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Quality Assurance Testing
What is Quality Assurance (QA) Testing?
Be it software or any regular commodity, the Quality dictates its usability. The quality assures if it is fit for use. Every end-user expects quality assurance when he invests some money on it. The same holds for software as well. It is quintessential that the developed software meets the predefined set of guidelines to work effectively and efficiently. This Quality Assurance in Software Development is also popularly known as QA Testing or Software Quality Assurance (SQA). The SQA ensures the quality of software engineering processes.
SQA is essentially an iterative process in the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) which is required to be performed at regular intervals to ensure the fitness of the software. Instead of checking for the fitment at the end, the SQA is carried out at every phase to avoid last-minute failures/disappointments. The software development progresses to the next phase only after the SQA is successful for that phase.
SQA Testing involves the following activities:
Creating an SQA Management Plan:
This is to assess and identify the budget, resources, etc.
Setting the checkpoints:
To place the checkpoints at which the SQA needs to be performed in the best interests of the project. Any Project Life Cycle is broadly divided into two phases – the development phase and the maintenance phase.
In the development phase, the SQA is performed to check for programming or designing errors.
In the maintenance phase, the SQA is performed to improve the functionality and maintenance of the developed product.
Applying Software Engineering Techniques:
These techniques are used by the project designer to procure the specifications of the product. This is attained by conducting interviews, implementing FAST( Functional Analysis System Technique).
Once the specifications of the product are gathered, the project designer then estimates the cost based on the techniques like WBS (Work Breakdown Structure), SLOC (Source Line of Code), and FP (Functional Point).
Implementing Formal Technical Reviews (FTR):
FTR is conducted to assess the quality standard and design of the model. Various meetings are conducted to understand the quality expectations. This step helps in identifying the errors in the early stage of the SDLC.
Implementation of multiple-testing strategy:
Multiple testing strategies are implemented to test the product in different angles for the best results.
Checking for process adherence:
This step is to ensure if the development is in line with the defined procedures.
Change Control:
A combination of manual and automated tests is used to control the change. At this stage, the change requests, nature of change, and the effects of change are evaluated.
Measure Change Impacts:
The changes made for improvement at times bring in new errors. These activities decide which errors can be tolerated for a positive shift and reset the changes in case of deviation.
Conducting SQA Audits:
In the QA audits, the auditing team compares the project results with the established processes. Moreover, they check if the documented project details are actually performed by the team and also address any non-compliance issues.
Maintenance of records, reports:
It is imperative to maintain documentation of the entire SDLC and share the same with the stakeholders. The reports, records, audit results, changes, etc should be maintained for future reference.
Maintain harmony:
Last but not least, the SQA team, Software testing, and the developers should maintain a healthy relationship among the teams for the overall quality of the project.
Like any QA check, SQA is also performed using PDCA Cycle:
Plan – This is the first step of the cycle where the various stages are assessed for problems based on their objectives and if they can meet the required quality guidelines. If not, they understand the root cause of the problem.
Do – Set a measurement and develop and execute the solution and compare the results alongside the measurement.
Check- Monitor the process after the execution of the solution to check if it meets the objectives of the process.
Act- Implement the improvements in case they fall short of the required standards, document the results, inform the others about the change and make a note of the further improvements to be made in the next PDCA cycle.
Evolution of SQA…
Implementing QA involves cost and patience from the Organization’s end. Hence, it was a herculean task to convince the management in the past to reinforce quality assurance, however, now with the demand for high standards by the stakeholders, the branch of Quality Assurance has become an integral part of Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).
Eventually, the management of various organizations has started investing in SQA testing realizing the following benefits:
- Builds confidence of the client in the project.
- Money-saving
- Increases Productivity and Efficiency
- Prevents last-minute failures/emergencies
The function of an SQA team in a project is to ensure that the procedures, standards, processes that are appropriate for the project are aptly implemented.
What are the advantages of learning Software QA Testing?
The realm of Software QA Testing is vast. Learning SQA Testing opens doors to many opportunities in the IT field. The options are exciting and endless:
- With the experience of an SQA tester, one can move to the role of QA Manager.
- QA team members often move into roles like automation/security/database/performance specialists.
- Learning SQA can lead to roles like Business Analyst, Technical Writer, etc.
What are the topics covered in the QA course?
- Manual Testing, Software Development Life Cycle, Testing Life Cycle, Tester Role
- Test Cases, Test Plan, Software Project Architecture
- HP Quality Center | HP Application Life Cycle Management
- Structured Query Language
- Unix | Linux Operating System
- HP QTP | HP UFT Training – Automation Testing
- HP LoadRunner – Performance Testing
- Review the topics, configuration management, quality controls
- ETL Testing, Data warehouse Testing
- Mobile App Testing
Who can do the real-time QA Project?
Software QA Testing is essentially a set of activities that gives assurance and confidence to the end-user in terms of its quality.
An ideal candidate for the SQA testing real-time project would be someone well-versed with SQA activities, elements of SQA, and SQA Techniques. Beginners or those who wish to pursue SQA testing as a career, visit our website www.h2kinfosys.com to enroll for our QA course.
What are the advantages of doing a real-time QA project?
As already established, SQA Testing is a broad field that encompasses the various stages of SDLC. Hence, it is crucial for an SQA learner to complete a real-time SQA project before he delves into workplace experience offhandedly.
- On real-time projects, the SQA intern will gain the experience of working together with product owners, project managers, business analysts, and development leads which will help him (or her) interact with them.
- The intern will understand that the order of QA activities and techniques vary from one project to the other based on the scope of work and project goals.
- Every SQA intern will gain experience in how the QA team tests the project at various stages to ensure bug-free delivery.
- The real-time project bridges the gap between classroom learning and on-job requirements.
- The real-time project adds value to your resume, not to mention the improved confidence levels of the intern which will help him crack the interviews effortlessly.
What will you learn during a QA Project?
An average real-time SQA project will help the intern gain mastery in the following aspects:
- Project initiation
- Interaction within the team
- Performing Requirement Analysis
- Test Planning
- Test designing
- Attending meetings
- Interacting with Developers
- Database integration testing
- Middleware Testing
What can you achieve after the QA Project Completion?
On the SQA real-time project completion, the intern would have connected all the dots in the Software Development Life Cycle. SQA comprises of a huge set of activities that can only be learned through real-time project-based training.
- All the interns would have witnessed the various stages of SDLC apart from gaining hands-on experience in managing, reviewing, testing, correcting, integrating, and auditing activities of the SQA.
- Every trainee would have learned to hold meetings with product owners, project managers, and team leads effectively.
- After the project-based training, every intern would have real-time time experience to add to their resumes.
- Finally, the hands-on experience boosts the confidence of the trainees which will subsequently help them get through the interviews seamlessly.
What happens after the QA Project is completed?
Upon completion of the real-time SQA project, the project leader will have a one on one resume-building session with the intern. The staffing team then comes into the picture to take over the responsibilities from there.
- The HR recruiters from the placement division will circulate the intern’s resume to all the companies with suitable requirements.
- The candidate is placed successfully once they are completely aligned with the job profile.