What is QA? Your Software's Quality Guardian Explained

Imagine you're about to launch your amazing new software. You've worked for months, invested thousands of dollars, and you're excited to show the world what you've built. Then disaster strikes – users can't log in, buttons don't work, and your application crashes every few minutes.

This nightmare scenario is exactly what QA (Quality Assurance) prevents!

What is QA?

Think of QA as your software's personal bodyguard. QA professionals are the people who test your software to find problems before your customers do. They're like professional troublemakers – but in the best possible way!

QA stands for Quality Assurance, and these folks spend their days trying to break your software so you can fix it before it goes live. They click every button, try every feature, and think of crazy ways users might interact with your product.

Why Do You Need QA?

Here's the brutal truth: users today have zero patience for buggy software.

Remember the last time you used a website or application that didn't work properly? You probably closed it within minutes and never came back. That's exactly what will happen to your software without proper QA.

The Real Cost of Skipping QA

Let's talk numbers. Say you launch without QA and your software has major bugs:

• Users stop using your product immediately
• Bad reviews and word-of-mouth tank your reputation
• You lose potential customers forever
• Fixing bugs after launch costs 5-10 times more than catching them early
• Your reputation takes a hit that's hard to recover from
• No users and bad reputation don't exactly impress investors either

What QA Actually Does

QA professionals wear many hats. They are:

Bug Hunters: They find problems like buttons that don't work, forms that don't submit, or features that crash the application.

User Experience Testers: They make sure your software is easy and enjoyable to use.

Device Testers: They check that your software works on different devices, browsers, and operating systems.

Performance Monitors: They make sure your software runs fast and efficiently.

Types of QA Testing

Manual Testing: Real humans clicking through your software like actual users would.

Automated Testing: Special programs that run tests automatically to catch problems quickly.

Load Testing: Making sure your software works when lots of people use it at once.

Regression Testing: Checking that new features don't break existing ones.

When Should You Bring in QA?

The short answer: Right from the start!

Many founders think QA only happens at the end before launch. Wrong! The best QA happens throughout your entire development process. Here's why:

• Catching bugs early is way cheaper than fixing them later
• QA can help shape your software's design to be more user-friendly
• Regular testing prevents small problems from becoming big disasters
• Your development team can work more efficiently with QA feedback

Red Flags: Signs You Need QA ASAP

• Your users are complaining about bugs
• Features that used to work suddenly don't
• Your software crashes frequently
• You're afraid to add new features because they might break something
• Your development team spends more time fixing bugs than building new things

How Much Does QA Cost?

QA is an investment, not an expense. Generally, QA testing costs about 35-40% of what you'd pay for onshore engineering rates, making it a very affordable way to protect your investment.

Here's the math that makes QA a no-brainer: When engineers test each other's work, you lose twice. If an engineer spends 1 hour testing another developer's code, that's 1 hour they're not building new features that improve your app. Plus, engineers aren't trained to think like actual users, so they'll miss the problems that really matter to your customers.

So you're investing 400% more for a lower quality product – yikes!

The alternative – skipping QA entirely – is even worse. Lost users, bad reviews, and emergency bug fixes will cost you far more than investing in proper QA from the start.

QA Success Stories

We've seen countless startups transform their products with proper QA:

• Software that went from constant crashes to smooth user experiences
• Companies that avoided major security breaches by catching vulnerabilities early
• Startups that impressed investors with polished, professional software
• Products that launched successfully instead of becoming cautionary tales

Building Your QA Strategy

For Early-Stage Startups:Start with basic manual testing. Have someone (not the person who built the feature) test every new feature before it goes live.

For Growing Companies:Invest in a dedicated QA person or team. Create test plans and establish a Definition of Done that includes QA approval.

For Scaling Businesses:Implement automated testing alongside manual QA. This lets you test more thoroughly without slowing down development.

Common QA Mistakes to Avoid

Waiting Until the End: Don't treat QA as an afterthought. Build it into your development process from day one. QA can identify problems early on to prevent costly rework.

Having Engineers QA Each Other's Work: This is a huge mistake we see all the time! Engineers testing other engineers' code sounds logical, but it's actually wasteful. You're paying expensive developer rates for basic testing work, and engineers aren't trained to think like users or catch user experience problems.

Testing Your Own Work: Developers shouldn't be the only ones testing their own code. Fresh eyes catch more problems, but developer eyes aren't the right kind of fresh eyes.

Skipping Edge Cases: QA should test weird scenarios that regular developers might never try.

Ignoring Different Platforms: Your software needs to work on various devices, browsers, and operating systems.

The Bottom Line

QA isn't optional – it's essential for any successful software product. Think of it as insurance for your product and reputation. The cost of good QA is nothing compared to the cost of losing users to a buggy, frustrating experience.

Your users deserve software that works, and your business deserves to succeed. Proper QA makes both possible.

At Keiboarder, we have experienced QA engineers ready to help ensure your software launches smoothly and keeps users happy.

Let our QA team get you back on top of your game! Contact us.