Software Quality Assurance is simply a way to ensure quality in the software and make it perform its expected functions safely and faultlessly. Like you evaluate the quality of things before buying them by checking their quality, shape, and size, software quality is evaluated through Quality Assurance.
But before going to discuss the importance of quality Assurance, let us remind ourselves of some software failures with real-time examples:
Here are some famous examples of software bugs:
- In the 2010s, Mt. Gox was the largest bitcoin exchange in the world. However, everything changed when a software error hit them. Up to $1.5 million in lost bitcoins resulted from the exchange’s ability to create transactions that could never be completely repaid due to the bug. But Mt. Gox’s problems didn’t end here. In a hacking event in 2014, they lost more than 850,000 bitcoins, which were worth about half a billion dollars at the time. Although almost 200,000 bitcoins were recovered, the exchange ultimately filed for bankruptcy due to the enormous financial loss.
- Because of a bug during its day-to-day framework revival in 2015, Starbucks lost a huge number of dollars in deals because of the conclusion of retail location registers at a few of its areas in the US and Canada. Until the frameworks were modified and reestablished, the restaurants were constrained to give free beverages. So on, in addition to the side, espresso was presented without charge!
Basic of Quality Assurance: Testing, Quality Control, and Quality Assurance
Why is quality assurance important in software development? Quality assurance is often understood as running tests to find faults and errors in software products. But software quality assurance is more than just that. Although testing is an integral aspect of the quality assurance process and part of the software development life cycle, quality assurance procedures are not just used during the testing phase. Furthermore, QA and quality control are different terms.
Here’s how they differ from each other.
Testing:
Testing is checking software code and design for errors and flaws. Testing procedures such as Grey Box, Black Box, and White Box can be automated or performed manually by the QA team to check the performance of a software’s code and design. Testing can take place during the testing phase of the software development life cycle or at any point during the development process.
Quality Control:
Quality control (QC) is concerned with the final product and ensures that it is not imperfect or broken before it is delivered to the customer.
Quality Assurance:
Quality assurance, on the other hand, is a broad term that includes testing and quality control and focuses on the overall quality of the software development process. It refers to the continuous improvement of processes to improve quality control. Unlike testing and quality control, QA is involved at all stages of the development process. It ensures that each process step is completed correctly to maintain quality throughout the project lifecycle.
Reasons Why Quality Assurance is important in Software Development:
Save Time and Money:
Consistent software quality assurance is required to save time and money. It can be costly if mistakes and bugs are not identified until later stages in the development process because fixing mistakes in an already designed and coded product takes time and thus costs more money.
Ensures Security:
Security is a constant concern with software applications. Even if a piece of software satisfies all functional criteria and works as intended, it cannot be secure. Moreover, a software system’s security flaws might jeopardise the user data and the software’s reputation.
One of the key causes for the significance of software quality assurance is this. It aids in the discovery of security flaws in software and aids in the creation of products that are completely reliable and safe.
Maintain the Quality of your Product:
You can keep your product’s dependability and stability by implementing QA methods. QA strives to be proactive by anticipating problems before they arise so that they are never included in the software build. The QA team collaborates with the quality control team to conduct tests at various phases of the product’s life cycle that concentrate on the product’s usability, functionality, security, and usability. As a result, fewer problems equal greater quality. The ultimate result is that, to the best of the company’s ability, the finished product has few flaws and performs exactly as planned.
User Satisfaction:
The best user experience must constantly be ensured because the software development methodology always focuses on the product’s end users. Therefore, users’ experience might be ruined by a software system with flaws and failures.
QA engineers monitor the product’s development to ensure it is free of errors and will function as planned once it is in the hands of the end user. As a result, customers receive a high-quality product that they like using.
Conclusion:
Throughout the development process, quality assurance aids in finding mistakes and weaknesses in the software code and design to save time and money loss. It ensures that the finished product is competitive, secure, and efficiently performs its intended functions. A rigorous quality assurance process for software development can enhance the company’s reputation and ensure user and client satisfaction from a business perspective.