International Testers’ Day Special: Behind the Scenes of Software Quality Assurance
How Quality Assurance Shapes Development Success
Quality Assurance (QA) is an indispensable and integral component of the software development process. Its significance cannot be overstated, as quality software is the cornerstone of meeting the expectations of end-users. QA plays a vital role in early defect identification, reducing the expenses associated with rework and ongoing maintenance. Notably, QA encompasses various activities, such as testing and code reviews, which are instrumental in pinpointing and mitigating potential risks and vulnerabilities within the software. This proactive approach significantly diminishes the likelihood of encountering unexpected issues, security breaches, or data loss.
Moreover, QA processes guarantee the consistent functionality of the software across diverse environments, platforms, and devices. In today’s interconnected, multi-device, and multi-platform world, this consistency is crucial. Various industries are governed by strict regulatory requirements and compliance standards, and here, QA steps in to ensure that the software aligns with these standards, thus reducing both legal and financial risks.
High-quality products are synonymous with reliability, professionalism, and trustworthiness, which in turn bolster the organization’s reputation. In the fiercely competitive market of today, quality can be a key differentiator. Software with fewer defects, better performance, and a superior user experience can provide a company with a distinct competitive advantage.
Quality software cultivates trust among users. When users have confidence in a software’s ability to perform as expected, they are not only more inclined to use it but also to recommend it to others.
The QA process at ADM
ADM boasts a well-established and comprehensive Quality Assurance (QA) process for our software products and services. At ADM, we are committed to delivering excellence in every aspect of our client’s projects. We’ve widely adopted Agile development methodologies, including Scrum and Kanban, as the foundation of our software development projects. These methodologies emphasize iterative development, close collaboration, and the rapid delivery of functional software in short cycles.
Incorporating QA seamlessly into these development processes is fundamental to our approach. Security, performance, accessibility, and other critical aspects are given top priority at ADM. Our team conducts meticulous security testing, which includes vulnerability assessments, code reviews, and penetration testing. This rigorous testing regimen allows us to identify and address security risks in our products and services promptly.
Furthermore, at ADM, we go the extra mile by providing extensive documentation and training resources. These valuable assets are designed to empower our developers, testers, and QA professionals to adhere to industry best practices consistently. We believe that this commitment to continuous improvement not only enhances our own processes but also ensures that our clients receive nothing less than the highest quality solutions.
Author: Giorgi Melikidze
Meet ADM QA Superhero Giorgi from Tbilisi
- What’s your go-to emoji to describe your feelings when you find a critical bug just before a release?
🤔 🤘 - If your job had a theme song, what would it be, and why?
The Beatles – Come together. Because there are important words -> “He says I know you, you know me, one thing I can tell you is you got to be free”, so I can give the freedom to the bug when it will be fixed finally 🙂 - What’s the weirdest device or platform you’ve had to test on?
I don’t remember - Can you share a funny bug story that made everyone on the team laugh (after it was fixed, of course)?
Once a client wrote the following words in Estonian “tundub timm”. Google translated it as “looks stupid”, but actually these words mean everything is fine in Estonian 🙂 - If you could create a testing superhero, what would their superpower be, and what would they be called?
Endorphin. Power – > To make everyone feel happy - What’s your favorite way to unwind after a long day of testing?
Listening to music and walking - Share a guilty pleasure snack that keeps you fueled during those marathon testing sessions.
Sunflower, fruit, dried fruit, and of course chocolate. - If you had to describe yourself as a software bug, what kind of bug would you be?
Difficult to recognize. - What’s the most underrated skill that helps you excel in your QA role?
Initiative. - What’s the best thing about being a QA engineer in ADM?
Professional and responsible coworkers.
Meet ADM QA Superhero Ola from Tallinn
- What’s your go-to emoji to describe your feelings when you find a critical bug just before a release?
Hmm, it depends if has a team We have quality time left to fix the bug before release then I will go with this face 🙂 . Fixing the bug will add more value to the product which is good news. If we have a tight schedule, my go-to emoji will be this 😞, however, as a team we need to work together to ensure the bug is fixed, confirmation testing, and regression testing are done. In a scenario we need more time to have all this done, we will speak to the client. - If your job had a theme song, what would it be, and why?
We Are The World– by Michael Jackson. One of the lines of the song is “Making the World a better place” something similar to what QA Engineers do, ensuring excellent quality with respect to clients’ products. - What’s the weirdest device or platform you’ve had to test on?
Hmm weirdest, I can say a platform for a betting site, I had some issues automating the main functionality due to Iframe issues, but eventually figured it out with Cypress. - Can you share a funny bug story that made everyone on the team laugh (after it was fixed, of course)?
A funny story, the requirement was written in a different language, and the translations meant something else, so I thought it was a bug. Going back to the developer, we had a back-and-forth until we discovered, that we both got different meanings from the translation, and turned out he was right. We laughed about it eventually over a call and I passed the test eventually. - If you could create a testing superhero, what would their superpower be, and what would they be called?
Superpowers – Able to see the unseeable, Speed, Strength, and accuracy like Superman without falling.
Name – Olman - What’s your favorite way to unwind after a long day of testing?
Most time, after a busy day of testing, I just snuggle into a blanket, listen to jazz music or something slow but beautiful, or watch a good movie till I sleep off. - Share a guilty pleasure snack that keeps you fueled during those marathon testing sessions.
For me, my go-to snack is Cashew nuts. It just has a way of keeping me going. - If you had to describe yourself as a software bug, what kind of bug would you be?
“Feature Creep Bug” accumulates more information and features often beyond the original scope. - What’s the most underrated skill that helps you excel in your QA role?
I will say interpersonal skills/ Emotional intelligence are much needed in excelling as a QA engineer. Knowing how to communicate bugs or incidents to the developmental team is critical. The right know-how fosters unity and trust which in turn creates an atmosphere where feedback can be given, which ensures great productivity. - What’s the best thing about being a QA engineer in ADM?
Being a QA engineer at ADM has been great thus far. The people, team, and leads have been very supportive. The mutual understanding between the development team has been great, and a speak-up culture within the team has also helped with unity and synergy in ensuring quality product delivery.