Businesses are pressured to keep up with rapidly evolving technologies. The temptation to prioritize speed over all else is vital in the race for competitive advantage and a strong market position. Ironically, this drive for innovation and growth also brings risks that, if ignored, can lead to significant problems.
It is a well-known phenomenon: the haste to launch products (too) quickly, without thorough testing. The consequence? Costly errors can lead to financial consequences and damage to the organization. Sukanta Nama, Senior Quality Assurance Specialist at LINKIT, emphasizes the crucial role of quality assurance (QA) in digital transformations. “Failing to take the QA process seriously can lead to a complete failure of the modernization effort or the loss of customers.”
The Backbone for Quality and Results
QA is a systematic testing process that ensures products, services, systems, and processes meet pre-defined quality standards. According to Sukanta, it is the backbone that ensures new digital systems, applications, and processes meet the highest quality standards and achieve the intended results.
“In essence, it is a strategic, preventive approach to avoiding errors rather than correcting them at a high cost later. QA specialists critically assess existing systems and processes through various in-depth tests, in which they identify weaknesses and recommend improvements. It lays a solid foundation for a successful transformation.”
“In essence, it is a strategic, preventive approach to avoiding errors rather than correcting them at a high cost later.”
Hidden Bugs and Errors Cause Problems
Yet, he finds that many companies must pay more attention to this process. “The risks of not testing are often underestimated, while when systems have not been adequately tested and validated, hidden bugs and errors can cause problems. Applications can crash, you can experience system downtime, performance speeds are much too low, and certain functionalities don’t work; all issues that impact operational efficiency.”
He illustrates this with two examples. “A small error in an online banking application can lead to significant financial losses and enormous reputational damage. Similarly, a poorly functioning e-commerce website can deter customers, resulting in revenue loss. Furthermore, such shortcomings bring security risks and undermine the trust of both customers and users.”
Not a Separate Activity but an Integral Part
Companies prevent harmful consequences by placing QA at the centre of every transformation. “QA is not a separate activity, but an integral part of the development process,” Sukanta explains. “It promotes collaboration between quality management, developers and the business, with targeted testing improving the ultimate user-friendliness.”
“QA is not a separate activity, but an integral part of the development process.”
Processes, systems, applications or services are tested manually and automatically. Automated testing, in particular, is crucial; Sukanta tells us: “Automated test tools can be quickly repeated and help identify regression errors after each code change. It reduces the risk of human error and provides a faster, more efficient test structure. By investing in continuous monitoring and feedback mechanisms, organizations can quickly respond to problems and implement improvements before they worsen. It ensures that digital solutions are reliable, secure and user-friendly.”
LINKIT
Sukanta has a few practical tips for companies interested in QA: “Define clear quality standards and intended results. Encourage all stakeholders to actively participate in QA processes and create an environment of feedback and quality. Consider errors as learning moments and ensure clear (internal) communication about the importance of quality.”
“Encourage all stakeholders to actively participate in QA processes and create an environment of feedback and quality.”
He cites the QA Squad within LINKIT as an example. “We encourage employees to stay current on new testing technologies and skills. For example, converting an old application to a modern variant is not difficult. However, making it a high-quality solution that is efficiently maintained requires more expertise. By staying relevant, we can develop products that meet the highest quality standards and exceed customer expectations.”
Sukanta Nama | Senior Quality Assurance Specialist
Sukanta Nama has a bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering and has worked at LINKIT as a Senior Quality Assurance Specialist since 2018. He is responsible for the high-quality delivery of software products and ensuring customer and user satisfaction at various clients.
