Image Credit: rawpixel.com

Software quality: why is it important? How to improve it? What are the trends in the field? Check here!

Software quality: the thing that mustn’t be neglected

Digital transformation has accelerated as a result of the occurrence of the Covid-19 pandemic. This acceleration has played a crucial role in the installation of software in the working mode of many companies but also in everyday life and learning mechanisms. Thus, the whole world was immersed in digitization, and the use of software everywhere has become essential. Ensuring the quality of these digital products is now an increased need. Let’s take a more detailed look at the problem together with SECL experts.

How important is the quality of software?

In recent years, digital transformation has required the development and updating of new digital services and applications in a short time in response to the needs of the said transformation. However, it has often led to development at the expense of the quality of software, which has deteriorated in some places. However, quality is a crucial element in the digital world because a simple unidentified, or identified flaw could cause fairly significant failures in the system. Similarly, a false configuration of cloud platforms can lead to data loss or violation.

The quality of the software is all the more important as the defects found in the software lead to a significant increase in the development cost. In addition, when the software is started, a cost will be incurred in the search and correction of vulnerabilities and anomalies that will be greater than that set during the design and development stage.

What are the keys to improving the quality of software?

Given the need to develop and update software and applications, priority should be carried out with the various quality tests and the necessary follow-up to offer a high-quality digital experience, free of any flaws, and meet users’ expectations. Thanks to the various innovations in the field of artificial intelligence, the platforms offering software tests are involved in this approach to improving the quality of software.

The operation of these tools is reliable because it is based on the conclusions made by using software in real conditions, highlighting the software’s features that generate the most benefits. The platforms in question go through automated tests whose action focuses precisely on users’ journeys in the software that is most interesting to the company concerned. It is, therefore, an intelligent test automation operation that allows companies to develop high-quality software quickly while putting an end to time-consuming actions.

Quality test automation strategies and Artificial Intelligence

The particularity of Artificial Intelligence in this context is that it allows bypassing the tests that are held on rules. AI uses algorithms to prepare systems for instructions efficiently from mass-produced data. AI thus makes it possible to set up a test automation tool with the ability to reproduce user behavior while limiting the participation of human testers.

The specificity of intelligent test automation is that it allows the evaluation of crucial elements such as performance, functionality, and ergonomics of software. It is, therefore, not limited to simple code verification. Other advanced technologies in addition to AI are also integrated, such as analytics, Machine Learning, in order to determine the user experience, more commonly known as UX.

Software quality and new trends

As long as digital transformation continues and the development of new digital products continues accelerated, software quality is of paramount importance. Thus, every company is required to monitor continuously how users of this software interact. This monitoring will make it possible to verify that the software’s performance and functionality correspond to users’ needs. Some new trends are also expected here.

• Performance: in the event of a performance delay of more than 3 seconds, the user would turn to competitive software considering that the service is failing. It is, therefore, essential to conducting performance and load tests on an ongoing basis to guarantee software quality and responsiveness.
• Quality control: for a company to benefit from its software, it will need to be innovative and offer a unique user experience and increased responsiveness. It is necessary that there is permanent quality control accompanied by anticipation of operational flaws.
• User experience: UX is an extremely important aspect; nobody can argue it. UX must therefore be exceptional in order to allow the company to strengthen its customer base.

How to develop and maintain quality software?

In order to be able to implement quality software and maintain it, it is essential to focus on a few key factors. It is a question of giving software developers the necessary time to master the documentation relating to the company’s different needs.

Also, it will be necessary to detect and identify any errors or flaws early enough during start-up. Training developers responsible for quality assurance is also essential for improving analytical and technical skills. The company will also have to set up instructions for use and technical documentation relating to the software developed.

Software quality must evolve and improve as long as the acceleration of the development of digital products and services continues. This is about the economic prosperity of the company and the guarantee of its development in an increasingly digitalized world.