QASource Blog

As separate development and QA teams merge together to form larger DevOps teams, the Agile process is getting more play than ever. Working in an agile way encourages teams to iterate in parallel-to test code as it’s written, so as to uncover any major problems earlier on in the software development lifecycle. The Agile process was an answer to the slow, outdated Waterfall method, in which products were developed in fits and starts, with various delays and blockages slowing the entire process down.

Software development has been in existence for quite a long time now. However, the need for strong QA to complement the advancements of development has risen. With the increasing demand for high-quality products, it has become imperative for software companies to have strong QA in order to achieve development excellence.

Agile teams produce better products because they see the bigger picture. Involving those with a business perspective along with your technical team during the software testing process helps maintain focus on where all the hard work is headed.

Adding an expert QA team to that mix only improves matters. Now, you have a diverse range of skill sets, experience, and perspective to round out your product offering.

The world today is highly connected through the internet and social media, we are able to stay connected, even if we are thousands of miles away from each other! Our interconnected way of life is not just for social media, it has reached into other aspects of life. This has opened the door for offshore teams-for companies to have teams located in different countries. As amazing as this is, software companies faced some difficulty. In order to meet these obstacles head-on, the Agile methodology was created.

Many top software companies have adopted the Agile methodology because adopting the Agile methodology into an organization yield many rewards. Some of these include higher satisfaction because of more frequent releases, more development time for iterations, the QA team receives access to the software earlier than usual, critical bugs are caught early in the project and stakeholders receive higher visibility.

QASource sponsors the Agilistry & QA Meetup Group. The goal of the group is to create a community where software engineers and developers can meet to learn new skills, build on current skill sets as well as network with other business professionals.

QASource sponsors the Agilistry & QA Meetup Group. The goal of the group is to create a community where software engineers and developers can meet to learn new skills, build on current skill sets as well as network with other business professionals.

The Agile method is a development methodology that depends on fast iteration and close collaboration among dev and QA teams. Historically, people have viewed outsourced QA as incompatible with Agile, emphasizing the misconception that teams need to be under the same roof in order to effectively communicate and reach alignment on project requirements. This view is drawn straight from the Agile manifesto: “The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is a face-to-face conversation.”

But with advances in technology come great shifts in thinking, and people are realizing that dev and QA need not be housed in the same building — much less the same country or continent.

Building out an effective dev organization requires a strategic, yet flexible approach to budgeting. As your company grows, you may need to quickly ramp up resources, or ramp down certain teams and shift them over to newly prioritized areas of the roadmap.

This volatility can make planning the budget for any team within your organization challenging, but it is especially true for an outsourced team that must rapidly shift and shape to the changing needs of stakeholders, dev and QA managers, and the customer.

QASource sponsors the Agilistry & QA Meetup Group. The goal of the group is to create a community where software engineers and developers can meet to learn new skills, build on current skill sets as well as network with other business professionals.

For today’s fast-moving product company focused on rapid customer acquisition, grabbing market share, and rapid growth, efficiency is key. As CEOs and CTOs press their teams for cost-effective initiatives that support these goals, one answer is sure to be heard loudly and frequently: Automation!