Quality assurance is a process that necessarily accompanies software development. Previously, product testing took place at the final stage of its construction and negatively affected the cost of fixing defects and the speed of release. Now QA is implemented earlier, which greatly improves the procedure of verifying programs and applications.
However, digital products are becoming increasingly complex, and quality assurance needs a new update. It is gradually transforming into quality engineering that is able to better adapt to constantly changing needs and requirements. Below, we will discuss its strengths and determine whether the transformation to a new approach is inevitable.
What Is Quality Engineering and How Does It Differ from Traditional Quality Assurance?
Quality engineering is an approach to ensuring the reliability, effectiveness, and functionality of software. It involves applying various engineering techniques, selecting the most appropriate testing methods, automating processes, and continuously integrating them into the product development life cycle.
QE follows a shift left approach and prioritizes digital transformation to prevent defects. It integrates well with agile methodologies and allows engineers to start working on software quality assessment earlier. From now on, they encounter code at the primary stages and contribute to its error-free writing.
At first glance, QA and QE are very similar concepts. However, there is a great difference. Quality assurance is a broad concept that covers the entire process of checking digital products for errors and defects. It ensures compliance with standards, constant monitoring, and audit performance.
Instead, quality engineering is a specialized approach based on engineering practices. Its goal is to improve the testing processes in an organization and promote automation, which will positively affect the overall workflows.
It may be difficult to understand the terms on your own and determine what you should apply at the moment, but the right software testing consulting services can help you, where you will be assisted in solving practical issues related to the implementation and updating of new technologies.
Factors that Facilitate Transformation to QE
Quality assurance had to find a way to meet the new needs of a rapidly growing market. Quality engineering helped to overcome the challenges faced by the industry and became one of the keys to creating high-quality products. Its basic characteristics explain its popularity and the need for transformation. Here are some of them.
High Compatibility with Agile Methodology
QE integrates with an agile approach and facilitates continuous testing and verification throughout the software development life cycle. Unlike other approaches, it does not require additional customization.
Faster Time-to-Market
Automation of many processes and accelerated development cycles have helped speed up software deployment and release. As a result, it has become more adaptable to customer expectations and competitive in the market.
Reduced Costs
Fixing defects late in the development process is always expensive. Therefore, traditional quality assurance methods are almost inextricably linked to additional investments. Although automation and modern tools also incur extra expenses, early detection of errors and optimization of resources reduce losses in the long run.
Improving the User Experience
Quality engineering is a digital assurance solution that allows teams to quickly take into account user requests and respond to them with software transformation. Products become more customer-oriented and user-friendly.
Continuous Improvement
QE helps organizations to adapt to the modern environment and contributes to the improvement of tools, techniques, and approaches.
Reducing Defects and Risks
Quality engineering is a proactive strategy that prioritizes defect prevention above fault detection. It ensures that software is less likely to fail after release.
Scalability
Modern businesses often face the need to scale projects quickly. Quality engineering allows them to adjust the testing approach based on new requirements and guarantee the release of updated software on time.
Why Quality Assurance Reform Makes Sense
Quality engineering performs many tasks and is almost unavoidable. It not only involves management transformation but also influences all aspects of software testing. Thanks to the implementation of innovative techniques and tools, it contributes to the creation of quality products with less time and money. QE performs 3 main tasks:
- Optimizes processes, reducing the risk of human error.
- Reduces overall costs, allowing businesses to grow following the latest trends.
- Meets the requirements and needs of users, which positively affects the competitiveness of the software.
The modern market is crowded with numerous programs and applications, so a quick release is the main prerequisite for its relevance and success. However, traditional quality assurance methods make it impossible to keep up with newly emerging needs. Quality engineering can be the solution, using automation and other common techniques to thoroughly check digital products and prevent potential defects.
I am a writer based in London, specialising in finance, trading, investment, and forex. Aside from the articles and content I write for IntelligentHQ, I also write for euroinvestor.com, and I have also written educational trading and investment guides for various websites including tradingquarter.com. Before specialising in finance, I worked as a writer for various digital marketing firms, specialising in online SEO-friendly content. I grew up in Aberdeen, Scotland, and I have an MA in English Literature from the University of Glasgow and I am a lead musician in a band. You can find me on twitter @pmilne100.
