How do we define quality? In particular, how do we define quality in a software context? Quality is about managing expectations. These expectations are often delivered in the form of requirements. We want to give the end user what they expect from the software. This is done by putting using different in place a set of processes and tools based on a well defined strategy mitigate the risk of disappointing end users or risking the product’s business model.

Is There A Future For Manual Testers?

Quality Assurance is the entire team’s responsibility. A great way to share responsibility is by in fact, sharing responsibility. Each team member should have a role in ensuring the quality as a product. The idea is to have everyone invested in the quality of the product and not leaving the QA engineers to be the “guardians of quality”. QA Raph regularly publishes articles based on QA trends and case studies.

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The Power of Failure in Testing
The Power of Failure in Testing

The thing about success is, it’s easy to attribute to our own efforts and abilities while disregarding circumstantial elements, timing, and quite honestly, pure luck. Failure gives concrete feedback on our lack of perfection and should trigger self-reflection on some level. Not to say we can not fail out of “bad luck”, but at least it unveils the inherent uncertainty which lurks in the world we live. Success is a false sense of security that can impede us from asking the tough questions. Is this good enough? Would I have made it otherwise?

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Is A.I. Disrupting Our QA World?
Is A.I. Disrupting Our QA World?

2009 was a very important year for test automation. It signalled the dawn of a new era of seriousness on the subject. Eight years after Cem Kaner and James Bach published Lessons Learned in Software Testing, a landmark piece which helped defined the QA role as we know it, QA experts turned to automation and its proper integration into test strategy. Along with this awakening came several key publications that till today, are seen as major contributions to the test automation and QA world.

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A Tale of the Tester’s Machine: Why Testers May Be Moving Over to the ‘Mac’ Side
A Tale of the Tester’s Machine: Why Testers May Be Moving Over to the ‘Mac’ Side

As testers, we didn't use to give much thought to our machines. Especially when we did only manual testing. The QA function wasn't any different from that of the business analyst in terms of computational needs. We got the standard company machine, which was most likely a PC. Even more so if the company was not particularly in the tech industry. All we needed was a machine that could run the software which we were testing.

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Is There A Future For Manual Testers?
Is There A Future For Manual Testers?

I think it's fair to say that in the QA world today, if you know nothing about test automation, you should be worried. QA isn’t what it used to be 15, 20, years ago. Testing is getting more technical, and the very trade now demands a completely different set of skills.

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The importance of continuous learning in quality assurance can not be understated. Articles, conferences, online courses and networking are all great ways to stay on the cutting edge. For organisations looking for speakers on various QA topics, feel free to book a presentation with QA Raph.

HOW DO WE TEST WITHOUT A TESTER?

Test Automation has drastically reduced regression risks as well as optimised the total time spent on testing. It is a difficult endeavour that requires a substantial amount of programming skills. Most test automation efforts do not succeed due to poor planning and a lack of clear strategic goals.

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QA Raph offers consulting services to help your company address such issues. Consulting services mainly centre around test strategy and automation but are open to most QA-related topics.