The majority of us just know Quality Assurance is an attribute of Software Testing but do we know the essentialities and criticalities of Quality Assurance? It is not just a quality check, it is much much more. Software Quality – This implies that we make sure that the requirements/specifications are met. quality assurance ensures that the undertaken project/product will be submitted on the basis of pre-set standards that have to be error free. QA helps and aims for a better project and it is best implemented when carried out at the start of the project. It is a medium that permits us to fulfill the standards of the project.
Software QA, if done at the beginning of the development yields better results violating defect which is a boost to the business. Assurance of Quality is beneficial to be a part of the process at the start because the teams are able to communicate and co-ordinate and are linked to each other as a whole – each member would know the detailing of the project hence better performance of the project.
Quality Assurance processes checklist of documentation, source code control, code review, change management, configuration management, release management and absolute testing of the software.
Most of us are not aware that there’s a line of difference between QA and Software Testing and thus QA is often confused with testing. Testing is the measurement of work against specifications whereas QA as mentioned above is to make sure that the requirements are met. QA directly affects the customers, when something goes wrong or is not as per the user’s preferences, customers get restless and question the authenticity of the product.
What is a Quality standard?
Quality Standards sources are varied thus can arise from either by the organization, they may be pre defined by the client or they may be in the easiest form where the team itself sets defined goals for themselves. But the questions is does the source really matter? No! All that matters is the quality, the end product, the strategy to plan to achieve the best quality. Often products/projects requirements can be very specific hence here documentation plays its role. Documentation is an essential part in software quality assurance. So keep your notes available when you kick start your Assurance of Quality processes.
Role of Testing in QA
Trust! Testing adds benefits to quality, it definitely improves quality. Though as mentioned above they are different aspects yet closely linked together. Testing helps as a bridge to seek flaws that serve to achieve a better quality. Though it is not a simple process but testing outputs play a critical role that assists to know the root cause of flaws that are a hindrance to a good quality. These testing results serve as inputs to improvise quality processes.
the questions is does the source really matter? No! All that matters is the quality, the end product, the strategy to plan to achieve the best quality. Often products/projects requirements can be very specific hence here documentation plays its role. Documentation is an essential part in Quality Assurance.
