How to Keep Up With Deadlines, or Why Planning In QA Matters

It took some time to convince the vast audience that software testing is essential. There was a common belief that good code equals good user experience. As learned in practice, these two things may be unrelated at all.

Now, we are facing a new issue: troubles with planning. Setting up a QA process takes time, and many specialists that engage QA resources at the later stages of product development don’t always fully realize that.

So now, when the majority already knows why testing is essential, we have another tip to share: smart software testing planning greatly benefits the development process.

The QA Awareness: Why Software Testing Matters

Let’s start with a quick reminder about why the QA process takes such a significant place in the development pipeline. The benefits of running software testing before the release include but are not limited to the following points:

• You are confident in the quality of the end product when it gets to the market.
• No critical bugs on production mean higher user satisfaction and more loyal users.
• High quality gives a product a better competitive advantage on the market.
• With all the quality standards met and core functionality tested at the beginning, it will be easier to scale a product in the future.

Speaking about the benefit of hiring an outsourced QA company, there are a few more. Specialists almost always find defects that aren’t evident for an average user during a test run but tend to affect customer experience seriously. Also, this type of software testing services provider offers a fresh look and unbiased estimation of a product.

The Consequences of Late Planning in QA

It often happens that a specialist in charge of project management remembers about the necessity of testing only when the development is almost or completely finished. And it seems perfectly reasonable until you start looking for a software testing company that can jump on a project immediately. There are two ways this situation can develop.

In the first case, deadlines are the priority, and quality takes a back seat. A company rushes to test the product as quickly as possible. The rush, however, isn’t the best strategy when it comes to software QA. Delegating testing tasks to any software & QA company ready to start the work immediately without checking their background may result in the low quality of an end product.

In the second case, your project goes straight on the waiting list, where it is to spend from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, and the latter option is more likely. The thing is, QA companies with years of experience and a good reputation have a continuous task flow. Therefore, planning is the key to efficient work with ongoing and new projects.

Why is that so? On the one hand, to deliver the expected high-quality results, we need to organize the work of the team efficiently. On the other hand, we cannot stop working on other projects to take on an urgent one. It is both inefficient since we need to interrupt the work and unethical because all clients are important to us.

How Planning in Software QA Works

The tasks that refer to planning on a client’s side and a QA company’s side are different, but they serve the same purpose – to optimize the work of a team and make it as efficient as possible.

A company looking for an outsourced testing provider has the following points on their task list:

• Set the objectives for testing a particular project.
• Decide what budget you are ready to allocate.
• Find a company that can guarantee the expected level of QA services.
• Learn more about company processes and service pricing.
• Negotiate the terms and conditions of the cooperation.

As you can see, completing these tasks will take some time. You will need at least a couple of days to conduct research and have a call with a QA company. In a perfect world, you find a company that suits your requirements, and they are ready to start working tomorrow. But let’s be honest: that’s not how it usually happens.

You will probably need to discuss the terms with several QA companies – for different reasons. Some may not be ready to offer relevant expertise. The others may not agree to negotiate the prices that are beyond your budget. Sometimes you may find client reviews that make you question the quality of services a company provides. What’s even more likely, a QA company most likely has current projects and lacks spare resources to allocate for your tasks.

Simple Solution: Think About QA Beforehand

So planning is what helps QA providers to deliver the level of service clients expect. First, we decide who can cover the tasks and run testing on a new project. Then, we discuss the candidates with the client. After that, we plan the work of a chosen QA specialist so they can start on time.

And what happens when everyone in the team is in a hurry? You can draw a parallel with running late in everyday life. You keep glancing at the watch, trying to do everything faster, but eventually only keep stumbling and dropping things, unable to concentrate. Ironically, being in a hurry doesn’t make you faster – neither with daily routines nor with the QA process. When in great haste, a person is more likely to spill coffee on an outfit than finish a breakfast earlier. They are still running late but also need to change clothes now (and probably to leave without having a usual morning drink).

Simply put, start looking for the QA provider early. It doesn’t mean that you will need to change an existing development model and start running tests in parallel with development. Just reserve the time of QA specialists for later. A QA services provider will be able to ensure the timely start of testing, and you will be confident that as soon as the time for testing comes, there will be someone to cover it immediately.

Actually, the early planning rule applies to any services, not only QA outsourcing. For example, if you want to have dinner in an acclaimed restaurant, you need to make a reservation beforehand (over a year in some world-famous Michelin restaurants). We don’t ask you to wait for years, but giving an early notice will help both sides to plan their time smartly.

To Sum Up

Many tech companies have already learned that using QA expertise is a must, and that’s amazing! This fact proves that companies care about the experience they deliver and respect their customers. Now, let’s move to the next level together and start using QA resources smartly. We recommend thinking about software testing beforehand. In this case, you will have enough time to find a company that matches your requirements, discuss the prices, check the credentials, and make sure the resources will be available when you need them.