How To Improve QA Process: Best Practices

Have you ever wondered how much time and resources are saved by correctly organizing the software QA process? IT businesses allocate about 23% of their annual budget to improving product quality, preventing costly post-release errors, and ensuring customer satisfaction. This ultimately reduces long-term costs and increases competitiveness. You can achieve high efficiency without excessive expenditure with the right approach to QA improvement. This article will guide you through the process of QA improvement.

What is the QA process?

QA is a set of tests that verify that a product meets approved quality criteria. Metrics play a role for all groups, such as companies, customers, and internal teams. Ideally, the QA process starts from the beginning of the software development life cycle (SDLC) and eliminates all detected defects before the product is released. SDLC includes several stages that contribute to the systematic and efficient creation of high-quality software. The following are the main stages.

• Plan: Understand the project requirements and formulate the functions, timelines, technology stack, and software budget.    
• Define: This phase involves systematically documenting all significant aspects of the project. It serves as the foundation of the entire SDLC.    
• Design: Developers create the application or software's basic architecture before improving the QA process. This step establishes the project's fundamental structure.     
• Develop: In this step, developers use the coding process to create the UI/UX, features, and functionality of the web or mobile application.     
• Test: This step involves improving the QA process, identifying bugs, troubleshooting, and fixing defects. Testing and integration are critical to the success of the IT project.     
• Deploy: Once testing has been completed and all critical defects have been fixed, the software is deployed in a production environment and becomes available to end users.  

QA process improvements aim to enhance the efficiency of performing quality testing of IT products through actions such as automated testing and the efforts of qualified QA engineers. 

Why is it essential to optimize the QA process? 

Optimizing the QA process in software testing brings many benefits for both the development team and end users.Here's why it's important:   

• Increased efficiency and cost savings: Optimizing processes such as test automation and test prioritization can reduce the time and labor spent on testing.   
• Improved software quality: A well-optimized QA process ensures more thorough testing, resulting in a higher quality software product with fewer bugs and crashes.    
• Faster time-to-market: Optimised QA processes help identify and fix problems early, resulting in faster development cycles and product releases.   
• Reduced risk: Proactively identifying and fixing potential problems reduces risks associated with software failures or security vulnerabilities.   
• Improved team collaboration: Clear communication and collaboration between QA and development teams throughout the process leads to a more efficient workflow and a better implementation of user needs.   
• Satisfied customers: A well-tested and quality software product makes satisfied customers likelier to recommend your product and contribute to a positive brand reputation.    

Continuous evaluation and improvement of the QA process in agile development allows software development teams to build better products at lower costs. 

Who is engaged in improving the QA process on the project? 

Integrating QA into a project largely depends on creating an effective team. Understanding how to manage a QA team is key to this success. The process starts with assembling a group of professionals whose skills complement each other. Once formed, knowing/understanding. Once the team is in place, effective management becomes central. becomes central. Effective management depends on a well-defined structure and clear hierarchy in the QA department: 

Each role in the hierarchy is essential, and team members work together to maintain quality standards. A QA team's effectiveness depends not just on its members' abilities but also on how management strategies utilize those competencies.  

The importance of optimizing the QA process

The QA process acts as a control measure that helps ensure the quality of all work. Without precise precautions, the overall quality of all work will suffer. Optimizing your QA process mitigates these risks and ensures the reliability of your end product. The result is directly related to the efficiency and reliability of the tester's knowledge. 

Benefits of a well-optimized QA process:  

• Better product quality: Rigorous tests reveal defects that might go undetected under less stringent conditions. Higher-quality software with fewer bugs leads to more reliable and stable products. 
• Increased customer satisfaction: High-quality QA provides users with a seamless, bug-free experience. This proactive approach to testing achieves higher customer satisfaction.  
• Reduced costs: Good testing identifies problems early in development, which is much cheaper than post-release fixes and maintenance.  
• Faster development: Identifying issues early in development results in fewer defects and shorter release times, requiring fewer resources.  
• Confidence and morale: Thorough testing increases customer, employee, and stakeholder confidence. Improved morale leads to job satisfaction, employee retention, and loyalty. 
• Continuous improvement: An optimized QA process regularly enhances all development processes and allows you to stay "one step ahead," especially regarding security and regulatory compliance. 

We in the Luxe Quality team can confidently say these are the main advantages. However, each project is unique, and sometimes, the results from QA exceed expectations. 

 How to improve QA process: A basic template  

Our testers are ready to tell you how to improve your QA process based on their experience. We recommend creating a clearly defined template before you start improving your QA process. It should be noted that there is no “perfect” structure for setting up a QA process in agile development. However, you can create the right approach and optimize it with best practices by following proven ways: 

By focusing on these key areas, you can establish a robust and well-structured QA process. Identify areas for improvement for your organization and apply our tips for the best results. 

10 steps QA process 

The standard QA process includes structured, sequential steps. Most steps are performed strictly with the standard test plan, reducing testing time. Here is a general description of the QA process. Let's consider nine possible steps to improve your QA process: 

Step 1: Define clear goals  

Define your goals to create a shared understanding. QA engineers need to know what you hope to achieve. This helps create more employee buy-in and build a QA improvement process that fits your organization's trajectory. Be as detailed as possible. Describe your approach to coding standards, QA best practices, and testing methodologies.

Step 2: Establish communication and reporting practices  

Define all documentation and communication channels. Development teams, QA outsourcing providers, QA engineers, project management staff, and all stakeholders should have multiple avenues of contact. For example, standard reporting formats should be established so everyone can stay on the same page during testing. If the developers and testers can't understand reports properly, your QA process will do more harm than good. 

Step 3: Apply the Shift-Left methodology  

Emphasize collaboration by including QA teams from the beginning of the project. All testing processes should start from the very first steps of the software development lifecycle, known as the Shift Left approach. Test early and consistently to reduce costs and keep the project running smoothly. Learn more about this technique in our article on BDD software testing. 

Step 4: Automate where possible  

Invest in tools that automate the testing process, such as generative AI. Automation offers immediate benefits by optimizing costs and eliminating manual labor. This also includes secondary benefits, such as increased test coverage, faster testing cycles, and low-cost repeatable testing. It's a well-known tip: automate wherever possible.  

Step 5: Develop test planning strategies  

QA departments need planning guidelines, not just general considerations for the project cycle. The test plan should describe how testing occurs at all stages and select the types of testing that will be basic and necessary. Ensure your plan covers the following: 

1. Test planning: At this stage, a test strategy is developed, test objectives, resources, schedules, and risks are defined, and a test plan is drawn up that includes all the necessary details for practical testing. Check out our article to better understand how to create a test plan for software testing. 
2. Requirement analysis: Software requirements are analyzed to determine which aspects will be tested. Based on these requirements, test scenarios and cases are created.  
3. Test Case development: Test cases are created that describe the test's conditions, actions, and expected results. Test scenarios should cover all possible situations to ensure the system is thoroughly tested. 
4. Test environment setup: A suitable test environment is prepared, including hardware, software, databases, and network components. This environment should be isolated from the production environment to avoid impacting real users. 
5. Test execution: This stage involves running test scenarios and recording the results. This may include manual and automated testing. Test results are documented for further analysis.   
6. Defect logging: If errors or defects are found during testing, they are recorded in the defect management system. The error conditions are described, and details are provided for reproduction. 
7. Defect fixing and verification: Developers fix the identified defects, and then the QA team retests the fixes to ensure the defects are resolved and the system works correctly. 
8. Regression testing: After changing the code, regression testing is performed to ensure that the new changes have not caused new defects in previously working parts of the system. 
9. Reporting and analysis: Preparation of reports on test results, analysis of identified defects, and recommendations for improving the development and testing process. These reports help management decide whether the software is ready for release. 
10.  Release and maintenance: Once testing is completed and all critical defects are fixed, the software is released to the production environment. This is followed by software maintenance, including fixing any defects that may appear during operation. 

Step 6: Measure and update success metrics  

Even with the most comprehensive testing strategy, you will encounter flaws. Reality doesn't always match expectations. Once you have significant report data, look for critical bottlenecks or issues. Evaluate the effectiveness of your QA process based on details such as test coverage and turnaround time. Adjust according to your business's mission. 

Step 7: Implement knowledge transfer and feedback loops  

Establish feedback loops as the project progresses. Internal employees will have different perspectives that are critical to improving the QA process. Gather as much information as possible from different departments to identify issues in the current QA process. Remember that feedback loops are only possible if there are open lines of communication. Ensure everyone can access all test plans, reports, and results.    

Step 8: Monitoring and auditing   

Monitor and support nonstop. You will need to complete compliance checklists regularly, especially as regulatory bodies evolve. Audit trails are essential. Real-time alerts will also ensure product reliability for all stakeholders.   

Step 9: Continually improve  

Repeat these steps repeatedly. Lessons learned from initial iterations offer valuable ways to improve your project cycle and integrated quality assurance process. Raise the levels required to overcome quality milestones, proactively train employees, and act on the results of peer reviews. It's a never-ending process that continuously raises the standard of your testing and, therefore, the quality of your product. 

Step 10: Foster a quality culture

Encouraging a culture of quality within an organization is paramount for the enduring success of the QA process. By fostering this culture, you establish an atmosphere where each individual in the organization is dedicated to upholding and enhancing the QA procedures. This shared dedication guarantees that quality remains a primary focus and advances consistently as time progresses. 

This process is iterative, and after each iteration, the quality of the software is analyzed and improved. A website testing strategy can optimize all these steps of the QA process.   

Tools we use to test software and improve the QA process  

As the saying goes, "practice what you preach." You may think that we simply offer details on how to improve the QA process and recommend helpful tools. But do we implement them ourselves? 

The short answer is yes. Our engineers use some of the best tools to test various digital products. This section contains brief information about these technologies. Hopefully, you'll be able to choose the right tool for your business:

• TestRail: It allows you to track testing progress and analyze test data, which helps you quickly identify problem areas and take action to eliminate them. Storing all test data in one place provides better management and access to information, improving the quality of analysis and decision-making. 
• Gatling: Gatling allows you to perform regular, lightweight load tests for the system. You can find potential performance bottlenecks in the early stages, making your systems more stable and reliable. Efficiently handle testing through project management and bug-tracking tool integrations.  
• Jira: Helps in task and defect management for Agile, thus providing a way to have visibility and control through entire testing stages. Integrating with CI/CD pipelines automates the testing and deployment processes, helping detect and resolve defects more swiftly. 
• SonarQube: Constant monitoring and quality control of the code conduct automatic code analysis, identifying and fixing defects at an early stage of development. This reduces the number of errors and improves the quality of the final product, helping maintain high development standards. 
• Katalon: Offers powerful test automation features with minimal programming, which lowers the entry barrier for testers and speeds up the testing process. Support for artificial intelligence helps automate complex test scenarios and improve test accuracy. 

We have highlighted some of the most effective tools we use, but we always keep our finger on the pulse and study new technologies. 

With and without QA: a case study 

A client who operates a website selling branded clothing and cosmetics has contacted us with a problem. Despite a significant increase in traffic, they have noticed a decrease in sales. Our investigation has revealed that the absence of a quality control team and proper testing has led to several issues. These issues hurt user experience and conversion rates, highlighting the urgent need for action. 

Let's compare the possibilities of a project with and without a well-organized QA process. The following table convincingly proves that QA is not just an option but a necessity for any project.

Of course, it is up to you to decide whether to implement QA on the project or not, but a clear example shows that a project with QA can get more benefits. 

In conclusion  

Improved QA processes are vital to the software development lifecycle. Our engineering team can guide you through the process. So, if you have further questions or need innovative ideas for QA, contact us and get customized advice promptly. Any investment in your testing strategy ensures a high standard of quality in the final product. This leads to faster time to market, lower costs, and higher customer satisfaction.