Mitigate Risk with Quality Software Testing

As several reports have highlighted, the poor quality of a software application can have a negative impact on its reputation and branding. In addition to losing revenue, the enterprise may also have to incur additional cost towards litigations. So it becomes essential for each enterprise to thoroughly evaluate the quality of the software before its commercial launch. A quality software testing plan helps organizations in accomplishing several tasks.

Along with assessing the features of the software, the plan will further make it easier to identify the differences between the given input and the expected output. Many organizations, nowadays, include software testing as an integral part of development process to save time. However, an organization has to carry out a variety of tests to ensure that the software is flawless.

Different Types of Testing to Assess Software Quality

Unit Testing: As the name indicates, unit testing is done to evaluate the quality of a particular unit or a group of related unites. This form is testing comes under the purview of white box testing. The QA engineers conduct unit testing to find out if the unit or related units implemented by them are producing the expected output against given input.

Integration Testing: Often developers have to combine several components to produce the desired output. Integration testing is conducted to check the interaction between hardware and software after the integration is over. It also aims to decide the relation between individual hardware and software components after integration. Integration testing can be categorized as both white box and black box testing.

Functional Testing: Each software application needs to be validated according to its specifications. Further, the QA engineers need to ensure that it performs all the required function. Functional testing includes a series of tests to validate the behavior of the software feature by feature. The testers often input a variety of normal and erroneous data to check the API, use interface, database management, networking and security. Functional testing can be conducted using both white box and black box testing methodologies.

System Testing: Normally, system testing is done to check how the software application runs across different operating systems and environment. To carry out system testing effectively, the QA engineers are required to implement the full system and create the exact environment. System testing is considered to be part of black box testing.

Stress Testing: The testing is conducted to evaluate the performance of the software application under unfavorable conditions. The black box testing methodology is further conducted to decide under what amount of load the application fails and how. So stress testing is always conducted beyond the software specification limits.

Performance Testing: The efficiency and speed of the software is measured through performance testing. While conducting performance testing, testers check if the application meets predefined performance requirements by generating results within a stipulated timeframe. Performance testing comes under the category of black box testing.

Usability Testing: The testing is conducted to decide if the application is user-friendly or not. So usability testing is always conducted from the perspective of end-users. This method of black box testing also aims to identify if the end-users can easily learn and use the software or not. Further, the tester evaluate whether the look and feel of the application will impress the users.

Regression Testing: Each time any modification is done to the software, system, components or related units, regression testing is conducted. This form of black box testing aims to check if the performance of the software application remains unaffected due to the modifications. However, all modules need to be tested to ensure that the desired results can be produced.

Acceptance Testing: This method of black box testing is always conducted by the client. Once he received the software from the developer, the client checks if the delivered product meets the specific requirements. So the testing is conducted to decide if the software meets the client’s requirements and expectations.

Beta Testing: Normally, beta testing of the software is done by an outside team not associated with its development. The testing is also conducted after a beta or full pre-version of the software is released to the public and end-users. So this method of black box testing aims to identify and fix all unexpected errors.

An enterprise can further consider automating the software testing process to avail a number of additional benefits. In addition to making the software testing process more efficient, the automation will further make it easier for QA engineers to validate and verify the application in detail. If you are planing to hire software testing services company, you must evaluate them to see if they are sufficiently dexterous or not!

We provide qa testing services. If you would like to hire software testers for your testing needs, please contact us Mindfire Solutions.