What Are The Pitfalls Of Not Following Software Quality Assurance?

By Author: Oliver Moore
Total Articles: 52
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The rapidly changing world of Information Technology can be observed in many dimensions. These include the advent of new technologies, changing customer preferences, the proliferation of new devices and operating platforms, the growing menace of cybercrime, and the increasing role of regulators. Enterprises, aware of these dimensions, are adopting digital transformation in a big way to stay up the ladder of competition. And one of the salient features of digital transformation is adopting or building new software tools or platforms to deliver great user experiences.

This is because customers with access to new product choices are not satisfied with run-of-the-mill products or services. Their growing appetite for quality products displaying attributes such as high usability, security, navigability, and functionality, has hit the proverbial death knell for companies continuing with legacy systems, methodologies, and policies. This has brought into sharp focus the critical importance of following software quality assurance. The plethora of devices, operating systems, browsers, and networks has meant the software delivered ...
... to the customers should be functional across the digital ecosystem.

However, notwithstanding the critical importance of upholding software quality assurance, many enterprises in a bid to release products quickly and take advantage of being the first mover, are cutting corners with software quality assurance testing. This results in the delivery of below-par products leading to unforeseen and unwarranted consequences (especially with financial software). Let us find out why enterprises developing software should never compromise with following a robust software quality assurance strategy.

Pitfalls of not undertaking software quality assurance

With software becoming the critical requirement in driving the digital ecosystem, ensuring its quality is of supreme importance. In case, companies do not pay heed to this dictum, they (including the end-customers) are bound to pay the price. The pitfalls are as following:

Poor quality product or service: Today, when software products are having interfaces to financial and personal information of customers, any glitches or vulnerabilities can play havoc. Cybercriminals may exploit these to steal information. Think of using an application with built-in glitches or malware that results in the siphoning off personal and financial data. Apart from causing losses to the customers, these glitches can destroy your brand equity. Citing another example of software being used in diagnostic devices in the healthcare industry.

If the software malfunctions owing to the presence of glitches, the result delivered by the device can be erroneous. The treatment protocol followed thereafter by the medical professional by taking inputs from such readings can worsen the condition of the patient even leading to his or her death. To avoid such an eventuality, any QA testing services company worth its salt should ensure the glitches or vulnerabilities present in the software are identified and removed forthwith.

Additional cost of reworking: The software quality assurance services help businesses to spend less on reworking, retesting, replacing, or remarketing of faulty software. Remember, any enterprise sets a budget for product development depending on the demand, technology used, the complexity of the process, and viability. If the software development pipeline does not incorporate software assurance techniques the chances of that product to have an uninterrupted run in the market can be cut short. Customers, on being frustrated with the quality of such a product, can disown or send it for replacement. The company has to rework on the product, which is both time and cost-intensive.

Fall in brand equity: People do not always buy products on a whim. They usually follow a brand after being convinced of its quality and price advantage. However, this can take a beating if the product is delivered to the market without following software quality assurance. But how? The product may come unstuck when the customer needed it the most or fail to give accurate information, slow to function or lead to a data breach. Customers fed up with such products can disown them, influence others not to buy, and seek compensation for the loss. In each of the cases, the company is going to pay a heavy price. This is because building a brand is a time-consuming process involving strategizing, running campaigns, and spending money. However, such assiduously built brand equity can bite the dust in no time.

Conclusion

In the Agile and DevOps scheme of things, following a software quality assurance strategy is critical for outcomes like continuous integration and continuous delivery. When software has become increasingly critical in running and sustaining the digital landscape, especially with the arrival of IoT, giving short shrift to QA is a recipe for disaster.