A product manager is triple mandate to improve time to market while keeping costs down yet maintain superior quality.
More often than not, the traditional QA delivery approach fails to meet the complex and conflicting testing requirements of this mandate. The software development life cycle is no longer a linear process but an iterative process of testing and releasing with newer updates constantly.
This is especially relevant in the eCommerce arena, where the technology has been ramped up and the demand & supply chain has altered the old way of doing business. To gain and maintain the competitive edge, Companies have to be one step of the market demand. That will not only bring in profits but also will keep the Customers interested and retain their loyalty.
How does this impact the QA testers sitting in the QA labs?
Take for instance your mobile device. Every year, sometimes twice a year, a new model of the device is released into the market with some new features. In such a scenario not only do testers have to test the product quality and sign off a bug free product, they simultaneously have to maintain the old and update code versions for the device in question. Besides that, there are many models, form factors, screen sizes of the same device to contend with.
According to Gartner, by the end of 2017, the market demand for Mobile application development service is stated to rise almost 5 times faster than the company’s IT team’s capacity to develop and deliver them. The demand for application in the enterprise will rise exponentially given the fast sale of mobile devices as forecasted.
This is already looking like a quality control nightmare.
This is where automation in QA comes to the rescue, albeit with some limitations that will need workarounds and creative thinking.
As we read this, automated testing is a much more critical component in development cycles and a must have for the todays marketplace, even though some engineering managers may not be fully sold on it. The need is not to just customize as per the Customer’s requirements but developing with scalable testing to meet the scalability of demand. That is the crucial factor to keep the costs down.
Although, automation in the QA process has been there for some time, it is yet to transform the QA department from being a cost center to the one that provides value. Yes, typically in most Companies, QA is a cost center that is the first in line to get the cost cutting axe.
Even when Companies accept the challenge of adopting QA automation, the ROI justification has to be clearly manifested. The high initial costs of automation tools and developing open source frameworks make it more difficult for the CFO to agree to invest in QA Automation.
There is no doubt that automated testing services enhance the coverage of test cycles, helps mitigate risks to deliver more at lower cost in the long run, and what pertinently, delivers results faster, more efficiently and increase productively. Furthermore, It helps perform several tests within a short period of time as well as minimizes the risks related to incorrect data input.
Another challenge is when organizations want to significantly scale up their business and optimize the Turn Around Time (TAT). The QA automated testing has to rise up and be scalable, yet maintain customization sought by the Client. The testing needs to cost effective and quick for faster time to market.
This challenge is more acute in real time environments like the world of commerce. Every week we see new releases and updates with Customers demanding better services. It does become quite difficult in such an environment to keep the quality intact and yet deliver on time!
Yes, there are pitfalls in managing an automated QA testing environment especially in the dynamic world of eCommerce. But scalability and customization can be ensured using the right tools, right processes and the right approach.
But is it cost-effective?
Stay tuned to our forthcoming blog to understand how despite providing customization and scalability, cost-effective solutions are also viable to meet market demands, thus keeping costs down and also meeting on time market delivery.