When Should QA Testers Start Their Work in the SDLC Process?

When Should QA Testers Start Their Work in the SDLC Process?

3 July 2024 Stephan Petzl Leave a comment QA

One common question in Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is whether QA testers should start their work only during the ‘Testing’ phase. The straightforward answer is: Absolutely not. QA testers can and should be involved much earlier in the process.

Involvement of QA Testers in Various Phases

Let’s break down the potential involvement of QA testers in different phases of the SDLC:

1. Analysis Phase

During this phase, QA testers can work closely with analysts to ensure that requirements are gathered accurately and in a format that will be useful for designing tests later on. Their participation can help in identifying ambiguities early on, thus avoiding costly fixes later.

2. Design Phase

In this phase, QA testers can consult with architects and tech leads to make the system more testable. They can also prepare a test strategy and estimate the test budget for the project. This proactive approach ensures that testing is integrated into the design from the beginning.

3. Environment Setup Phase

QA testers can assist in building or helping DevOps to establish the deployment process. They can plan how the tests will integrate into the Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipeline and configure environmental properties to better suit testing requirements.

Early Involvement Benefits

It’s a well-accepted principle that the earlier an issue is identified, the cheaper it is to fix. Involving QA testers early can lead to significant cost savings and improved product quality. For instance, identifying a problem during the requirements phase is much cheaper than finding it during the testing or production phases.

Agile and Early Testing

In an Agile environment, the lines between different phases are blurred. Agile methodologies encourage involving QA testers from the very beginning. This continuous involvement helps in maintaining a high-quality product throughout the development cycle.

Practical Examples

  • Test-Driven Development (TDD): In TDD, tests are written before the code. This ensures that the code written satisfies the test requirements from the outset.
  • Behavior-Driven Development (BDD): BDD involves writing tests based on the expected behavior of the application, often in collaboration with stakeholders. This ensures that the software meets business requirements.

For more detailed insights into Agile testing and early involvement of QA testers, you can refer to our article on Effective Strategies for Managing Large Sets of Test Cases.

Conclusion

In summary, QA testers should be involved in the project as early as possible. Their early involvement can help in identifying issues sooner, saving time and costs, and ensuring a higher quality product.

How Repeato Can Help

Our product, Repeato, is a No-code test automation tool designed for iOS and Android applications. With Repeato, you can create, run, and maintain automated tests quickly and efficiently. Its computer vision and AI capabilities make it particularly effective for early involvement in the testing process, ensuring that your app meets quality standards from the beginning. For more information, visit our documentation page.

By integrating a tool like Repeato into your SDLC, you can streamline your testing processes and ensure high-quality releases, aligning perfectly with the principles discussed in this article.

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