Domain-centered QA approach

In the age of high technologies successful operation of business domains seems impossible without innovative solutions and quality of domain-specific software. Creating domain-tailored OS is crucial for setting up and serving the workflow in the industries with large IT share, like Banking, Telecom, and development of fixed software products.

Since the software is either the critical instrument or the product forming business relationship in the domains, quality assurance occupies a really important role. Moreover, when held by experienced engineers, QA presents most efficient results.

Every complex project executed in the specific domain is peculiar by company`s business logic, environment and architecture, which obviously makes it sensible to involve experienced engineers. The more similar projects the engaged engineers have executed the better understanding of the domain they have. Along with knowledge and professionalism, well-versed specialists guarantee workflow velocity, saving 20% of QA budget means.

Having executed multiple projects and being involved in independent software testing for more than 10 years, we have noticed that participation of qualified engineers on the project cuts budget expenses on the stages of:

• Analysis and knowledge exchange
• Product testing: concerning the defects and software specifics definition

Apart from that, the approach decreases the project execution time. Engaging skilled engineers saves approximately 1000 man-hours on the project of average 5000 man-hours length.

Professional engineers practicing exclusively in specific domains can easier enter the system, find potential bottlenecks and better detect high severity defects.

Though, the software utilized in the specific domains never stays unchanged, which means the engineers have to improve constantly. Besides, constant practicing, knowledge accumulation goes at the centers of competence created in large testing companies. The centers keep the competency on high level providing the opportunity to extend professional skills along with the expertise.

Developing the expertise and being constantly engaged in testing of online banking, crediting, core banking and ESB testing allows skilled engineers easily enter the project. There is no need for them to waste time on learning the systems and specs of operating processes. Technical documentation is like an open book for experts, every single line is transparent and full of information.

As per said above, appointing engineers with extended domain expertise to testing of specific software – telecom CRM systems, OSS/BSS solutions, data base replication systems – accelerates the process and presents a better result. The approach pays its way and seems really sensible.