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What if a small alteration of your IT solution’s operation could expand your audience by millions? Web accessibility testing serves this purpose by ensuring your software is open to all users, including those with special needs, the number of which today is estimated by 1.3 billion, or 16% of the entire world population. 

So, it’s not surprising that more and more enterprises are now applying in-house digital accessibility policies, seeing them as a vital aspect for outmaneuvering high market competition. 

In this article, we’ll dive into the business benefits of accessibility testing, legal standards to rely on, and tips to introduce this crucial testing practice.  

The ins and outs of accessibility testing 

During testing, QA engineers verify all the features of a digital product to make sure they can be easily understood and used by the target audience, including those with visual, hearing, mobility, cognitive impairment as well as the users who face temporary problems (e.g. an arm fracture). Thus, they ensure compliance with international accessibility standards and provide the highest possible inclusivity, clearing any barriers away.  

Standout accessibility testing advantages 

Let’s analyze what benefits businesses can obtain after supplementing their QA strategies with this practice:  

the-hidden-power-of-inclusivity-in-tech
  • Be on the right side of the law 

Many countries have laws requiring software to comply with juridical regulations, such as Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act in the USA. By doing this, organizations confirm compliance of their business operations and prevent hefty fines or reputational problems.  

  • Improve user experience 

One recent survey from the UK states that more than half of all consumers abandon a purchasing process because of accessibility issues they face. This is a clear sign that correctly operating accessibility features are invaluable for boosting user satisfaction and overall retention. 

  • Reach out to wider target audience 

According to the latest accessibility evaluation report by WebAIM, 95.9% of the analyzed home pages are far from meeting WCAG accessibility standards, which is sad news primarily for such businesses. Open-minded companies who think of all user categories, have higher chances to ensure fair and equal conditions for everyone, thus entering new markets more smoothly.  

  • Cultivate a positive brand profile 

Actions speak louder than words. When end users see your caring attitude and readiness to go the extra mile for them, they feel valued and perceive you as an ethical, civic-minded business that respects human rights. This greatly contributes to boosting the organization’s reputation by spreading positive feedback through word of mouth. 

  • Ensure cost savings 

The earlier in the SDLC project teams eliminate accessibility-related issues, the more time and financial resources they can save on fixing them after the release. It’s always better to allocate some initial investment to introducing this practice than grapple with problems later.  

Gold standards against which companies are judged 

Each country has its own accessibility standards that must be fully observed. However, in terms of web applications, we recommend relying on the demands provided by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines developed by World Wide Web Consortium. They are regularly updated, and the latest version now is 2.2.  

These guidelines state that to be smoothly grasped by users, web content must be perceivable (e.g. having text alternatives for non-text content), operable (e.g. enough time for reading), understandable (e.g. informative instructions for input fields, clear error messages), and robust (e.g. compatibility with assistive technologies). Depending on set demands, during testing QA engineers ensure conformance with one of three levels that include core accessibility aspects (Level A), most common hurdles (Level AA), and specific criteria often applied to commercial software or rare industrial cases (Level AAA). 

Specifics of the accessibility testing 

Let’s analyze in detail how to get started with this valuable QA practice effectively implement this control strategy: 

Step #1. Gather preliminary information on the project 

Why does the company want to ensure high software user-friendliness? Do they want to enter new markets? Do they need to confirm compliance with the law? What percent of people with disabilities will constitute the target audience? By having answers to these questions, QA engineers will clearly identify focus areas during testing and choose which legal acts to follow.  

Step #2. Define the level of WCAG conformance to stick to 

From our vast testing experience, we can say that Level AA (medium) is the equilibrium for the majority of projects when it comes to delivering universal virtual journeys. Although, Level AAA (highest) conformance is suitable for specific cases, such as adjusting the company’s LMS to the needs of students with disabilities or delivering high-quality, inclusive governmental portals. 

From the get-go, it’s also important to decide on testing frequency. In case of a one-time request, it’s enough for the QA engineers to perform one round of testing. But in the case of long-term projects, it’s better to include accessibility testing in the list of regular activities performed during the entire SDLC. 

Step #3. Analyze the current project state 

We recommend performing accessibility testing on a stable application version onlywiki, as UI issues can negatively influence the accuracy of the QA process. To ensure high efficiency and coverage, QA engineers should at least run tests in one web and one mobile browser (Android/iOS). Their choice must depend on the analysis of the target audience’s preferences. However, if companies have sufficient time and financial opportunities, the list of browsers can be extended.  

Step #4. Make use of valuable tools 

Nowadays, QA engineers can choose from a myriad of accessibility testing tools. We suggest paying attention to the following: 

  • WAVE. It’s a free browser extension that allows QA engineers to obtain visual feedback on WCAG violations within diverse software elements and suggestions for fixing them. It also contains a color selection tool serving to change the color of various elements on a page and check their compliance with requirements. 
  • Lighthouse. This open-source solution automatically evaluates web pages in line with WCAG and generates in-depth reports with detected problems, screenshots, code fragments, and ways to mitigate them. It also offers a list of obligatory manual tests to ensure comprehensive test coverage. 
  • W3C Validator. It’s an online resource that is helpful for checking code for hidden issues. QA engineers can insert a URL and get data on existing flaws. 
  • Adobe Color contrast analyzer. This Internet resource serves to validate accessibility of color combinations to make them more suitable for people with visual disabilities. 
  • Text spacing editor. It’s a browser extension that changes the spacing between lines of text to make the page easier to read. 
  • Screen readers. Such instruments serve to convert text into speech or Braille. We recommend applying these tools during testing to emulate real-world experience and increase QA efficiency.  

The most common accessibility issues to keep an eye on  

Lastly, we’d like to provide you with several examples of the frequently occurring obstacles that complicate online user journeys for people with various impairments. 

#1. Defects related to content perception 

WCAG states that people with impairments should easily access any content and have possibilities to alter it for improved perception. Here are a few examples of problems we often find: 

  • The text is placed on multi-colored background images. Almost always people with visual disabilities will consider such text hard to read due to insufficient color contrast ratio, even if the text is white and the background is dark. To improve the situation, teams should change page design to display the text and images separately. 
  • Color usage as the only way to convey meaning. When some web page elements differ only on the basis of colors, colorblind people won’t be able to distinguish between them. Teams should add a difference based on other visual means (e.g. shape or text cues) to facilitate content comprehension. 
  • Lack of subtitles or settings to turn them on. Imagine a web page with video content. As the information can only be perceived orally, users with hearing impairments won’t be able to fully grasp it. It’s important to either add subtitles, or at least a text alternative of the video. 
  • Sensory properties in instructions. Let’s analyze an example: there are two buttons and a small text above them that says that for the next step a user needs to press the button with a green arrow. People with visual disabilities use a screen reader to hear the name of the button, so they won’t manage to cope with this task. That’s why instructions should contain the element’s name or its label rather than its visual description. 

#2. Defects related to operability 

Accessible IT products must ensure faultless keyboard navigation, but we frequently encounter the following issues: 

  • Keyboard navigation and link issues. Let’s analyze a web page menu with a bunch of links. An average user can simply collapse them and go to the main content, those who use the keyboard have to go through each of the links before the focus finally gets to the required content part. Therefore, WCAG recommends that developers provide a mechanism for skipping repeating blocks to ease navigation. 
  • Issues with instructions. Here’s an example: users with disabilities need to fill out the form where required fields aren’t marked, and the error message appears only after the form is submitted. To cope with the task in this case, people need to come back and make alterations, which is especially inconvenient for them. That’s why developers need to label all required fields and provide instructions near them.  

In a nutshell 

Testing for accessibility is an excellent way to ensure inclusive user experience, legal compliance, brand recognition, business expansion, and decreased costs. QA engineers perform it in line with WCAG and regional regulations, leverage specific toolkits, and put themselves in the user’s shoes to identify and fix specific issues affecting accessibility of the digital landscape.  

Reach out to a1qa’s team if you need professional support with ensuring high software inclusivity. 

The evolving work environment now places significant value on business skills. Research indicates that soft skills contribute to 85% of overall job success, and projections suggest that by 2030, up to 40% of all jobs will require well-developed social-emotional competencies. Additionally, studies show that companies investing in the development of their employees’ soft skills can expect a 250% return on their investment within less than a year.  

So, what are the top business skills that can enhance workplaces in 2025 and beyond? How can they be improved? These questions will be addressed in this blog. 

What pros can soft skills bring to the table?  

First-class soft skills and their improvement can lead to an organizations’ prosperity and benefit companies in many ways:  

  • Enhanced productivity. Strong interpersonal abilities foster effective teamwork, contributing to efficient task performance, streamlined problem-solving, professional conflict resolution, and improved time management. 
  • Superior quality of service. Employees who excel at building relationships can create meaningful connections with both current and potential clients, ensuring professional communication and making clients feel valued throughout the collaboration. 
  • Increased employee satisfaction. Organizations that invest in their employees’ growth and provide opportunities for personal development are more likely to have engaged and loyal staff who feel appreciated and motivated to stay long-term. 
  • Improved communication. Clear and accurate communication allows employees to express their thoughts without misunderstandings or biases, enabling them to focus on achieving business objectives effectively. 

Sought-after competencies to improve workplace  

There are dozens of soft skills that can positively impact the quality of QA specialist’s work. The focus here will be on those that are most beneficial to business. 

  1. Critical thinking  

It’s essential to analyze incoming data, question the facts, research, and use relevant information to solve problems and make informed decisions. For instance, QA engineers can use it to not only identify software issues but think of potential aspects and risks that can negatively impact the correct operation of IT products. They can also more accurately prioritize detected defects, better plan activities in the long run, and more productively navigate challenging situations.  

  1. Emotional intelligence  

When emotions aren’t interpreted in the right way, they can have devastating consequences. Emotional intelligence at work helps QA specialists better understand various project stakeholders’ point of view, manage stressful situations (e.g. related to pressing deadlines) in a more effective way, correctly respond to constructive criticism, and be able to decrease tension in the workplace.   

  1. Troubleshooting

The ability to analyze situations from multiple perspectives and address problems with confidence is a crucial soft skill. Strong problem-solving capabilities enable QA engineers to more comprehensively articulate problems, think creatively and identify the best solutions even under pressure, leading to more effective time management.  

  1. Adaptability  

The global landscape is constantly changing, impacting our working conditions. Adaptability is a crucial skill in this dynamic environment. It enables QA teams to swiftly and effectively respond to shifting project requirements or organizational changes, quickly learn new tools and technologies, and show greater flexibility when taking on new responsibilities. 

  1. Conflict resolution  

Conflicts are natural and form an indispensable part of life, so it’s important not to be afraid of them. QA engineers who actively listen to each party to understand different perspectives and demonstrate empathy can successfully resolve defect-related disagreements (e.g., regarding severity levels), solve problems more effectively to prevent project delays, and maintain clear communication in any situation. 

  1. Ability to work in a team  

Teamwork is among the most sought-after soft skills that HR managers prioritize in candidates today. This is unsurprising, as complex tasks are rarely accomplished by a single individual. When a QA specialist can effectively collaborate with developers, business analysts, product owners, and other project stakeholders, they can brainstorm creative ideas, share the workload, and reduce the risk of project delays.  

  1. Being an effective leader  

When acting as proficient leaders, QA managers can establish a straightforward vision for the entire team that matches the company’s goals, create effective multi-year strategies, take accountability for mentorship, and refine testing workflows when they see space for improvement. They also inspire and motivate other team members and encourage open communication between everyone to foster the development of novel ideas and accept different opinions.   

  1. Innovation and creativity  

Sometimes, solving a problem requires examining it from all angles. This approach allows for the generation of new, creative ideas, the conduct of experiments, and the continuous exploration of ways to improve the situation. When QA engineers think outside the box, they can better predict potential risks, more effectively grasp end-user experience, handle project alterations easier, and leverage a unique approach when reproducing and addressing issues. 

  1. Persuasiveness  

To get a stakeholder’s buy-in (e.g. the introduction of a new technology or approach such as continuous testing), sharpened presentation and persuasion skills are essential. When QA specialists confidently and clearly articulate their point of view, using visuals, facts, statistics, and evidence to support their arguments, they are more likely to influence colleagues, as well as current or potential clients, and achieve their desired outcomes.  

  1. Digital fluency  

The current pace of the digital landscape evolution is enormous — new technologies, frameworks, tools appear literally every day. QA engineers should quickly delve into their essence, be able to leverage them at work, swiftly analyze whether they match the current project environment, so as to accelerate testing processes, boost efficiency, and develop the culture of innovation within a company.   

On the way to perfection  

Let’s see how soft skills can be improved:  

  • Prepare. Analyze your strengths and weaknesses and determine which areas need improvement based on your work requirements and responsibilities.  
  • Learn. Choose a relevant online or offline training course that offers practical programs to maximize learning efficiency.  
  • Accept. Be open to feedback to gain insights into how others perceive you, providing a broader perspective on your abilities and areas for growth.  
  • Listen. Avoid interrupting others, seek clarification when needed, and record details. This skill is invaluable for improving workplace interactions and enhancing empathy.  

Why soft skills matter at a1qa  

At a1qa, we believe in improving processes—whether for our clients or within our teams. It’s not just technical know-how that drives improvement; soft skills play a big role, too. These abilities help us communicate effectively, solve problems, and adapt to new challenges. By focusing on them, we ensure that we continue delivering high-quality results for our clients.  

Final thoughts  

Sheryl Sandberg stated, “Build your skills, not your resume.” Soft skills are vital both for advancing one’s career and enhancing a company’ organizational performance. These competencies can be continually developed, so it’s never too late to invest in self-improvement. 

Contact a1qa’s team if you are looking for professional QA assistance. 

Nowadays, relying on traditional testing methodologies alone isn’t enough to ensure the flawless operation of software products.  

Shift-right testing (SRT) has emerged as a compelling strategy to improve the quality of IT solutions while meeting ever-evolving user needs. It has become a useful addition to conventional testing approaches, providing a more comprehensive and user-focused testing strategy. 

In this article, we’ll delve into the essence of shift-right testing, explore its benefits, and explain why it’s essential for businesses. 

The concept of shift-right testing 

SRT represents a departure from conventional testing practices and occurs after deployment. Unlike traditional testing approaches that focus primarily on pre-deployment phases, SRT embraces the idea of gathering real-world insights from actual users and environments to enhance software quality and inspire ideas for new functionalities that cover actual user patterns and needs. For instance, companies can try out releasing new software upgrades by engaging a group of previously chosen users to collect insights into their first impressions and areas for further improvement. 

Thus, companies can monitor and enhance software stability, performance, and usability as well as gain access to invaluable feedback that can facilitate better decision-making processes, identify potential software issues, and drive enhancements.  

Benefits of shift-right testing 

Let’s look closer at the advantages businesses reap when they utilize SRT: 

  • Real-time feedback 

SRT enables companies to gather insights from end-users, helping evaluate software behavior under real-world conditions. This feedback loop assists in identifying all arising defects, leading to improved product quality and boosted customer satisfaction.  With SRT, companies can also provide a small subset of users access to a new feature or update to test before its full release, allowing them to detect potential flaws and make informed decisions on its refinement. 

  • Enhanced user experience 

Testing in production allows organizations to prioritize enhancements based on actual user preferences. This iterative approach helps ensure high software reliability and security while making the app more intuitive and user-friendly. 

By incorporating UX considerations into the QA workflows, businesses can refine user interfaces, streamline workflows, and optimize interactions, ultimately delivering a seamless and engaging user experience. 

  • Refined code quality 

Incorporating testing into the production environment allows experts to validate the robustness of their code in real-world scenarios. By exposing code to actual clients’ interactions and usage patterns, they can check code performance under various conditions.  

Additionally, the iterative nature of SRT encourages companies to adopt best practices and coding standards, leading to cleaner and more maintainable codebases. As developers gain visibility into how their code operates in production, they are incentivized to write functional, scalable, and efficient code. 

What’s more, when project teams regularly monitor software behavior and analyze opportunities for optimization during the accretion of new features, they have a higher chance to reach better software performance levels and establish a culture of continuous improvement. 

  • Data-driven insights for new features and future projects 

Shift-right testing provides teams with a wealth of data regarding user behavior, preferences, and interactions with the software. This information serves as a treasure trove of insights that can allow teams to identify trends, patterns, and areas for improvement. 

By understanding what resonates with customers and what doesn’t, specialists create specific development and test design documents that are more credible and cater to the expectations of their target audience. As a result, they foster trust and confidence among clients. 

Shift-right testing

Top 3 reasons why businesses should adopt shift-right testing 

Let’s explore the key reasons why companies need shift-right testing. 

Reason 1. Test in the production environment 

Simulated environments often lack the complexity and variability of real environments, rendering emulated QA activities insufficient. 

By conducting continuous software monitoring in production, organizations can validate software functioning under real-world conditions and find problems that weren’t detected during earlier testing phases, ensuring seamless operation regardless of fluctuations in user traffic or system load. 

This approach allows businesses to uncover potential issues related to scalability, resource utilization, production operation, and environmental dependencies that may only manifest in the actual environments, thereby minimizing the risk of post-deployment failures and disruptions. 

Reason 2. Check software based on real-world user experience 

Traditional testing methodologies often rely on synthetic data and scripted scenarios, failing to capture the full spectrum of user behaviors. 

For instance, a social media platform may face varying customer engagement patterns depending on several factors: time of day, geographical location, or device type. By conducting SRT, enterprises can observe how clients interact with their IT solutions in real scenarios, gaining valuable insights into user preferences and their pain points. 

This helps specialists better understand end users while optimizing critical app features, enhancing usability, and meeting the diverse needs of their target audience, ultimately driving user loyalty. 

Reason 3. Identify resilience of the system  

SRT empowers organizations to identify and mitigate potential issues before they escalate into critical failures, safeguarding the integrity and reliability of their software. For that, QA engineers continuously monitor logs on diverse errors, performance metrics, response times, user interactions statistics, and server health. 

Let’s take an eCommerce platform as an example. It may experience sudden spikes in user traffic during promotional events or holiday seasons, leading to system crashes. By predicting such cases in production with the help of monitoring tools and analysis of previous system operation, organizations can quickly assess the resilience of their IT product infrastructure and implement preventive measures to mitigate risks. Thus, experts identify scalability bottlenecks and fortify system resilience, ensuring uninterrupted service delivery and minimizing the impact of unforeseen events on end users. 

Pivotal aspects to focus on during SRT 

Finally, let’s consider the most valuable techniques to ensure the high effectiveness of this testing practice. 

  • Monitor production 

With continuous software supervision in the production environment, project teams can expose bottlenecks (e.g. performance monitoring, error tracking, user behavior analysis) that might not be evident during previous quality control phases, as well as monitor resource utilization. These actions help optimize performance and lower operational costs. 

  • Analyze logs 

Examining production system logs allows project teams and QA specialists to obtain beneficial and detailed data on inappropriate software behavior, and quickly solve arising issues. It also helps better understand user journeys, learn what functionality the target audience uses most often, identify areas for improvement in their experience, and improve decision-making regarding new features. 

  • Test resilience 

QA specialists simulate controlled chaotic conditions in the production environment to find faults in the software ability to cope with unexpected disruptions, such as server failures or high traffic loads, and remain operable in the long run. Thus, it’s possible to deliver highly robust IT products with strong recovery mechanisms. 

  • Conduct A/B testing 

This QA activity provides excellent opportunities to try out various versions of the application in the production environment to see which of them will be better accepted by end users. With this helpful information, testing teams can enhance their decision-making capabilities, shape long-term product strategies, and cater to diversified user segments. 

  • Apply feature toggles 

This technique allows project teams to accurately control the release of new functionalities in the production environment, test them live, ensure they are invisible to a portion of the target audience during quality assurance, and minimize the risks of affecting the regular operations of end users. 

  • Work with feedback 

Within SRT, user perception of the software is a powerful aspect that directly influences IT product success. Therefore, it is crucial for companies to regularly gather and analyze feedback to continuously improve quality, innovate software products, boost customer satisfaction, and turn end users into brand advocates. 

In a nutshell 

The adoption of SRT represents a valuable addition to traditional QA approaches, providing organizations with a more comprehensive and user-focused testing strategy. 

SRT serves several goals — it allows companies to test IT products in the production environment, check apps based on real-world user experience, and identify worst-case scenarios.  

With SRT, they get tangible benefits, including real-time feedback, enhanced user experience, refined code quality, and data-driven insights for new features and future projects. 

To ensure SRT effectiveness, companies can stick to regular monitoring, log analysis, resilience and A/B testing, use feature toggles, and collect user feedback. 

Contact a1qa’s experts to get support in leveraging shift-right testing principles. 

To deliver high-quality IT products, establishing seamless collaboration between QA engineers and developers is paramount. 

While QA and development teams may have different focuses and responsibilities, aligning their efforts can help significantly boost productivity and accelerate the release of software solutions. 

In this article, we’ll explore 6 practices to ensure smooth operation and foster interaction between these specialists. 

Practice 1. Establish clear communication channels

Clear communication channels serve as the foundation of effective interaction between developers and QA experts. Businesses should utilize specialized tools, such as project management platforms, instant messaging apps, and video conferencing software to ensure that teams share updates, discuss requirements, and promptly address arising issues. 

To guarantee that both teams are aligned on project goals, timelines, and priorities, it’s critical to define communication protocols, including regular meetings, status updates, and feedback sessions. 

However, effective communication goes beyond daily updates — it’s about fostering a culture of transparency, respect, and collaboration. Here are some ways to promote open interaction within QA and development teams: 

  • Set clear expectations and ensure that team members understand whom to contact in case of concerns, questions, or feedback.  
  • Value each other’s time and reserve face-to-face conversations for significant issues or discussions requiring immediate attention while using emails or messages for less urgent matters.  
  • Encourage active listening to ensure that everyone feels heard and valued, leading to better collaboration and problem-solving. 
  • Support constructive feedback to create a safe environment where specialists feel comfortable providing their opinions. 
  • Celebrate small achievements and milestones to boost team morale and motivation.  

Practice 2. Involve QA experts from the start 

Engaging QA teams from the early SDLC stages is key to improving interaction and productivity. By encouraging developers to collaborate with QA engineers during the planning and design phases, companies should identify potential flaws from the ground up, which helps eliminate costly rework and software release delays. 

Practice 3. Foster a culture of quality ownership 

It’s imperative to dissolve the traditional divide between developers and QA engineers. Responsibility for the IT solution quality should be shared by all team members. 

Developers should be accountable for writing robust and testable code. Simultaneously, QA engineers should closely collaborate with them, advocating for quality throughout the entire SDLC, rather than solely serving as gatekeepers.  

Practice 4. Implement Agile methodologies 

Adopting flexible methodologies, like Scrum or Kanban, can facilitate collaboration between QA and development teams. Agile frameworks promote iterative development, frequent feedback, and continuous improvement, allowing teams to quickly respond to changes and deliver high-quality IT products incrementally. 

To synchronize their efforts, identify dependencies, and align priorities, it’s mission-critical to leverage sprint planning, daily stand-ups, and sprint reviews. 

Practice 5. Introduce continuous testing 

QA plays a crucial role in facilitating CI/CD pipelines by ensuring that code changes integrate smoothly and deploy without errors. 

By automating testing processes and implementing robust quality gates, QA teams enable developers to deliver code faster and more frequently. This rapid iteration cycle accelerates the feedback loop and app launch while reducing business risks and boosting the quality of IT products. 

Practice 6. Promote mutual respect and trust 

Building trust between QA engineers and developers is essential for enhancing productivity. Businesses should create a supportive environment and cultivate a deep appreciation for each other’s contributions within the workplace. To do this, enterprises need to: 

  • Encourage cross-functional involvement. Foster mutual understanding and respect by encouraging team members to participate in each other’s processes.  
  • Collaborate as one team. Foster a sense of unity by encouraging QA and development teams to interact as one cohesive unit in problem-solving endeavors. By pooling their talents and resources, professionals can identify and resolve issues more efficiently. 
  • Emphasize each contribution. Recognize the accomplishments of both QA engineers and developers to foster better communication between teams. 
Dev and QA collaboration

To sum up 

Fostering seamless communication between development and QA teams isn’t just a matter of convenience — it’s imperative to attain desired business outcomes during software development projects.  

So, how can companies strengthen the interaction between all specialists? It’s critical to establish clear communication channels, involve QA experts from the start, cultivate a culture of quality ownership, implement Agile methodologies, facilitate CD/CI, and promote mutual respect and trust. 

Contact a1qa’s team and obtain support in releasing top-notch software solutions at speed. 

Over the past years, we have witnessed a profound transformation driven by the emergence of new technologies and processes. 

At the forefront of this revolution is robotic process automation (RPA), a technology gaining significant traction across industries. RPA offers a compelling solution for organizations seeking to streamline operations and enhance efficiency by leveraging software bots that automate repetitive tasks. 

RPA can be a valuable assistant for automating specific tasks within software testing, enabling businesses to achieve unparalleled levels of speed, security, and reliability of their IT products. 

In this article, we’ll explore the intersection of RPA and QA, delving into its impact, challenges, and strategies for successful implementation. 

Understanding RPA 

In recent years, RPA has emerged as a transformative technology, revolutionizing the way organizations streamline their business operations and enhance process efficiency. It’s predicted to reach $13.39 billion by 2030. 

RPA in QA

Source: Statista 

At its essence, RPA involves the use of bots to automate mundane, time-consuming, and repetitive tasks traditionally performed by humans. These activities range from data entry and document processing to system integrations and report generation. Thus, RPA allows for freeing up human resources to focus on higher-value activities. 

To illustrate the practical application of RPA, consider a scenario in customer support operations. Imagine a company receiving a high volume of end-user queries through various channels, such as e-mails, chats, and social media. Without RPA, handling these queries would require manual intervention. 

However, with RPA in place, this process can be automated. Bots can be programmed to monitor incoming messages, analyze their content using natural language processing algorithms, and route them to the appropriate departments based on predefined criteria. This accelerates response times while ensuring consistent handling of client queries, improving overall satisfaction levels. 

Another example of RPA usage relates to accounting operations. Invoice processing and financial reporting often involve repetitive data entry and manipulation across multiple systems. RPA bots can be deployed to automate these tasks, extracting data from invoices, entering it into accounting software, and generating reports with minimal specialist efforts required.  

RPA in software testing: unlocking the value 

By combining RPA with traditional QA practices, businesses unlock a myriad of benefits that streamline testing processes, enhance productivity, and reduce costs. 

To begin with, RPA in software testing helps automate tedious testing tasks, like test case execution, data verification, regression testing, test environment setup and configuration. By leveraging RPA, organizations accelerate the QA lifecycle and deliver high-quality software products within shorter timeframes. 

Another advantage is continuous monitoring. RPA bots can be deployed to track key performance indicators, system metrics, and user interactions in real-time, identifying potential issues and anomalies. By controlling the software under test, organizations can detect and address defects early in the SDLC stages, thereby minimizing the risk of costly errors and downtime. 

What’s more, RPA bots are useful during data validation tasks, comparing expected outcomes against actual results and flagging discrepancies for further investigation. Whether it’s verification of database entries, user inputs, or system outputs, RPA can assist businesses in streamlining such workflows and providing greater confidence in the quality of software releases. 

Addressing the main challenges of RPA in software testing 

Let’s focus on the hurdles companies face and strategies to overcome them. 

Challenge #1. Limited testing toolkit 

The scarcity of specialized QA tools tailored for RPA poses a significant challenge in developing comprehensive and efficient QA strategies. Without appropriate instruments, organizations may struggle to effectively automate processes. 

To overcome this challenge, businesses can: 

  • Investigate the market for specialized RPA testing tools that are designed to meet the unique requirements of test automation These instruments often offer specific features, such as scriptless automation, object recognition, and integration with RPA platforms. 
  • Collaborate with RPA vendors as they provide built-in testing features or guidance on integrating third-party testing toolsets with their platforms.  
  • Consider investing in custom tool development in cases where RPA testing tools aren’t available. By designing QA instruments tailored to their specific RPA testing needs, companies can address gaps in existing toolkits and ensure comprehensive test coverage for their RPA implementations. 

Challenge #2. Lack of experience 

Consider a hypothetical situation where a company has made substantial investments in RPA technology to streamline its invoice processing system. Despite the successful deployment of RPA bots, the team responsible for monitoring and collaborating with these bots doesn’t possess the required competencies. As a result, it leads to operational downtime and costly issues, hindering effective testing workflows. 

To prevent similar cases, organizations should adopt a comprehensive strategy aimed at skill development and knowledge acquisition. This embraces investing in training programs designed to equip existing staff with the necessary expertise in RPA testing. By providing employees with structured training opportunities, businesses can empower them to effectively leverage RPA tools. 

Challenge #3. Performance and scalability issues 

Addressing performance and scalability roadblocks in RPA requires thorough testing and optimization of automation processes to ensure they can handle high volumes of transactions and heavy workloads. 

For that, organizations should implement robust performance testing strategies using specialized tools capable of simulating real-world scenarios and workload conditions. By identifying bottlenecks related to software operation, companies enhance the scalability and efficiency of their RPA solutions, thereby ensuring they meet business demands without compromising speed and accuracy. 

Challenge #4. Ensuring security and compliance 

Prioritizing data security, access controls, and regulatory compliance throughout the whole QA lifecycle is essential to address safety concerns within RPA products with confidence. 

This involves leveraging security measures, such as encryption and secure authentication mechanisms to safeguard sensitive data and ensure compliance with industry regulations. By doing so, businesses mitigate associated risks and ensure the integrity and confidentiality of their information and RPA workflows while maintaining data privacy. 

Conclusion 

The integration of robotic process automation into QA and software testing represents a transformative shift in how organizations approach quality assurance. 

By addressing the main challenges — limited testing toolkit, lack of experience, performance and scalability issues, the need to ensure high security and compliance — businesses can unlock the full potential of RPA in streamlining QA processes, enhancing productivity, and reducing costs. 

Need support in fine-tuning your QA workflows? Contact a1qa’s team. 

To maintain their competitive edge in 2024 and beyond, telecom companies have to stay ahead of emerging industry technologies. QA serves as a linchpin in this process, helping ensure the smooth implementation of innovations.  

In this article, we’ll take a look at the key telco trends for this year and explore a QA strategy to launch high-quality telco software in an era of unprecedented change. 

Navigating the trends reshaping telecom industry in 2024 

Trend #1. 5G  

Surpassing 1.5 billion connections by the end of 2023, 5G has firmly established itself as the fastest-growing mobile broadband technology of recent years. This statistic underscores the immense potential that 5G holds for transforming connectivity worldwide. By 2030, the GSMA professionals predict that 53% of the population will be using 5G, 35% — 4G, 8% — 3G, and 1% — 2G. 

Telecom trends 2024

Source: The Mobile Economy 2024 

The reach of 5G networks continues to expand across various regions from urban centers to remote rural areas while offering ultra-fast speeds, low latency, and high capacity.  

Moreover, the advent of 5G is driving innovation in various industries. In healthcare, it facilitates real-time remote surgeries and high-definition video consultations between patients and healthcare professionals. In entertainment, 5G delivers immersive virtual experiences that allow users to enjoy multiplayer games with on-the-fly responsiveness and minimal lags.  

As the adoption of 5G-enabled devices and services continues to grow, telecom companies should focus on ensuring seamless network performance, smooth operation of mobile and web applications and computing centers, and strong security to provide customers with the full potential of 5G technology. 

Trend #2. Broadband connectivity  

2024 marks a significant milestone in the expansion of broadband connectivity. Consumers are witnessing a proliferation of options for accessing the high-speed Internet driven by advancements in terrestrial wireline, terrestrial wireless, and satellite technologies.  

Nowadays, Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) and Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite Internet are gaining momentum, particularly in remote regions. These technologies help offer viable options to traditional wired broadband services, bridge the digital divide, and extend access to previously inaccessible areas. 

Trend #3. AI-driven solutions  

AI-driven solutions are now becoming increasingly prevalent in the telecommunications industry, enabling operators to: 

  • Optimize network performance. By adjusting routing protocols and network topologies, AI-powered networks can adapt to changing conditions and traffic loads, ensuring consistent user experiences. 
  • Enhance cybersecurity. By analyzing network traffic patterns and identifying suspicious behavior, AI-driven security systems can proactively mitigate cyber attacks, protecting sensitive data and infrastructure from harm. 
  • Deliver personalized services to clients. By leveraging customer data and behavioral insights, AI helps telecom companies tailor service offerings and recommendations to individual preferences, increasing their loyalty and receiving more revenue opportunities. What’s more, with AI seamlessly integrated into chatbots and personalized AI assistance, they can elevate their client support. AI-driven networks enable efficient problem-solving and service sales without human intervention, minimizing operational expenses. 
  • Ensure predictive maintenance. With AI at the core, telcos continuously monitor the state of their equipment, analyzing statuses and identifying anomalies in network performance. By leveraging AI algorithms, they proactively resolve issues before they impact customer experience, reducing downtime and enhancing overall reliability. This data-driven approach allows them to predict potential failures and take proactive measures to address them with the hardware, including cell towers, power lines, and servers in data centers, ensuring seamless operations and uninterrupted service delivery.  

Driving successful adoption of telecom trends with the help of QA  

QA is indispensable to ensure the successful implementation of telecom trends and the reliability of IT products. Let’s explore key testing types, helping deliver high-quality telco software. 

All tests can be devided into two groups: 

  1. Functional and non-functional testing 

Performance testing 

Performance testing holds a pivotal role in guaranteeing the seamless operation of critical systems responsible for delivering telecommunications services. By meticulously subjecting telecom solutions to stress and load tests, companies can ascertain whether they are able to promptly respond to a myriad of subscriber requests. This involves scrutinizing both client- and server-side functionalities, ensuring that vital components, such as billing and CRM systems, efficiently receive and process requests. 

Performance checks help telco operators release highly reliable software while delivering exceptional user experiences and maintaining customer satisfaction. 

Functional testing 

Functional testing ensures that all features of telecom products work as intended. It extends to verifying applications designed for customers, user support systems (chatbots or live chats with operators), back-end software for telecom, data centers, CRMs, ERPs, and additional services (media streaming platforms). 

This involves testing various scenarios, inputs, and outputs to verify the correct behavior of the software. For instance, validating the functionality of invoicing processes. 

As part of functional testing, UAT helps ensure the seamless integration of new systems, modules, or integrated solutions within telecom businesses. While traditionally associated with third-party integrations, UAT testing extends beyond this scope to encompass newly developed systems or modules as well. 

The aim of UAT is to validate business requirements, verify functionalities, and assess user experience across various applications and platforms. For instance, in the integration of self-service portals and mobile apps, UAT testing enables QA teams to simulate real-world usage, such as managing accounts, viewing usage details, and paying bills. Additionally, it allows verifying the usability, performance, and security measures implemented to protect customer data and transactions. 

Security testing 

Security testing is paramount to safeguard sensitive customer data and safeguard against cyber threats, considering the extensive network and cloud infrastructure involved. Telecom companies should be highly vigilant about potential data leakage and breaches, as they handle end-user financial and personal information. Moreover, with numerous entry points into telecom networks, including interconnected software, like CRMs, billing, and operational systems, comprehensive security testing is a must-have. 

By conducting penetration testing, businesses simulate real-world attacks to identify potential weaknesses in telecom systems, such as weak authentication mechanisms or exposed network ports. 

To uncover entry points for cybercriminals and assess the safety posture of telco infrastructure, companies can introduce vulnerability scanning tools, including Acunetix, Burp Suite, and Nessus. 

Test automation 

Telco providers can automate any tests, but it’s more profitable to automate repetitive test scenarios, reducing manual effort and accelerating the QA workflow.  

To enhance testing coverage and efficiency, telecom providers leverage automated regression testing. By automating test processes, companies perform more tests in less time, significantly boosting coverage and accuracy while neutralizing the risk of human errors. These automated scripts can be reused repeatedly, optimizing overall testing efforts and ensuring comprehensive coverage across software updates, patches, and configuration changes. 

  1. Testing based on the product type 

OSS/BSS testing 

As OSS and BSS form the backbone of telecom services, it’s mission-critical to enable their seamless running. OSS/BSS testing encompasses a range of QA activities tailored to validate the functionality, reliability, security, and performance of telco systems, which are responsible for key functions, involving billing, customer management, and network operations. 

With OSS/BSS checks, businesses also verify the accuracy of billing calculations for various service plans and validate the CRM system to make sure that customer information or service requests are accurately captured and processed. 

Migration testing 

It’s imperative to test the data and readiness of the system before moving to new OSS/BSS systems, such as billing or CRM platforms. This process involves migrating and validating large volumes of data to ensure seamless integration and prevent disruptions to routine subscriber activities. Additionally, it’s necessary to address security vulnerabilities and optimize performance to uphold uninterrupted subscriber activities. 

Cloud testing 

Cloud computing plays a pivotal role in modern telecom operations, enabling companies to scale resources up and down, such as networks and servers, as well as storage on-demand. Leveraging cloud infrastructure, telecoms can keep and process vast amounts of user data remotely, ensuring cost efficiency and global reach. 

Therefore, businesses can introduce cloud testing to assess the reliability, scalability, and security of telecom products delivered through cloud infrastructure. 

With cloud tests, operators can also confirm the security posture of cloud-based telecom solutions, including data encryption, access controls, and compliance with industry standards. 

To conclude 

The telecommunications landscape is continuously evolving. 5G, broadband connectivity, and AI-driven solutions are set to redefine this sector in 2024.  

To implement these trends with confidence and assurance, businesses can encompass a comprehensive QA strategy that involves performance, functional, OSS/BSS, migration, UAT, cloud, security, and automated testing. 

Reach out to a1qa’s team to get support in ensuring the high quality of your telecom software. 

In 2023, we witnessed a 20% surge in data breaches in the retail industry across the US, highlighting the critical need for robust security measures to safeguard customer data. From Amazon and Home Depot to eBay and Under Armour, the fallout from these threats included eroded customer trust, financial losses, and damaged reputation.

In today’s high-risk landscape, implementing traditional security models isn’t enough to tackle sophisticated cyber incidents. The concept of zero trust (ZT) emerges as a beacon of resilience, offering businesses a proactive approach to fortify their overall safety posture and protect sensitive end-user information.

In this article, we’ll delve into core reasons why retailers should leverage ZT as well as learn hands-on recommendations to enhance resistance to internal and external cyberattacks.

A zero trust concept in retail: 5 reasons to adopt

According to the State of Zero Trust Security by Okta, 97% of surveyed C-level executives, operating in financial, healthcare, government, and other sectors, implemented a ZT security initiative in 2022.

Zero trust in retail

Source: State of Zero Trust Security 2022 


Zero trust instills a fundamental shift in mindset, treating every user, device, and network segment as a potential threat until proven otherwise. Its principles include explicit verification to validate based on all available data points, usage of least-privilege access to decrease the risk of unauthorized data exposure, and breach assumption to enhance threat detection and improve defenses. 

This approach advocates for strict access controls, continuous authentication, and micro-segmentation to minimize the attack surface and mitigate potential hazards. And it is particularly critical in the retail sector, where the storage of personal and financial clients’ data in different places, including the cloud, can be vulnerable to attacks.

Retail environments often feature complex interconnected systems, ranging from ERP and CRMs to POS systems in physical stores. This interconnectivity increases the susceptibility to threats, such as malicious software infiltrating the POS systems or phishing attacks targeting employees to gain access to sensitive information.

Here are the reasons why retailers should introduce zero trust:

  • Enhanced security posture. A ZT concept helps companies ensure that all attempts to penetrate the system are rigorously verified while mitigating the risk of unauthorized access and data breaches, such as a hacker attempting to exploit vulnerabilities through the shop’s Wi-Fi network.
  • Strengthened resilience. By implementing micro-segmentation and enforcing strict access controls, zero trust ensures that customer sensitive information or financial data are isolated from each other, limiting the scope of potential attacks. This helps reduce the overall impact and cost of recovery as well as time to breach detection.
  • Increased end-user confidence. By safeguarding clients’ sensitive information and preventing leakages, retail businesses uphold their commitment to data privacy and maintain consumer trust, fostering long-term brand loyalty and reputation.
  • Improved adaptability to dynamic environments. In the era of cloud computing and remote work, ZT allows organizations to safeguard data and resources regardless of the location, network boundary, or device type used in retail, like self-checkouts and cash desks.
  • Intensified control. Zero trust architectures provide retailers with greater visibility and control over their network traffic and user activity. Through continuous monitoring, they can gain insights into user behaviors, identify anomalous activities, and respond to security incidents in real-time.
  • Future-proof against emerging threats. By regularly updating and refining safety controls and policies, companies stay ahead of cyber adversaries and timely mitigate the risks posed by new attack vectors and exploitation techniques.

5 tips to ensure robust cyber defense for retail businesses

To fortify defenses against evolving digital threats and safeguard retail operations, we suggest embracing a holistic cybersecurity strategy designed in line with zero trust principles and QA best practices.

Tip #1. Conduct risk assessment

These checks help identify potential system vulnerabilities. By evaluating the possible risks associated with data breaches and unauthorized access early on, retailers can develop targeted security controls and measures to mitigate weaknesses effectively.

Tip #2. Implement stringent access controls and security policies

Retail companies should prioritize incorporating access controls as part of their cybersecurity strategy. By implementing access controls based on user roles, responsibilities, and business needs, they enhance security while maintaining operational efficiency.

Thus, they ensure that only authorized individuals or roles have the necessary permissions. Moreover, with QA at the core, they confirm that access controls are properly configured and consistently enforced across the network, reducing the risk of potential data breaches.

Additionally, introducing robust security policies that govern the frequency of security actions and prioritize staff education about safety measures is crucial for maintaining a proactive approach to cybersecurity.

Tip #3. Adopt test automation for security activities

To optimize security operations and improve overall efficiency, retailers can leverage test automation. By incorporating automated security tests into their workflows, businesses can efficiently scan systems, evaluate permission levels, and identify users with granted permissions. These tests provide detailed reports highlighting any mismatches or potential vulnerabilities, empowering organizations to address issues promptly.

Thus, they streamline routine tasks, including threat detection, incident response, and compliance monitoring while freeing up valuable time and resources for core activities.

Tip #4. Develop a comprehensive incident response plan

It’s mission-critical to meticulously outline procedures for detecting, responding to, and recovering from cybersecurity incidents in line with zero trust principles. The plan should also include a list of possible risks, probability of their appearance, and actions to prevent them or mitigate their outcomes.

By defining clear roles and responsibilities for incident response team members and establishing robust communication channels for reporting and escalating incidents, businesses ensure coordinated reactions to security breaches.

Tip #5. Provide safety awareness training for employees

Organizations can empower their workforce to recognize and respond to potential safety risks. For that, they should educate all specialists — administrators, business representatives, store managers, and consultants — about the principles of ZT, the overall company security measures, common cyber threats, and best practices for data protection.

Regular security awareness training sessions foster a culture of vigilance across the organization. To evaluate the effectiveness of training programs and enhance their employees’ readiness to combat digital incidents, organizations can introduce social engineering practices, like simulated phishing exercises, baiting, business email compromise, and quid pro quo.

In a nutshell

The imperative for retail businesses to fortify their cybersecurity defenses has never been more urgent. The interconnected nature of digital operations coupled with the growing sophistication of cyber threats requires a comprehensive approach to security.

For that, companies can conduct risk assessment, implement stringent access controls and security policies, adopt test automation for security activities, develop a comprehensive incident response plan, and promote safety awareness training for employees.

Planning to enhance the security level of your software products? Get hold of a1qa’s team and obtain professional support.

In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a transformative force, reshaping organizations of all shapes and sizes across the globe.

Consider Google Cloud’s groundbreaking initiative to introduce a generative AI (genAI) search tool tailored for healthcare professionals. It facilitates access to patient information that’s often scattered across disparate systems and formats, promising to streamline workflows and improve patient care.

Another team of researchers at the University of Toronto has engineered ProteinSGM — a revolutionary genAI system that creates novel and authentic proteins and is subsequently validated for efficacy by the OmegaFold AI model.

Additionally, McKinsey experts observe that 75% of the value brought by AI is attributed to software engineering, customer operations, marketing and sales, as well as R&D.

In this article, let’s focus on how AI helps advance quality assurance and testing, enabling organizations to enhance test coverage, improve accuracy, and decrease QA expenditure.

A winning combination: maximizing the benefits of software testing with AI

With AI on board, companies are able to streamline their QA workflows while improving software quality in a hastened manner and enhancing customer satisfaction. Embracing AI-driven testing offers a myriad of benefits, including:

  • Faster time to market. By automating test case generation and prioritizing tests intelligently, AI tools aid to streamline QA processes, allowing companies to accelerate the release of high-quality software products to market.
  • Curtailed QA expenses. AI-driven testing helps replace some routine tasks, thus reducing the need for manual intervention. It allows companies to minimize labor costs associated with testing activities and mitigate the risk of costly rework caused by defects identified late in the development process.
  • Enhanced accuracy. AI algorithms can identify patterns and forecast potential flaws, leading to improved reliability and accuracy in testing results.
  • Improved test coverage. GenAI can generate diverse test scenarios and synthetic data, enabling businesses to validate system behavior and enhance test coverage.

5 steps to successfully incorporate AI in QA processes

Implementing AI in business operations can yield significant benefits for organizations, including improved customer relationships (64%), increased sales (60%), and optimized budget (59%). However, it requires careful planning and execution.

Advancing QA and software testing processes with AI

Source: Forbes Advisor

Here are 5 essential steps to ensure a smooth integration of AI within QA activities.

Step #1. Assess the readiness of your company

First and foremost, businesses should evaluate the current state of software testing practices within the organization and determine the readiness to adopt AI-driven methodologies. This assessment should include:

  • Estimate the existing testing infrastructure, team expertise, and cultural acceptance of new technologies.
  • Define whether the company has the necessary resources and capabilities to painlessly introduce AI within QA workflows.
  • Set realistic expectations and develop a roadmap that aligns with the organization’s objectives.
  • Identify potential risks upfront and create strategies to mitigate them.

Step #2. Clearly define objectives

By setting clear goals, organizations can align their efforts and resources toward achieving specific outcomes, such as enhancing software quality, increasing operational efficiency, accelerating an IT solution launch.

Here are some recommendations on how to effectively determine objectives:

  • Identify the specific QA areas where AI can add the most value, like defect prediction or test prioritization. For example, a company may introduce AI to automate the generation of test cases based on code changes to reduce the manual effort required and improve test coverage.
  • Set measurable goals to track progress and evaluate success. They should be concrete, achievable, and relevant.
  • Involve key stakeholders across the organization early in the process to ensure that objectives are tailored to their needs and expectations.

Step #3. Select fit-for-purpose AI tools

To maximize the benefits of AI within QA practices, businesses should evaluate different AI-powered testing platforms, tools, and frameworks available in the market and consider such factors as functionality, ease of integration, and cost-effectiveness.

To minimize disruption and streamline the adoption process, they can choose AI solutions that seamlessly integrate with your existing workflows and are compatible with their environment, version control systems, and CI/CD pipelines.

Step #4. Provide training for the team

To ensure that team members understand how to use AI technologies and tools effectively to enhance testing processes, companies should invest in their training and upskilling as well as provide ongoing support to help them overcome any arising challenges.

Step #5. Establish metrics to monitor progress

Firstly, KPIs provide clear benchmarks against which progress and success can be measured, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and objectives. Secondly, they offer valuable insights into the effectiveness of AI integration in QA workflows, allowing for informed decision-making and better resource allocation.

By tracking specific metrics (test coverage, defect detection rate, or test execution time), businesses can identify areas for optimization and continuous improvement.

To wrap up

As AI continues to evolve and mature, its role in software testing is increasingly indispensable, empowering organizations to stay agile, competitive, and resilient in an ever-changing digital landscape.

However, its adoption may be challenging. To address obstacles on the path, companies can follow these 5 steps: assess the readiness of your company, clearly define objectives, select fit-for-purpose AI tools, provide training for the team, and establish metrics to monitor progress.

Planning to enhance your QA practices? Contact a1qa’s team and get professional support.

Only 52% of enterprises state that Agile works well across their organization. These statistics underscore a common challenge faced by businesses worldwide: the need to optimize Agile and DevOps processes to realize their full potential and strengthen their competitive advantage.

In response to this hurdle, we present four actionable tips, allowing companies to streamline Agile and DevOps practices, drive greater efficiency, and attain desired outcomes.

Understanding Agile and DevOps

Agile methodology emphasizes smaller, more manageable sprints to allow businesses to swiftly adapt to changing requirements and accelerate the delivery of high-quality IT products aligned with customers’ expectations. The iterative nature of Agile also enables organizations to rapidly course-correct, reducing the risk of failures and increasing the overall transparency of the project.

DevOps, in its turn, encompasses the entire software delivery lifecycle. By integrating development, operations, and QA teams, DevOps helps companies release new software features and updates more frequently.

Unleashing value: benefits to reap with Agile and DevOps

Embracing Agile and DevOps methodologies goes beyond mere process optimization. They help companies unlock a multitude of other benefits. Let’s look at them!

  • Hastened velocity

By streamlining development processes and automating time-consuming and repetitive tests, Agile and DevOps assist businesses in reducing the release time. This accelerated pace helps organizations to stay ahead of competitors and expand market share.

  • Increased software quality

By integrating rigorous QA practices and test automation into the development process, Agile and DevOps help ensure that the IT solution undergoes comprehensive evaluation at every stage of development. Thus, companies detect and eliminate defects early in the SDLC while launching a product of higher quality and greater reliability. Ultimately, this fosters customer loyalty and enhances user satisfaction.

  • Optimized budgets

Agile and DevOps contribute to cost reduction by minimizing expensive rework after going live. This results in improved efficiency, lower overheads, and higher ROI throughout the software delivery lifecycle.

  • Enhanced cooperation

Agile and DevOps methodologies promote a culture of open communication, breaking down silos between teams and fostering a sense of shared responsibility. This collaborative environment encourages knowledge sharing, facilitates alignment on project goals, and empowers experts to work towards common objectives.

Optimizing Agile and DevOps processes: 4 tips to follow

In this chapter, we suggest four actionable tips designed to streamline workflows and drive continuous improvement in Agile and DevOps practices.

Tip #1. Rely on test automation

Faster delivery, higher-quality software, reduced test cycle time, and increased efficiency – all achieved with test automation. In addition, according to the World Quality Report 2023-24, automation helped businesses mitigate risks (54%), reduce life defects (51%), and improve customer experience (50%).

Source: The World Quality Report 2023-24

Test automation serves as a linchpin of Agile and DevOps, enabling teams to eliminate manual efforts and time-consuming tasks while focusing on core activities. Applied within flexible methodologies, it allows companies to detect defects early in the SDLC, conduct continuous app updates, expedite feedback loops, and deliver software increments more rapidly.

Tip #2. Choose the appropriate toolset

To attain the desired outcomes in the Agile and DevOps environments, organizations should choose the right test automation toolkit. To do this, it’s essential to evaluate several factors, including:

  • Compatibility — to ensure that the tools are aligned with the technologies and frameworks used in your software development ecosystem and offer seamless integration with CI/CD pipelines, version control systems, and bug tracking platforms.
  • Ease of use — to minimize the learning curve for team members and facilitate the toolset adoption.
  • Feature set — to guarantee it meets your specific testing requirements, including support for various testing types be it functional, performance, or security QA.
  • Costs — to assess licensing fees, maintenance expenditure, and any additional expenses associated with training, support, and infrastructure requirements.

Tip #3. Invest in training and skill development

Allocate resources towards training programs to empower team members with the knowledge and expertise needed to excel in Agile and DevOps environments. By providing access to comprehensive workshops and certification programs tailored to Agile and DevOps practices, companies foster a culture of continuous learning and cultivate a highly skilled workforce.

The experts, in turn, are better equipped to deliver high-quality results in less time and respond more effectively to changing market dynamics, providing the organization with a competitive edge.

Tip #4. Adopt a DevSecOps approach

By treating security as a core component of the development process rather than an afterthought, businesses strengthen their overall safety level, enhance resilience against cyber threats, and protect sensitive data. To identify and mitigate vulnerabilities before they leak in production environments, businesses should integrate security into all phases, from design and development to testing, deployment, and operations.

Conversely, neglecting security measures can expose companies to data leaks and other issues. This can lead to severe consequences, including legal liabilities, financial penalties, and loss of customer trust, which can have far-reaching implications for long-term viability. Therefore, leveraging a DevSecOps approach is imperative to protect their assets, maintain regulatory compliance, and maintain a positive reputation.

To sum up

To release high-end software products at speed and excel in today’s competitive IT landscape, businesses should streamline their Agile and DevOps processes.

For that, they can rely on test automation, choose the appropriate toolset, invest in training and skill development, and adopt a DevSecOps approach.

If you need support in improving your Agile and DevOps workflows, reach out to a1qa’s team.

As we approach the culmination of 2023, it’s time to take an opportunity and reflect on the wealth of knowledge that has transpired during a1qa’s online roundtables.

Let’s cut to the chase!

Unveiling the importance of a1qa’s roundtables for IT leaders

Recognizing the paramount importance of fostering a dynamic exchange of QA insights and best practices, a1qa hosts a series of monthly online roundtables designed for top executives.

These exclusive sessions help bring together diverse IT experts to deliberate on topical QA-related issues, such as quality engineering trends, test automation, shift-left testing principles, among others.

Roundup of 2023 a1qa’s sessions

The first quarter roundtables overview

During this period, participants discussed three relevant topics — “A practical view on QA trends for 2023,” “How to get the most of test automation,” and “Dev+QA: constructive cooperation on the way to project success.”

Analyzing QA trends helps business executives to proactively shape their QA strategies, ensuring they are in sync with the industry’s evolving landscape. While automation assists them in accelerating IT product’s delivery, enhancing its quality, and reducing operational expenditure.

Also, the attendees talked about the best moment for QA to step into the SDLC stages and methods to make the communication between Dev and QA more efficient.

The second quarter roundtables overview

This period was marked by three vibrant conversations:

  1. “QA for complex software: tips for enhancing the quality” — IT peers shared the challenges they encounter when testing sophisticated systems and the ways to overcome them.
  2. “How to release a quality product within a limited budget” — C-level reps exchanged practical experience on mapping software quality expectations to a QA strategy and optimizing QA costs.
  3. “How to improve QA processes with shift-left testing principles” — participants discussed how shifting QA workflows left allows businesses to identify and fix defects early on while speeding up the release of top-quality applications.

The third quarter roundtables overview

“A closer look at the field of automated testing” took center stage during the 3rd quarter, emphasizing how to derive more values from test automation supported by AI and behavior-driven development.

The fourth quarter roundtables overview

During the last quarter of 2023, IT executives have already engaged in two insightful conversations — “How to organize testing and increase confidence when starting a new project” and “Rough deadlines: how to deliver better results in less time.”

At the October event, the attendees revealed the best QA approach to choose to be confident in a project’s success from the outset, optimize ROI, and reduce business risks. The November roundtable helped the participants voice their ideas and share real-life cases on meeting tight deadlines without compromising software quality.

Thanks for being part of our roundtables in 2023!

To sum up

Our journey through the diverse and insightful roundtable discussions hosted by a1qa’s professionals with in-depth QA and software testing expertise throughout 2023 has been a testament to the company’s commitment to fostering knowledge, collaboration, and innovation in the ever-evolving landscape of IT.

From exploring emerging QA trends to delving into the nuances of automated testing, each session has played a pivotal role in helping IT executives shape future strategies.

Need support in refining the quality of your IT solutions? Reach out to a1qa’s team.

We are thrilled to announce that a1qa has made its mark in the Next-Generation Quality Engineering (QE) Services PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2023 by Everest Group. 

In this blog, we delve into the significance of a1qa’s inclusion in the Next-Generation QE Services PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2023. 

About Everest Group

Everest Group is a global research firm that provides strategic insights to help companies navigate complex business challenges. By conducting in-depth research and analysis across varied industries, Everest Group assists organizations in making more confident decisions when choosing IT partners.

Everest Group’s PEAK Matrix® overview

Everest Group designed PEAK Matrix® — a proprietary tool that evaluates service providers’ market impact, vision, and capability in a particular domain.

The Next-Generation QE Services PEAK Matrix® focuses specifically on assessing companies providing cutting-edge solutions in quality engineering and software testing.

So, how did a1qa secure a place in this distinguished report?

a1qa listed in the Next-Generation Quality Engineering Services PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2023

a1qa’s inclusion in the PEAK Matrix® is a result of our unwavering commitment to delivering top-notch software testing services to clients worldwide. Our journey to this prestigious recognition can be attributed to several key factors:

Factor #1. Next-gen QE services

We offer a comprehensive suite of testing services from continuous and performance testing to QA consulting and test automation as well as help customers ensure seamless operation of web/mobile, blockchain, IoT, and cloud solutions of any business logic complexity.

Factor #2. Client-centric approach

We prioritize understanding the unique requirements of each client, tailoring our services to address their specific challenges. We also provide them with fit-for-purpose QE activities to cover any arising demand.

Factor #3. Flexibility

We can quickly ramp up and scale down the QE teams depending on the changing project circumstances to close any expertise gaps and meet customers’ objectives on time.

Factor #4. Process maturity

We follow ISTQB-based workflows and requirements outlined in ISO 9001/27001 standards to ensure transparency, consistency, and reliability in delivering high-quality QE solutions.

Factor #5. Strong in-house culture of excellence

An internal Academy, CoEs, and R&D labs help a1qa’s experts continuously grow professionally, upgrade technical skills, and accumulate best practices to improve testing efficiency.

Considering all these factors, Everest Group’s professionals recognized a1qa as a Major Contender in the PEAK Matrix®.

a1qa has been included in the Next-Generation Quality Engineering Services PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2023 by Everest Group

To conclude

a1qa’s acknowledgement as a Major Contender in the Next-Generation Quality Engineering Services PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2023 stands as a testament to delivering high-quality QE services to customers.

By embracing next-gen technologies, adhering to a client-centric approach, offering flexibility and process maturity, nurturing strong internal culture of excellence, a1qa reaffirms its position as one of the leading QE providers in the ever-evolving landscape of software testing.

Get hold of a1qa’s team in case you need professional QA support in enhancing your software quality.

We have achieved a remarkable feat by securing finalist positions in three categories at the North American Software Testing Awards.

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This prestigious program invites companies, teams, and individuals from across North America to showcase their exceptional achievements in 12 distinct categories. a1qa was recognized by the judging panel in three of them:

  1. Best Test Automation Project – Functional
  2. Testing Team of the Year
  3. Leading Supplier of Products and Services.

Let’s take a closer look at the projects that helped a1qa reach the finals!

Best Test Automation Project – Functional category

The client, a leading supplier of lab equipment, analytical instruments, and software for scientists, reached out to a1qa’s support in cutting testing time and speeding up their IT solutions’ delivery.

To aid the customer in attaining the desired business objectives, the a1qa team:

  • Shifted the client’s team from the traditional Waterfall model to Agile in order to optimize the client’s QA processes as well as allow early detection of bugs and release working software faster.
  • Automated regression testing to save hundreds of manual hours effort, enable a regular release cadence, improve code quality, and minimize associated risks.
  • Conducted functional and automated performance QA activities to enhance the quality of IT products and ensure they can handle high loads.

Recognizing a1qa’s proficiency in test automation, the judges have bestowed them a finalist position in the Best Test Automation Project – Functional category.

Testing Team of the Year category

To enter the Testing Team of the Year category, a1qa submitted a project carried out for a well-known US-based software developer of a 3D avatar social app.

The team of a1qa’s engineers and a manager were assigned to help the client cope with the increasing workload under pressing deadlines, efficiently release new features, enable failsafe operation of software that leverages 3D technology, and grow revenue.

They delved into the nuances of software operation, integrated into the client’s Scrum-based workflows, and provided the following extensive QA support:

  • Performed functional testing to enable uninterrupted release of high-priority and complicated IT solution’s features.
  • Improved existing test automation processes by migrating to a new framework, establishing integrating with TestRail, writing tests, reviewing code, and applying AWS Device Farm — all to optimize operational costs and speed up testing cycles.
  • Aided in rolling out high-quality and reliable software, contributing to revenue growth.

Leading Supplier of Products and Services category

To be a finalist in this category, a1qa has demonstrated that customers are at the core of its business. More than just words, we thoroughly analyze business needs, quickly initiate projects, join a project at any SDLC stage, prioritize customer needs throughout the entire development life cycle, and suggest enhancing QA processes on the projects if there’s space for improvement – all to meet set clients’ business objectives.

We incorporate ISTQB-based processes and ISO 9001/27001 standards to effectively manage projects, protect clients’ data, ensure high process transparency, and always deliver services of the highest quality.

To cope with any arising concern of its clients, a1qa offers a comprehensive suite of QA services and regularly develops tailored, industry-based QA solutions to help clients attain multi-step business objectives, such as digital transformation or implementation of Web 3.0 software.

The company swiftly responds to changes and ensures business continuity regardless of the circumstances. It was demonstrated during the pandemic — a1qa seamlessly transitioned to a work-from-home model and designed a training program for each project, so any team rotations are smooth and quick, enabling uninterrupted service delivery.

Flexibility is another pivotal aspect of our service, with a pool of over 1,100+ QA engineers performing projects for companies across 10+ industries. A unique scaling approach allows increasing the team size by up to 29 times, ensuring adaptability to evolving project requirements.

a1qa also provides quick access to specialists with the required level of expertise and thus helps its clients save costs as they don’t need to spend time and financial resources on onboarding and educating internal staff. To be precise, a1qa cultivates a culture of excellence through continuous upskilling. The a1qa Academy offers over 100+ tailored courses, enhancing competencies in high-demand areas, such as AI in test automation, advanced SQL, and cloud-based CIs.

Given this holistic approach to delivering QA services, 90% of our clients choose to cooperate with them on subsequent projects.

Therefore, the judges positioned a1qa as a finalist in the Leading Supplier of Products and Services nomination.

Final note

Entering three prestigious categories at the North American Software Testing Awards serves a testament to a1qa’s commitment to delivering high-quality QA services and providing value to clients across the globe.

Contact a1qa’s experts today and discover how they can help you elevate your software quality.

To mark World Quality Day, celebrated every second Thursday in November, let’s embark on a journey to into 6 reasons why businesses should take exceptional care of software quality.

So, without further ado!

Why companies shouldn’t neglect the quality of it products

Reason #1. Enhanced brand reputation

Consider this example: a company has released an eCommerce solution that frequently goes down during pre-holiday season sales due to the influx of shoppers, resulting in cart abandonment and lost transactions. Unhappy buyers do not bring any profit and leave negative reviews that instantly go viral and influence the opinions of potential clients.

Let’s also take a look at another case. Users flock to a streaming platform in anticipation of an enjoyable and uninterrupted viewing journey, but encounter persistent navigation glitches, buffering issues, and video freezing mid-playback. Results? Reputational harm, requiring the company to invest in significant software quality improvements.

To prevent such situations, I always suggest businesses incorporating QA processes from the initial SDLC stages. They identify errors earlier and so release high-end applications, providing positive and reliable customer experiences.

A solid reputation allows an organization to stand out among its competitors and create a favorable brand image. Moreover, satisfied clients are more likely to make repeat purchases, driving business revenue.

Reason #2. Reduced post-release expenditure

Identifying and eliminating defects at the development phase is much cheaper than addressing them after post-launch. If a buggy product gets into the hands of end users, it may involve costly emergency fixes. For example, a critical vulnerability discovered after going live may require immediate action, incurring unforeseen patching and incident response expenses.

If the fault appears in a financial application, the system may charge incorrect fees. This may result in compensation claims or even worse, regulatory fines.

In addition, relying on quality control allows businesses to prevent extra expenses for rework, like expensive architectural changes of the software.

Reason #3. Improved customer retention and satisfaction

QA plays a pivotal role in revealing and rectifying app bugs before they reach the end user. Thus, businesses ensure a seamless and trouble-free experience for clients while meeting or even exceeding their expectations. Later, satisfied customers become loyal brand advocates, recommending the organization’s IT products to others and contributing to business growth.

6-top-reasons-why-business-should-invest-in-software-quality

#4. Reinforced cybersecurity

In an era marked by the growing complexity of digital threats, companies can’t afford to overlook the paramount importance of software cybersecurity. A data breach or a privacy incident can erode confidence and tarnish the company’s reputation.

With QA at the core of their business strategies, they:

  • Uncover security concerns
  • Ensure high protection of confidential data (end-user information, financial records, addresses, e-mails) and prevent its compromise
  • Strengthen relationships with customers, boost their trust, and reduce churn rates
  • Avoid disruption of business operations, downtime, and revenue loss
  • Adhere to industry regulations, remain compliant, and avert costly legal consequences.

Reason #5. Accelerated software delivery

High-quality software is a catalyst for speeding up time-to-market due to streamlining development processes and minimizing delays associated with bug fixes and rework.

It allows businesses to respond to market demands more efficiently, ultimately enabling them to capture opportunities faster.

Reason #6. Simplified development processes and facilitated introduction of new features

When quality is a central focus, software architecture and design are typically more robust and flexible. This means that the existing codebase is less likely to present conflicts while companies smoothly integrate new features into IT solutions.

Moreover, rigorous QA practices help identify and resolve potential bugs in novel functionality during the SDLC phase, reducing the risk of post-launch problems. This approach negates costly rework and user dissatisfaction as well as minimizes disruptions.

Who can help you reach software quality excellence

While many businesses have in-house QA teams, 92% of G2000 companies opt for IT outsourcing. They get no more than:

  1. Domain-specific expertise. External specialists possess extensive QA and technical knowledge and a deep understanding of the latest QA methodologies, helping set up efficient QA workflows and enhance software quality.
  2. Cost reduction. Businesses avoid expenses associated with hiring, educating, and maintaining an internal QA team, such as salaries, equipment, and infrastructure.
  3. Focus on core competences. By entrusting the QA function to third-party experts, companies allocate their resources, time, and talent toward their main activities, such as software development or customer engagement. They enhance productivity and excel in their key areas of expertise, ultimately driving growth.
  4. Scalability and flexibility. As business requirements change, QA outsourcing can easily adapt to accommodate evolving needs. It provides flexibility, allowing businesses to scale their testing efforts up or down as needed.

Summing up

The six reasons we’ve explored with you in this article underscore the profound impact of IT product’s quality on businesses and their ability to thrive in a competitive landscape. I hope this article was useful for you.

If you need professional support to release high-end applications and attain the desired business goals, contact a1qa’s team.

On a final note, I would like to extend my sincere congratulations to the global IT community on the World Quality Day!

Thank you for your tireless work and diligence in ensuring that software products meet the highest quality standards and help businesses grow.

6 top reasons why business should invest in software quality

eCommerce sales are steadily growing. While in 2021 the market size totaled $5.2 trillion, by 2026, it’s projected to reach $8.1 trillion.

As the number of digital shoppers increases (they comprise 33% of the population!), businesses strive to provide an unrivaled shopping experience.

The research by Baymard Institute shows that approximately 70% of people abandon their shopping carts due to an app’s poor functioning. And some of the competitors earn more.

With this article, we want to help you outperform them. Explore 7 types of testing to release defect-free mobile commerce solutions:

  1. Functional testing to ensure flawless software operation
  2. Performance testing to ease congestion
  3. Cybersecurity testing to prevent data breaches
  4. Compatibility testing to provide consistent app experience
  5. Integration testing to seamlessly merge software components
  6. Usability testing to enhance user experience
  7. Test automation to accelerate software releases.

Functional testing to ensure flawless software operation

Functional tests help scrutinize that key software elements (main and description pages, product categories, shopping cart, search, filtering, sorting) operate like clockwork. They also allow spotting and fixing defects in the search bar, forms, and payment gateways before the launch.

With this type of testing, companies, provide enjoyable end-user experiences, and make sure that customers can navigate, select, and purchase items without roadblocks.

Perfomance testing to ease congestion

Have many of your consumers left your app because it was too slow?

90% of people abandoned websites in 2020. And the same is true for mobile solutions.

Fast-loading pages, images appearing on the screen in the blink of an eye, and smooth software operation under high traffic, especially during holiday seasons like Black Friday, are just a few usual buyers’ expectations. If you fail to fulfill these demands, 57% of users will choose to shop from a competitor.

From idea to buying: 7 testing types to make your mobile eCommerce solutions flawless

Source: Retail Systems Research

Conducting performance testing aids to:

  • Check whether the system handles the target load
  • Verify the platform’s behavior in extreme conditions
  • Test the program’s performance under various network conditions (3G, 4G, or Wi-Fi)
  • Measure the software response times during page loads, search queries, and checkout processes
  • Assess how the app handles multiple users performing actions simultaneously.

Cybersecurity testing to prevent data breaches

73% of eCommerce companies interviewed consider security to be a major business challenge. It’s no surprise why, just look at this example.

A year ago, cybercriminals gained unauthorized access to SHEIN’s, the online fast-fashion retailer, payment systems and placed the credit card data of 39 million customers for sale on the dark web. The result? The brand’s owner was fined $1.9 million.

Virtual stores keep large amounts of private details about users, such as home and office addresses, debit and credit card data, buying history. Even a single breach can have devastating consequences.

Adopting cybersecurity testing is the way to identify vulnerabilities within the app as well as ensure all sensitive data is well-safeguarded against theft or unauthorized access.

Compatibility testing to provide consistent app experience

Shoppers access eCommerce IT solutions from an assortment of mobile devices, each running on different operating systems.

How to protect your solutions against all of that? That’s where compatibility testing comes in, allowing organizations to guarantee that the app functions smoothly across various devices, browsers, OSs, and their multiple combinations.

Integration testing to seamlessly merge software components

Mobile solutions for eCommerce often rely on interconnected components: payment gateways, customer databases, inventory management, order tracking, third-party APIs, CRM and CMS systems. To ensure that they work in harmony and the data is transferred accurately, we suggest focusing on integration tests to eliminate transaction failures and costly breakdowns in production. Good one if you have a goal to repeat visits and purchases.

Usability testing to enhance user experience

No one wants to spend endless hours looking for their desired items due to poor search functionality. An intuitive, user-friendly interface and navigation are imperative to keep buyers engaged and increase conversion rates.

With usability testing, businesses identify and rectify issues related to confusing layouts, cumbersome checkout processes, and unclear product descriptions.

Test automation to accelerate software releases

In the fast-paced world of online shopping every second can be the difference between a sale and an abandoned cart. Here, test automation becomes a valuable asset to expedite QA processes and release cycles without quality compromise.

To get more, adopt test automation during:

  • Regression testing — to verify that recent changes don’t break existing functionalities.
  • Performance testing — to mimic real-world scenarios with a large number of simultaneous users and evaluate system behavior under different loads.
  • Compatibility testing — to validate software operation across as many combinations of devices and mobile browsers as possible.

Our case in point

One of the leading US-based manufacturers of home appliances requested a1qa’s support in boosting its eCommerce software quality and accelerating time to market.

So, the team helped increase the number of potential users by 30%, assured the seamless integration of the ready-made payment platforms and correct distribution of taxes, and cut the time required for smoke tests by 90%.

To wrap it up

From the first click to the final purchase, these 7 testing types — functional, performance, cybersecurity, compatibility, integration, usability, and test automation— allow eCommerce businesses to prepare high-quality mobile solutions for prime time.

Do you need assistance in reinforcing your eCommerce software quality? Contact a1qa’s team for professional QA support.

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The article was first published on a1qa’s LinkedIn. To read more about trends, QA news, and tech, follow our LinkedIn page.

Today, the boundaries between the digital and physical worlds are fading at the flip of a switch. People already use AI-generated avatars when communicating via social networks, follow the latest fashion trends in the virtual runways, receive medical assistance through digital twins, and enjoy virtual concerts.

We owe these magnificent experiences to the metaverse. It’s a new, decentralized place that connects people across the globe, provides impressive brand engagement opportunities, generates novel workplaces, and simplifies our lives. It’s not surprising that by 2030, the metaverse market size will boom reaching $678.8 billion!

However, while unleashing countless capacities, this new computing era is still rather complicated. Before running with the bulls, it’s a good idea to better understand what Web 3.0 is and what benefits it offers for businesses. With this knowledge, companies can make smart decisions for introducing Web 3.0 software and confirm its highest quality.

Therefore, in this part of this article, we’ll discuss the essence of Web 3.0, and in the second – how QA helps deliver exceptional customer experiences. Let’s go to it!

Introduction to the new computing era

Within only 3 decades, the Internet has made an impactful journey from sending texts to visiting holiday destinations and sightseeing in virtual reality. Obtaining a bird’s-eye view of the concept of Web 3.0 is easier by checking out the evolution of the Internet:

  • With Web 1.0, people witnessed the advent of the first browser and static HTML pages with little interaction and data gathered from a static file system.
  • During the Web 2.0 phase, interactivity came to the forefront. Due to the emergence of multiple social networks and blogs, people turned from content consumers to creators disseminating information around the world.
  • Web 3.0 – a fully decentralized ecosystem for open collaboration and accessing data, apps, and multimedia – provides stunning, personalized experiences for engagement between humans and machines via AI, ML, and other latest technologies.

With more opportunities for personalization, front-runners such as Bentley, Mastercard, Disney, Shopify, Wendy’s have already taken leading positions in applying this trend. For instance, Zara has showcased its first collection for both people and avatars, while Thomas Cook launched a special initiative for tourists allowing them to choose trips using virtual reality.

Top 7 advantages of Web 3.0

Being a significant step forward in the advancement of the Internet, Web 3.0 is all about the following:

On the way to Web 3.0

1. Decentralization

With a focus on blockchain technology and the absence of a single control unit, decentralization allows peer-to-peer interaction and data storing. It also provides opportunities for secure transactions and logging in without being tracked.

2. Legal

Smart contracts are self-executing agreements. Therefore, buying or selling assets has become much easier and faster, as there’s no need for diverse intermediaries, such as banks. Smart contracts facilitate checking, control, and the execution of an agreement between a buyer and a seller. They are highly secure due to encryption and apply computer protocols to automate tasks, which increases the speed of business operations.

3. Artificial intelligence

AI enables faster-than-ever real-time processing and analysis of large data amounts, which can considerably improve capabilities related to decision-making, image recognition, or determining fake information. It can also contribute to improving online user experiences due to a more accurate search, analysis of consumer behavior, and personalization.

4. Advanced connectivity

With Web 3.0, people from any part of the world and anytime can seamlessly stay in touch with one another due to the round-the-clock availability of the digital ecosystem. As the Internet has become an indispensable part of our daily activities, users can remain connected from a car or any wearable device.

5. Semantic upgrade

To improve user experience, the new semantic web focuses on enhancing the capabilities of search and analysis due to a better understanding of the meaning of words and overall context rather than using keywords or numbers.

6. Better engagement

The evolution of AR/VR technology contributed to the metaverse boom shaping new ways of interaction and superior user engagement. Regardless of the location, age, appearance, or income, people can seamlessly create ideal avatars and come together to network, practice sports, play games, learn new things, travel, shop, receive medical treatment, do business, work, and much, much more.

7. Uninterrupted service

Suspension of accounts won’t be a problem anymore due to the fact that all the information is stored in diverse remote nodes, with multiple backups. This prevents the failure of servers or attacks of malicious intruders.

Web 3.0 for business: is the game worth the candle?

Although it’s still under development, Web 3.0 can become a game-changer for businesses across the globe. By providing impeccable digital experiences, companies can turn their end users into brand ambassadors who will promote their companies in ways no one has ever done before regardless of any geographical barriers. This word-of-mouth approach will contribute to increased brand awareness and improved sales.

In addition, organizations can capture valuable client feedback in the metaverse that demonstrates their emotional responses and the level of engagement in the moment, so that companies can access their genuine attitude and quickly fix any problems.

Considering the above-mentioned benefits, Web 3.0 software can enhance operational efficiency and help businesses win new customers. Of course, provided that the IT solutions work as intended and contain no critical or major flaws.

Soon we’ll deliver the second part of the article dedicated to ensuring the quality of Web 3.0 software. Stay tuned!

Reach out to our experts to talk about your QA related issues.

A reflection of our core expertise

With 20 years in the software testing market, we have consistently demonstrated our proficiency and deep understanding of QA processes, and commitment to improving the world through improved IT products quality.

Therefore, we are honoured to be recognized by GoodFirms in three pivotal categories:

Why is this recognition so significant for us? Let’s look into the essence of these testing domains and their importance in today’s digital landscape.

The triad of excellence: automation, cybersecurity, and performance testing

Automation testing. In the fast-paced world of software development, automation testing is the linchpin that ensures rapid releases without compromising on quality. It’s not just about speed; it’s about precision, repeatability, and scalability. For a1qa, automation testing is a cornerstone, enabling us to deliver consistent and efficient results for our clients.

Cybersecurity testing. As cyber threats become increasingly sophisticated, security testing is about ensuring the defences of applications. It’s a commitment to safeguarding user data, building trust, and providing business continuity. Our focus on high software protection is a demonstration of our dedication to help create robust and resilient digital solutions.

Performance testing. In an era where user experience is king, performance testing ensures that applications are not just functional but optimized for real-world demands. It’s about ensuring failsafe software operation under a high influx of customers, rapid load times, and scalability. Our deep understand of performance testing underscores our mission to delivering software that excels in every scenario.

How we made it to the list

To be recognized by GoodFirms is no small feat. The inclusion criteria are stringent. Companies need to have a genuine online presence, client reviews, and a portfolio. The evaluation is based on three main criteria:

  • Quality
  • Reliability
  • Ability

Before making a final decision, GoodFirms performs market research, checks the authenticity of reviews, and fulfils a thorough evaluation based on the inclusion criteria.

Being acknowledged by GoodFirms is not just an accolade; it’s evidence of a company’s dedication, professionalism, and ability to consistently deliver top-tier services.

About GoodFirms

GoodFirms stands as a paragon in the B2B research and review domain. It’s a platform dedicated to connecting businesses with the best software service providers across the globe. Their rigorous evaluation process, encompassing market presence, client reviews, and overall performance, ensures that their recognitions are both authentic and indicative of industry excellence.

In conclusion

Our recognition by GoodFirms is a testament to our team’s hard work, expertise, and commitment to excellence. As we move forward, we remain inspired and motivated, always aiming to set new benchmarks in the realm of QA.

Interested in elevating your products’ quality? Reach out to our experts for insights tailored to your business needs.

The article was published on a1qa’s LinkedIn.

The telecommunications industry has recently been undergoing a rapid change. In addition to rapid B2B telecom market growth, which is expected to reach $181.35 billion by 2030, a global shift to remote work and the increased load on networks has forced providers to rethink their value propositions. Are you one of them? Read on.

Meeting the growing demand for higher-speed networks, mitigating cybersecurity concerns, and migrating to the cloud top the list of requirements for satisfying end users. 

Considering that the forecasted number of mobile audiences globally is projected to increase and reach 7.49 billion in 2025, maintaining a high quality of service becomes an absolute must. Among other things, fast and properly functioning software serves this purpose.

That’s where OSS and BSS come into play. How can we ensure their sound functioning? What actions should be undertaken when upgrading to the latest version or switching to another provider? Welcome to a1qa’s practical guide for finding these answers.

WHY DO OSS/BSS AND QA SHOULD GO HAND IN HAND?

OSS and BSS help companies streamline daily activities, improve operational efficiency, and mitigate business risks.

Through OSS, telecom providers oversee diverse operations with networks such as planning, configuration, service delivery, and fault management. BSS is responsible for the interaction between telecom companies and their end users. This stack includes billing, subscriptions, CRM, and more.

Why do these systems require thorough screening?

Reason 1. The activities performed within their work are related to the processing of sensitive and personal data of end users, and often such databases possess millions of records. When migrating to a new billing solution, for instance, these extensive quantities of data must be transferred in full and without affecting the routine actions of subscribers.

Reason 2. When undergoing a digital transformation and following industry trends such as deploying edge computing for increased bandwidth and low latency or switching to 5G for accelerated connection speed, chances are high that their overall complexity will place a burden on telecom providers.

Reason 3. Need-driven quality assurance makes the process of attaining business goals less complicated — 93% of service providers stated that it positively affects customer satisfaction and decreases the outflow of their subscriber base.

QA and software testing eases the process of modernizing digital solutions, ensures boosted cybersecurity and performance, and allows for wise allocation of budgets as QA consulting and analysis helps to accurately define the pool of necessary verifications.

TOP 10 TESTING TYPES TO ENABLE SOUND OSS/BSS OPERATION

1. Performance testing

You definitely need both server-side and client-side performance checks to make sure that OSS/BSS can cope with the required load, an ever-increasing number of transactions, simultaneous users, or to verify that the systems can be easily scaled up or down, depending on the changing project requirements.

For instance, an international telecom operator serving more than 60 million subscribers globally was to migrate to a new billing system which must withstand the load that was previously distributed between 25 solutions. They relied on us, and we opted to make a load testing methodology audit by examining the architecture of complex documents, analyzing both scripts and load generators, as well as monitoring the load, system status, and equipment during testing. This approach helped identify more than 100 bottlenecks that could negatively impact software throughput. Thereby, overall customer experience improved, contributing to the increased loyalty of end users.

2. Functional testing

OSS and BSS must operate in compliance with business requirements without any issues, the systems must seamlessly fulfill diverse operations with customer accounts, manage inventory, generate bills, and much more. For that reason, the QA engineers carry out different functional testing verifications — from smoke to acceptance checks — and verify separate software parts as well as the entire system.

Have a look at this example: a global distributor of telecom IT solutions for service providers, telecom operators, and their partners had a business goal to improve the quality of a convergent billing and customer service system, a comprehensive self-service system, and an integration platform.

What did we do? We developed test models and test strategy, functional tests, performed testing of new software versions, and ensured proper work of the high-priority functionality related to joining subscribers from multiple locations into groups for providing discounts on monthly communication fees.

In half a year, the company released sound functionality to the market with no defects detected during the acceptance testing.

3. Cybersecurity testing

OSS/BSS systems operate with personal users’ data and money transfer. So, it’s important to identify vulnerabilities, assess probable damage if there are security breaches, and confirm that the encryption of data at rest and in transit works fine, restricting access to information and diverse systems within OSS/BSS stack operates properly.

For that, task your QA engineers to perform penetration testing, vulnerability assessment, static code analysis, and other high-priority verifications. They will help minimize the risk of external attacks and save costs as defects will be detected at the earliest SDLC stages.

Also, companies’ IT teams must always accurately manage patches to have the latest security updates.

4. Regression testing

During the development process, a minor functionality tweak can cause unexpected software behavior and even critical failures. To make certain that recent changes and defect fixing haven’t broken well-working OSS/BSS parts, embed regression testing in the primary SDLC stages and check any functionalities that relate to introduced changes or fixed issues.

To decrease pre-release testing time on large-scale projects, speed up time-consuming, routine verifications, increase test coverage, and spot issues earlier in the development process, apply automated testing.

As an example, a provider of cloud-based software for inbound, outbound, blended, and omnichannel contact centers reduced huge technical debt consisting of 3,000 voluminous test cases with our test automation support.

5. Integration testing

The OSS/BSS stack is comprehensive and consists of multiple modules — inventory systems, documentation and reporting software, and other parts. To verify that these components smoothly integrate with each other and the entire telecom solution as well as that data is seamlessly transferred between them, utilise system integration testing using a big bang, top-down, bottom-up, or hybrid approach.

Read the full article here and delve deeper into the other 5 testing types that are instrumental in guaranteeing a top-notch OSS/BSS system.

If you’re ready to ensure high quality of your OSS/BSS system with professional QA support, contact a1qa’s team.

The global Web 3.0 market size is projected to reach 81.5 billion by 2030 — we are witnessing how organizations shift smoothly from Web 2.0 to its advanced version, Web 3.0. But what is Web 3.0, and how is it practiced in today’s world?

Within Web 3.0, companies offer AR spaces and virtual worlds for holding meetings, providing medical care, educating, and socializing. For example, in 2021, Nike opened a Roblox-based showroom and has attracted almost 7 million consumers since its release.

However, as Web 3.0 products are highly sophisticated, businesses should take exceptional care about their quality.

In this guide, explore the benefits companies attain with Web 3.0 as well as 4 testing types that allow moving flawlessly to Web 3.0.

Migrating to Web 3.0: benefits to reap

Combining a range of novel technologies, including AI, ML, IoT, and blockchain, Web 3.0 promotes better human interaction and improved user experiences within dimensional worlds.

Compared to Web 2.0, primarily characterized by a multitude of cyber hazards, lack of proper security, and total control by large companies, Web 3.0 brings more powerful benefits for both organizations and users. Let’s take a closer look at 5 of them.

1. Enhanced privacy

One of the alarming issues with Web 2.0 is the lack of safety, resulting in digital threats such as cryptojacking, DDoS, SQL injection, malware, DNS tunneling, and man-in-the-middle attacks (MITM). It certainly has a detrimental effect on the company’s reputation and depending on the industry, the average cost of a data breach may vary: for healthcare, it reaches $10.10 million, for financial — $5.97 million, and for technology — $4.97

Source: Cost of a Data Breach 2022 Report

In July 2022, hackers stole personal data (social account and property information, addresses, policy numbers, bank reports) from KeyBank’s customers via a third-party insurance vendor. The damage totaled $5 million. This can probably highlight the pivotal role of comprehensive software testing to verify the security policies and tools of both the organization and its providers.

Due to the decentralized nature of Web 3.0 and embedded blockchain mechanisms, hackers find it much harder to penetrate the network.

2. Customized experience

Web 2.0 is filled with intrusive advertising that does not always meet the needs of end users, pushing them away. AI algorithms of Web 3.0 allow detecting end-user preferences, adapting to them, and providing personalized offers.

3. Data ownership

Nowadays, global corporations, like Facebook, Microsoft, or Amazon, collect consumers’ personal data to sell it to advertisers, making billions on it.

Comparing Web 2.0 vs Web 3.0, the latter allows end users to become the only owners of their sensitive information, choosing who to grant access to.

4. More efficient search

Today’s search engines don’t always operate smoothly and don’t always deliver the right results. As an integral part of Web 3.0, the semantic web doesn’t focus on keywords, but on the meaning of words and on the digital context. This helps users to easily find necessary information as the web pages are better sorted.

5. An advanced immersive experience

Immersive capabilities erase the boundaries between the physical and virtual worlds. AR/VR technologies create new ways of interacting with people, goods, and services.

For instance, due to Web 3.0, 95% of healthcare organizations provide patients with distant assistance, which is twice as much as it was before 2020.

eCommerce companies can also offer their buyers a unique shopping experience regardless of their location, which means an expanded client base and more profits.

A comprehensive QA guide: migrate to Web 3.0 with confidence

As the metaverse, AR/VR technologies, blockchain, and Web 3.0 products are intertwined, it’s crucial to apply the most suitable QA strategy. We suggest following a QA guide that includes cybersecurity, performance, accessibility, and usability testing to smoothly move to Web 3.0 and deliver high-quality software to end users.

1. Cybersecurity testing

Since Web 3.0 is a complex concept, checking the security of its core aspects is a must.

It’s vital to conduct penetration tests, vulnerability assessment, and social engineering, helping simulate attacks and identify bottlenecks that can tarnish reputation and affect customers.

Being an intrinsic part of Web 3.0 software products, blockchain transactions can also be exposed to malicious attacks and viruses, thus requiring the early detection of loopholes. The lack of security measures may result in large financial damages, like what happened to the cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb which lost around $30 million in coins as well as the customer’s trust.

2. Performance testing

High speed, stability, and scalability are top priority aspects for today’s applications, and the same is true for Web 3.0 solutions. According to a survey by Unbounce, 70% of consumers said that page load speed affects their decision to purchase items.

The same scenario can be prevented by introducing performance testing. Try to imagine how many people can connect to a metaverse, but the question is, can your solution handle that load? In order for Web 3.0 apps (especially for AR and VR) to operate like clockwork, the company needs to identify all possible latency issues and ensure high speed, stability, responsiveness, and scalability of the software under both normal and overload conditions.

3. Accessibility testing

Since most Web 3.0 solutions combine virtual, augmented, and physical reality, companies should analyze from the ground up if people with disabilities can easily use them.

Therefore, organizations should ensure that the app offers special features, like captions and audio/video hints to provide an inclusive and easy to navigate IT solution for absolutely all customers.

By applying accessibility testing fulfilled in accordance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and other standards, companies verify whether:

  • The alternative movement and control methods work properly
  • Consumers with eyesight impairments can perceive visual elements and available content
  • The headset triggers discomfort for certain groups of users (e.g., those who wear glasses).

4. Usability testing

If the Web 3.0 software product is too immersive, it may cause negative experiences, like motion sickness, eyestrain, headaches, and fatigue.

To deliver an intuitive and user-friendly app, companies apply usability testing. This helps identify virtual and physical balance, problems related to the end-user interaction, and failings, such as players falling through windows or getting stuck in other objects.

To put it short

Migration from Web 2.0 to Web 3.0 helps businesses enhance privacy, customize end-user experience and provide data ownership, efficient searching, and advanced immersive engagement.

Adhering to a QA guide, embracing cybersecurity, performance, accessibility, and usability tests, may assist organizations in releasing competitive Web 3.0 solutions and delivering a flawless digital experience to consumers.

When you are ready to boost your Web 3.0 software product quality, contact a1qa’s team.

When it comes to ensuring the quality of APIs, they say it has nothing to do with classical testing methods and requires a QA strategy from outer space.

In fact, it’s much easier, and API doesn’t need a unique approach to apply.

What we really need to bear in mind for API testing is truly extensive technical knowledge ranging from the client-server architecture up to the principles of HTTP protocols and the JSON, XML and other data formats.

In this article, let’s discover the benefits it brings to the table and discuss 3 steps to get started and develop a robust QA strategy to launch a reliable IT product.

6 benefits of testing APIs

As more and more IT solutions are based on microservice architecture, it’s essential to make sure they coexist without failures.

Verified Market Research indicates that the global API testing market is going to reach $2,550 million by 2027.

This explosive upsurge relates to the multiple benefits that API testing provides to businesses:

  1. Reduced risks. It helps check the business logic at the early SDLC stages and take immediate actions for reported issues.
  2. Accelerated time to market. API testing assists in identifying bugs earlier that result in reducing the time between development and testing cycles leading to faster product delivery to the market.
  3. Enhanced test coverage. Introducing API test automation contributes to covering a considerable number of test cases aimed at identifying and fixing critical bugs.
  4. Simplified test maintenance. Since API tests are stable, modifications occur only when the business logic of the software changes, making it easy to maintain the tests while reducing overall testing time.
  5. Facilitated access to the app without UI. As API testing doesn’t require UI to get going, this helps eliminate pitfalls before they impact GUI while preventing critical issues that are not always easy to fix later.
  6. Advanced protection from malicious code and cyber penetration. Now, API tests require strong conditions and inputs, helping reinforce the app and prevent unwanted breakages. However, according to Gartner’s predictions, in 2022, without enough security measures within the organization API may become the most frequent attack point.

These are the main advantages that organizations reap with API testing, helping deliver a flawless IT solution to the market.

7 testing types to perform on API

Given that the API layer of any application is one of the system key components, it provides interaction between the client and the server while managing the business processes and delivering the services to the customers to satisfy their needs. And if API fails to operate correctly, it jeopardizes the entire chain of business processes.

The test pyramid by Mike Cohn indicates that being the significant part of the service layer, the API layer should include about 20% of the tests performed to ensure higher software reliability.

When testing API, it’s mission-critical to include the following tests:

1. Security testing

According to the Mobile Security Index Report, companies continue to encounter more threats with ever-growing cybersecurity issues. For instance, in 2020, 39% of organizations greatly suffered from security compromises involving mobile/IoT devices.

Source: Mobile security Index Report 2020

So, API testing helps ensure a high level of protection to avoid external attacks. API security tests check the encryption validation, reduce the risks of system penetration, identify and eliminate vulnerabilities.

2. Interface testing

It’s essential to verify the usability of the user interface related to API, so interface tests help examine the accessibility and efficiency of the application of both front-end and back-end while making sure that UI functions as expected.

3. Validation testing

Usually, validation testing occurs at the final steps of the development process after verification of the API component parts. These tests focus on checking the behavior and effectiveness of the software to provide a properly functioning IT product designed following stated requirements.

4. Performance testing

Conducting performance testing helps check whether the IT solution withstands the expected load and how the behavior of the system changes when the load spikes. This is vital to prevent failures caused by a sudden increase of end users and provide them with a stable app.

5. Requirement testing

Performing API requirement testing eliminates software inconsistencies and is aimed at finding the bugs before apps’ development.

6. Backward compatibility testing

This type of testing assists in verifying the behavior and compatibility of the developed software with their older API versions to provide smooth functioning.

7. Code-level testing

Conducting code-level testing helps check the source code and its behavior under various conditions and inputs (minimum, maximum, valid, invalid, and incorrect testing data).

Though these are 7 basic testing types, performing other API tests — integration, component, end-to-end testing — is also possible as it depends on the specific business needs and certain requirements.

3 steps to get started with API testing

When being aware of the benefits and the testing types to perform on API as well as having a team of QA specialists with in-depth API expertise, it’s time to start API testing. The following 3 basic steps may assist in building a solid API testing strategy:

1. Setting up the environment and defining the parameters

Configuring the database and server input and output parameters assists in building the proper environment for API testing.

To get higher accuracy, it’s better to simulate the real-time conditions required for the software’s public use. It helps verify the app while resolving sharp issues impeding correct functioning and performance.

2. Defining a testing plan

Determining what testing types to perform to enhance the software quality and eliminate all possible defects lies in the heart of this stage.

Including positive tests, scenarios assist in checking the basic functionality of an IT product while negative tests are verifying whether the system is able to handle problems related to security and performance.

3. Selecting tools for API testing

The choice of instruments has a huge impact on the success of the IT product as well as the accuracy of the obtained results within the project. Opting for the proper tools helps reach higher testing process efficiency.

The variety of existing tools is ample. Though, the best instruments for API testing — REST-assured, Requests, Apache HTTP, SoapUI, Postman, Apache JMeter, Swagger, and other programming language-specific libraries — support API architecture, have quite improved reporting capabilities and adjust to different testing types like security and performance testing.

By following these steps, companies can successfully deliver a high-quality IT product to the market that meets end-user expectations.

Summarizing

Introducing the right QA strategy is one of the core steps to test API while achieving business and operational benefits, like releasing an upscale and high-quality IT solution.

By performing API testing, it’s essential to focus on the app’s 7 key aspects: security, performance, validation, interface, requirements, code, and compatibility.

However, following a three-step strategy — setting up the testing environment, defining a QA plan, selecting QA tools — helps overcome existing challenges and identify critical pitfalls to prove the system’s stable operation.

Feel free to contact a1qa’s specialists in case you need professional QA support on testing APIs.

We live in pretty amazing times, don’t we. Wish to join a good old school lesson? Just have your laptop or phone nearby — from absolutely anywhere in the world.

eLearning and mLearing solutions are rapidly evolving. Global lockdown made people move lifestyle activities to their homes, education included. So, the positions of eLearning and mLearning software have been reinforced in the IT market.

Let’s have a look at the numbers. In 2015, the mLearning market size counted $7.98 billion, while in 2020, it skyrocketed to $22.4 billion. That’s not all, as the figures continue to grow and are expected to reach $25.33 billion by 2025.

To achieve such results and astonish customers, don’t we need some special care of software quality, its performance, and data safety?

In the article, learn why QA is vital for the eLearning and mLearning apps and what testing types are imperative to roll out high-quality educational software.

QA for eLearning and mLearning products: is it a need or a wish?

Striving to knowledgeable future, educational entities and related businesses develop learning solutions to make studies available for everyone. Global moving to a digital environment also contributed to revamping the traditional educational system and going beyond physical schools and universities.

When providing end users with an extensive variety of IT products from one-on-one or video-based platforms to group learning courses, it’s necessary to pay strong attention to QA in these mediums.

According to the Global Market Insights Report, the eLearning market size is going to reach more than $1 trillion by 2027.

Source: Global Market Insights

These tremendous figures mean expanding target audience of different ages, social groups, cultures, etc. while suggesting taking care of software performance, usability, security, localization, and other major factors.

It is comprehensive testing of all mission-critical components that brings IT products’ quality to the next level while at the same time enabling delighted end users with an advanced learning experience.

6 software testing types for grade “A” educational software

A solid QA strategy and thorough software testing lie behind the successfully released IT solution that increases revenue and contributes to gaining end-user trust. Let’s figure out what QA activities help prevent such educational software defects as long app response time, sudden crashes, poor functioning, and others keeping leading positions in the market.

1. Performance testing

Within remote education, eLearning and mLearning software spike in demand and attract far more students than ever before. It means greater traffic, higher latency, lower speed, and other technical issues triggering closing an app and switching to those that work.

Of course, no one wants to face such consequences.

Then we suggest verifying a range of components related to the system performance while carrying out the following activities:

  • Load testing — to evaluate the behavior of an IT product under the expected and high load.
  • Stability testing — to analyze the platform performance during long-term testing with a moderate level of load.
  • Stress testing — to check how the software works with more than the specified number of simultaneous users.
  • Volume testing — to measure the solution capacity of stored data.
  • and more…

By applying performance testing, companies provide end users with a flawless platform able to operate even in unpredictable situations.

2. Localization testing

Given that educational solutions are aimed at a wide audience, companies adapt their software to various locales and attract customers from all over the globe by supporting end-user native languages, easy website navigation, and convenient search for necessary information.

This is also the case of Duolingo, the learning platform, that provides interface adaptation in more than 20 locales. Sounds great, right?

Localization testing helps identify inconsistencies in translation, time, dates, and calendars adjustment. It also involves localized GUI testing to check if the content doesn’t hinder the layout integrity that often adversely impacts the learning experience.

3. Security testing

Most digital education solutions collect personal data, be it a name when enrolling on a course or a credit card number when paying for online content.

When choosing a platform for learning, end users want to be 100% sure that their sensitive information and online transactions are fully protected. The U.N. Official highlighted that during COVID-19, the number of cyber incidents increased by 600%, making this issue one of the top priorities.

So, companies introduce security testing to minimize the risks of data loss, prevent unauthorized access to the system, and verify the security of online payments.

4. Compatibility testing

Defining what device or browsers your customers use is quite tricky. Before embarking on testing activities, analyze end-user preferences and specify the most popular platforms.

After that, it’s worth performing compatibility testing against the top selected gadgets and browsers while covering all the functionality. In parallel, don’t forget about mission-critical checks on other devices of potential use.

Such a holistic QA approach ensures flawless educational software operation on various browsers, platforms, operating systems, and devices, helping provide the best CX for all learners.

5. Compliance testing

As with any other industry, the eLearning and mLearning solutions have specific regulations, like SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model).

To let educational software pass all the standards with flying colors, open-minded companies introduce compliance testing. With that, QA specialists check eCourses interoperability with other platforms and learning materials while timely detecting discrepancies with the rules that decrease QA expenses and ensure complete software conformity with regulations.

6. Mobile apps testing

With a great demand for mobility, people all around the globe are more and more using their smartphones and tablets for almost all life purposes, mobile learning included. Alongside the usability of portable devices, mLearing improves productivity by 43% owing to advanced mechanisms and precise training activities.

Therefore, it’s crucial to check portrait to landscape phone modes, network interruption, incoming calls, etc. to ensure high quality of mLearing and web mobile eLearning platforms while enhancing mobile CX.

Wrapping up

The ever-evolving IT market brings changes in many areas including education, which is gradually becoming more digital than ever before.

Within the growing number of eLearning and mLearning solutions, businesses need to take special care of software quality to ensure that everything is running smoothly. A robust QA strategy and extensive software testing lie behind this success in the market.

By introducing 6 core QA activities — performance, localization, security, compatibility, compliance, and mobile apps testing — companies enable software excellence, release IT products faster, decrease QA costs, and gain the trust of their worldwide customers.

Feel free to reach out to a1qa’s experts to put your educational software on the IT market’s honor roll.

2021 was a challenging year: constantly looking for ways to painlessly pass the digital transformation programs, grow businesses, and enhance software quality. All in the “next normal” times.

Let’s take a look at the most-read a1qa’s blog posts of 2021, which, we hope, helped delve deep into the value of QA for business and pass the challenges with ease.

Always in demand: topical trends blogs

Stepping into the future: QA and software testing trends to thrive in 2022

To help companies effectively fine-tune QA processes in 2022 and meet quality gates in the “next normal” era, we’ve analyzed the latest World Quality Report’s trends and provided some comments on 5 of them: keeping on implementing Agile, DevOps, quality engineering, AI, automating smartly, and customizing test data/environment management based on the global context.

QA scenario to introduce 6 eCommerce trends in 2021

Reflexing on last year’s trends? The next blog post covers 6 of those most relevant for eCommerce companies, including developing online and offline spaces, adopting AI as a personal shop assistant, increasing brand awareness through social networks, etc.

Introducing any retail trends into an IT strategy with ease is the task of quality assurance. Here, you may read about 5 basic steps to smoothly implement eCommerce trends starting from adopting test automation to accelerate software delivery, introducing Agile, shift-left to increase the project’s effectiveness, and empowering a stronger QA culture to take care of software quality.

Watch out for 6 telecom trends and QA tips to implement them

With stable network connectivity as an inevitable part of any IT product and shifted operations to a virtual space, telecom users’ habits have changed, and their behavior has become more meticulous. To delight them and strengthen competitive edge, telco companies implement tech trends. Those for 2021 included digitalizing processes and services, applying hyperautomation, implementing 5G networks, distributing edge computing, etc. To make it happen, we suggested relying on 4 QA hints.

6 BFSI trends and how to implement them with QA

The pandemic had a major impact on BFSI, with customers moving massively to online platforms and requiring companies to quickly rethink the ways to revamp their working processes.

For 2021, 6 BFSI trends — transferring to the cloud services, introducing open banking solutions, expanding app’s functions with biometrics, and some others — were among the most powerful to respond to the global situation, achieve greater flexibility, and remain competitive in this challenging environment. Explore a four-step QA guide, helping smoothly implement these trends and 2022 trends.

Test automation blogs: faster, better, smarter

How to attain in-sprint test automation to reinforce development processes

In-sprint test automation helps companies speed up repetitive activities, detect bugs in early SDLC stages, simplify iterations, etc. Even though there are some difficulties behind it, including lack of time, required technical skills, and the right tools, here is the ready-made plan to overcome these challenges and introduce in-sprint test automation without pain.

4 key QA activities to solve test automation challenges via AI and ML

Despite all the benefits of automated testing, businesses expect more. More flexibility, higher speed, fewer mistakes, greater coverage. Is there something special for all of these? Adopting AI and ML as an option.

AI- and ML-powered technologies enable intelligent writing of test scripts, provide self-healing functions for QA processes optimization, facilitate automated GUI testing, and help monitor workflows and routine actions automatically.

Click here, and explore more about overcoming test automation difficulties via introducing AI and ML.

Cybersecurity-related blogs: beware of sneaky hackers

Addressing 4 security issues for digital transformation programs

Due to the rapid shift to the new online reality, companies have been busy implementing advanced technologies and cloud solutions. But because of this rush, safety issues were on the back burner, leading to a growing amount of cyberattacks.

According to Statista, passing through digital transformation programs entailed a plethora of issues in 2020, such as difficulty in keeping up with the speed of digital delivery (36%), higher likelihood of cyberthreats (32%), complicated managing of funding and demand (27%), etc.

Source: Statista

We see 4 main security problems: tech evolution with the same safety level, sophisticated cyber incidents, overcomplicated cybersecurity standards, lack of the right skilled people.

However, QA is here for safe digitalization, and this article illustrates 3 core activities to do it efficiently. Welcome to reading!

Cybersecurity: Top 5 questions to ask a QA vendor

Cybersecurity comes first. To maintain a high level of IT solutions’ protection, companies turn to QA providers.

To ensure truly attack-proof IT products and receive the desired outcomes when relying on a third-party QA vendor, companies should ask business-critical questions, such as “What cybersecurity testing approaches and methodologies do you apply?” or “Do you ensure software compliance with the global safety standards?”

All the questions and their importance are described in this blog post.

How to handle the uncertainty with Agile blog: three-phase game plan

To bring back business resilience, handle COVID-19 consequences, and speed up passing digitalization programs, organizations incorporate Agile-based processes.

Adhering to a three-step plan — implementing Agile values, reaping benefits of flexible methodologies, and applying Agile best practices — helps them painlessly introduce Agile and achieve the expected results. All the details you may discover here.

Blog on 9 QA points for delivering high-quality SaaS-based solutions

What are the reasons to test SaaS-based software? Fast and frequent updates, smart scalability, customizable architecture, and multi-tenancy.

To ensure SaaS-based products failure-free operation, we suggest paying attention to 9 core types of testing: functional (to check that all system’s components operate without hitches), performance (to verify that a multi-user environment is able to withstand both the intended and heavy loads), interoperability, usability, cybersecurity, compliance, API, regression, and automated testing.

Such a comprehensive testing approach ensures that all software components are operable and helps produce a truly high-quality SaaS-based product that provides great CX to its end users.

Closing remark

In 2021, the most in-demand a1qa’s articles were related to IT trends, test automation, cybersecurity, Agile, and SaaS-based solutions testing.

Thank you for reading our blog posts! In 2022, we will continue to keep you informed of the most popular software testing topics.

Reach out to a1qa’s specialists in case you need support on all the above-mentioned issues.

Want your business running 24/7? Probably the answer will be yes. So in terms of quality assurance you’ve been doing everything that depends on you: proper QA at development phase, acceptance testing and finally monitoring. Now you’ve got full circle QA, each process works on 100% and everything is seems to be ok… or not?

Let’s figure it out, what are your monitoring and what are your expectations? Usually you apply hardware monitoring or something equivalent to get sure that your server wouldn’t run out of free disk space or memory. But what can you expect from such approach? Probably that your product, as well as your business, is running. Will it be informative? Certainly not. The only information that could be gathered depending on hardware monitoring is hardware status, not your application status, so the full circle QA looks more like a Pac-man. Yet to avoid this, the best practices of QA outsourcing would tell you to look at the entire pyramid:

In terms of business it might seem ok to monitor only the top of application pyramid – business level. It could be implemented via slightly modified automated tests from development phase or other special tools that can interact at application level. With such monitoring approach you can be sure that the most critical part of your business is well functioning. But this will be never enough in fact. This is the only way to make sure that everything is good for now, but to prevent problems you should go deeper.

The main reason for that is feedback. The quicker is the feedback, the quicker would be reaction in case of emergency. Deeper in this case means faster, but sometimes less relevant. At business level if something goes wrong – it’s absolutely wrong. At application level if something goes wrong – it’s probably wrong, or will go wrong in near future.

If something goes wrong at hardware level it could be either absolutely wrong or not important, with “would go wrong somewhere in the future” between them. So if you want to be sure that your business is up and running – consider extending monitoring from one level of application pyramid to at least two of them, to have faster feedback along with high relevance of result.

The article is prepared by Yan Gabis

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