DEVOPSdigest

With the rapid adoption of Agile and DevOps practices and a growing reliance on automation and AI, organizations face significant challenges in maintaining software quality. These evolving methodologies have reshaped the role of quality assurance (QA), making it simultaneously more complex and crucial in the current technological landscape. To address these pressing issues, Info-Tech Research Group has released its latest blueprint, Build a Software Quality Assurance Program. This data-backed resource offers comprehensive insights to help organizations and IT leaders define quality standards, align QA practices with business objectives, and consistently deliver high-quality software solutions.

"Quality assurance (QA) has undergone a significant transformation over the years, evolving from a step in the development lifecycle to a pivotal, integrated process throughout the solution delivery cycle," says Bhavya Vora, Research Analyst at Info-Tech Research Group. "This shift reflects a broader understanding that QA is not merely a gatekeeper of quality but a strategic partner in ensuring software excellence and reliability."

Info-Tech's blueprint highlights that organizations are increasingly looking to invest in AI to automate QA processes due to industry hype. However, the adoption of AI involves significant organizational changes, and many current systems, processes, and roles are not yet ready to integrate these advanced technologies. Test requirements and scenarios have become broader and more complex, making manual testing insufficient to achieve the desired test coverage.

Additionally, QA teams are struggling to keep up with new and evolving security risks, aggressive performance standards, constantly changing priorities, and misunderstood quality policies. These challenges underscore the critical need for a robust QA strategy, which Info-Tech's research insights and advisory aim to address.

"Today, the emphasis is on a proactive QA approach that aligns with Agile methodologies and continuous improvement/continuous delivery practices, fostering a culture where quality is everyone's responsibility," explains Andrew Kum-Seun, Research Director at Info-Tech Research Group. "By leveraging advances in automation, AI, and machine learning, modern QA practices emphasize collaboration, early defect detection, and preventive measures to ensure product robustness."

The firm emphasizes that when it comes to software quality assurance programs, IT leaders must standardize their definition of quality. It is essential to reach an organizational agreement on what attributes define a high-quality solution, accommodating both business and IT perspectives.

Info-Tech outlines a six-step approach for IT and the organizations they support to ensure quality is central to all organizational activities:

1. Achieve a Quality-First Vision

Integrate quality as a core development principle.

2. Delegate QA Responsibilities

Empower teams to embed quality at every stage of delivery.

3. Instill Cross-Functional Accountability

Encourage shared responsibility for quality across delivery roles and teams.

4. Build Your Fit-for-Purpose Toolbox

Deliver essential tools, templates, and resources for effective QA.

5. Embrace Collaboration and AI

Innovate QA with the latest trends and technologies.

6. Coach, Mentor, and Support

Foster growth, maturity, and change with training, knowledge sharing, and mutual assistance.

The comprehensive blueprint by Info-Tech offers IT leaders tools and insights that empower organizations to elevate their QA strategies. The firm explains that organizations can navigate the complexities of modern software development by aligning QA practices with business objectives, ensuring they are well equipped to handle evolving technologies and industry standards.