Improving the Quality Control Strategy

Change is difficult. But if you are involved in software development and production or any other technology, you have likely long understood that adapting to new methodologies and adjusting strategies is a must. Of course, technology is constantly evolving, new tools and approaches appear every day, and software, unfortunately, becomes outdated continuously.

Thus, there are many things to keep an eye on. One area that requires constant attention and refinement is the quality assurance (QA) strategy. QA is an integral part of software delivery as it prepares the product for its final release. You may already have a strategy in place, but it is important to evaluate it regularly.

What steps should you take to ensure the reliability of your testing process? While there is no exact formula, the following suggestions can help you assess your QA strategy.

Conduct an audit of the current strategy

Analyze every area of the QA process to assess what is working and what may need revision or adjustment. This includes documentation, methodology, management, etc. Discuss these matters with key employees, ask what they believe is running smoothly and if there are any shortcomings.

You also need to analyze the process from start to finish to understand the overall picture and how to achieve more.

Create a wish list

After conducting the audit of your current strategy, identify the key needs of the organization. In an ideal world, which areas could you focus on to make your QA process perfect?

Of course, you may not be able to do everything at once, but this will give you an idea and a general sense of what to prioritize and what needs to be done first.

Keep everyone informed

Many parties should be involved in the QA strategy – from software developers to stakeholders and top management, not to mention every member of the QA team. This is because ultimately, quality assurance is everyone's responsibility.

Make sure everyone is informed about the overall plans, their individual roles and contributions, and any other related issues. Although the QA process will affect some team members more than others, it still matters to everyone, so they need to be kept up to date.

Involve the QA team from the very beginning

The QA team should not come in at the end and catch all the bugs. Instead, they should be involved in the software development lifecycle (SDLC) from the earliest stages. Team members should work closely with developers and start conducting assessments before errors and defects become too severe, as they are harder to fix later.

Software developers perform unit testing, but the QA team should also conduct testing during the process. This will avoid bottlenecks and ensure smooth operations to produce high-quality products and bring them to market.

Evaluate manual and automated operations

Sometimes organizations get too caught up in automation and neglect manual testing. Although automation has an important place in the QA process and can be done faster and cheaper than manual testing, it is not always the solution.

For example, exploratory testing, where QA specialists analyze the system and study it on the fly, is not a scripted approach and cannot be done by a machine – the tester must rely on intuition and critical thinking to "explore" the product.

Of course, automated tests also need to be written by QA specialists first, so even automated actions are not independent of machines. When refining your testing strategy, carefully consider which areas are best suited for automation and which should be performed by specialists.

Look for areas that can be outsourced

You may already have a great QA team. However, this does not mean there are no areas where you could use third-party specialists. Perhaps the project requires certain skills that none of your in-house staff possess, or you simply need extra support due to a large number of products in the pipeline.

QA outsourcing offers several advantages, including cost savings, efficiency, and more. It can also help your in-house team achieve better results and help complete the project by increasing productivity. If you want to maintain your headcount, outsourcing can assist in implementing the overall strategy and complement the work of your employees.

Continuously evaluate and reassess

Even if your QA strategy seems well-thought-out now, the tech industry and market are constantly changing. Even if you define it according to current standards, remember to leave room for maneuvering in response to changing circumstances. Additionally, you need to constantly evaluate and reassess the QA process to ensure it is still running as smoothly as possible. You could even set a schedule for reviews with employees and team members.

Just as everyone is responsible for product quality, everyone must be flexible and critical when evaluating QA processes. Remember that your organization may change – shrink, grow, or shift direction – and you will need to consider various factors. Your QA strategy should complement new approaches.

Creating a QA strategy that meets project requirements and complies with industry standards is an arduous task. In some cases, it is even harder to reassess and improve the process after it has been implemented. You need to get buy-in from all stakeholders, think through every aspect of the strategy, identify key participants, and much more.

This is also a necessary step. The tech world does not stand still, and hopefully, your company does not either. Implementing new procedures and taking a critical look at your operations are key to ensuring that the software development process as a whole runs smoothly and that the products you create are of the highest quality.