The Key to Quality: The Role of the QA Software Tester

Behind every app you’ve ever used, there’s an entire team that worked hard to give you a positive user experience. Whether it’s a music streaming app, a delivery service, or a messaging platform, every tap, every swipe, and every page was meticulously tested. 

This behind-the-scenes process happens within the realm of software testing, an ever-growing industry that reached a new milestone in 2023 with a record of $51.8 billion in market size. Experts say it will only gain momentum from here, with the global software testing market poised to grow by $15.94 billion by 2027. 

In this article, we’ll zero in on one of the key players in software QA testing—the quality assurance tester—and see how their vital role helps businesses and developers create high-quality products. 

What is Software Quality Assurance? 

Software quality assurance refers to a series of tests or procedures designed to ensure that products meet a predetermined set of standards.  

QA testing helps reveal defects or bugs early on, ensures the product’s features and functionality follow the written requirements, and continuously tracks and measures product quality across its iterations. 

Software quality assurance may also include non-functional requirements, such as testing the app’s intuitiveness and smoothness of navigation.  

Quality assurance serves different functions across industries, but it benefits everybody, from mobile app development software companies to software engineering companies, finance services, and more. 

QA Software Testing Responsibilities 

All the tasks mentioned in the previous section are administered by different quality assurance (QA) software testers. There are different types of testers, and these experts are knowledgeable in software testing and sometimes even programming. 

QA testers’ job responsibilities include:  

• Preventing defects and errors. One of their core responsibilities is to identify any potential issues at the earliest possible stages through thorough test planning and preparation. It involves reviewing the software requirements, proposing a test plan, and designing reusable test scripts or cases based on what is needed.  

• Developing and executing test scripts. QA testers must have a wide knowledge of different testing techniques and types to run efficient and accurate checks. Some tests can also include software performance such as benchmark, load, stress, enhance, and other non-functional tests. They also monitor the functionality of the application against CPU utilization, memory usage, network usage, and more. 

• Documenting results and managing defects. Every test implemented must come with detailed documentation. This includes comparing the expected outcome with the actual outcome of the tests along with any supporting references such as test recordings, screenshots, or requirements documentation.  

• Collaborating. QA software testers work in tandem with the rest of the product team, from other quality assurance analysts to the project manager, business analysts, and developers. They alert the appropriate team members to any major defects, discuss test results, and prioritize which bugs need to be fixed first. They also raise any questions with or seek clarification from other team members to ensure the accuracy of their test results. 

QA Activities and Functions  

In order to meet these responsibilities, QA testers perform several different activities, depending on their level of expertise. 

Comprehensive Test Planning 

With a strategic test planning process that’s integrated into product development, the test plan should present a clear scope of work, objectives, and strategies that will save time and effort for the entire team. Some of the best test plans have reusable methods that can be applied to different projects or sectors, which adds to overall time efficiency. 

Test Automation  

Part of being an efficient tester is knowing which tasks can be automated. Test automation is especially helpful as it’s faster, cheaper, and more productive than manual labor. With the right automation plan, companies can maximize test coverage while reducing manual testing efforts. 

Regression Testing  

Regression testing involves re-running previously executed tests—both functional and non-functional—to confirm that the software’s existing features remain intact after any changes are made. The primary goal is to detect any unintended defects that may have been introduced due to the recent changes, thereby maintaining the overall quality and stability of the software product.  

Performance Testing  

Performance testing is a non-functional testing technique used to evaluate the speed, responsiveness, stability, and scalability of a software application or system under a specific workload. The primary goal is to identify performance bottlenecks and ensure that the software meets the required performance criteria, thereby enhancing user experience and system reliability.  

Risk Management 

Risk management in QA testing centres around identifying and addressing risks related to the software under development. QA testers check for risks involving code quality, functionality, security, and performance. The QA lead might deploy Risk-Based Testing (RBT) as part of a risk mitigation strategy. RBT helps identify, prioritize, and manage risks related to software development and testing. 

Software Quality Is Not Optional 

Software users demand high-quality products. In this highly competitive landscape, companies are constantly competing and innovating to offer standout user experiences across different platforms. It’s no wonder quality assurance is taking centre stage in enterprise development budgets, with an expected allocation of approximately 40% of overall budget cost. 

Taazaa offers businesses a cost-effective way to get the high-quality software they need. We’re a different kind of custom software development company, offering a wide range of product engineering services tailored to your specific needs.  

Whether you’re looking for mobile app development, website solutions, data engineering, AI development, or new product design, we can make it happen. Talk with us today!