all stakeholders viz., development and operations. This approach is known as DevOps.

The software testing methodology includes a slew of testing such as unit, functional, performance, regression, security and usability. These are conducted either manually or through the use of automated tools. Unless and until a software goes through the above mentioned tests, it should not be deployed for customer usage. For otherwise, the inherent glitches in the software can mar the user experience forcing users to discard the software altogether. And in the increasingly competitive market, this can sound the death knell for a company. Software application testing has indeed come a long way. The approach has changed from looking at it merely from the cost and time consuming angle to the present business optimization angle. The immense benefits of softwareapplication testing are described below.

Top five benefits of software testing and quality assurance.

#1 Creates a great user experience: The presence of a large number of software products has served the appetite of users very well. The users usually do not settle for anything unless the same is of a higher quality. Given this scenario, the presence of glitches in a software can reduce the user experience a great deal. This can push customers to use the competing products. Thus, a software testing company should ensure the application meets user experience. This eventually leads to better sales besides establishing a stronger brand value. 

#2 Cost benefits: A bug affected software, apart from losing customers, will require a substantial cost to become quality assured. Hence, software testing should be made an integral part of the SDLC to remove glitches at the initial stage only. Remember, the later a code is worked upon to eliminate glitches, greater will be the cost and time spent in achieving validation. Importantly, a quality assured software can reach the market faster, enjoy the early mover advantage and meet the customer expectations. The cumulative effect of these can accrue significant cost benefits to the company.

#3 Improves efficiency and productivity: By using Agile and DevOps methodologies, you can develop and deploy software within the turnaround time. This is in sharp contrast to frantically running after the development team for fixes and in the process, reducing the efficiency and productivity of the organization.

#4 Prevent system breakdowns and business losses: If the software running at the very core of a company’s system breaks down due to the presence of glitches, the impact can be dire. The impact may range from missing project deadlines and a whole lot of angry customers and clients to deal with to the loss of sensitive business or customer information.

#5 Business optimization: Quality assurance can lead to a slew of benefits. These can range from happy customers, better sales, greater profits, and a stronger brand value.

Conclusion

By focusing on software testing a company can meet a number of business objectives and stay clear of the regulatory and security pitfalls. It is the best way to stay competitive and enhance the brand value.

This Article is originally published at Medium.com, 5 Top Benefits of Software Testing and Quality Assurance.