The importance of software testing is imperative. Errors can occur in any stage of a software development project and some of them even stay undiscovered. That’s why there is a high chance that the final code has errors of both design and functionality. Often, the process is skipped, hence, the product and the company might suffer.
In order to comprehend the significance of testing, here are some main points that underline its importance.
Image source: tms.outsource.com
Cost-effectiveness
In the long run, testing regularly your project can save a lot of money.
Software development consists of many stages. Catching the bugs in earlier stages will definitely cost you less. That’s why testing should be performed as quickly as possible.
Getting some experienced testers for your project represents a real investment and the project will benefit budget-wise.
Basic example: You’ve just downloaded a fashion app with terrific deals, but when you want to place the order an error message shows up. Now, due to this problem, many users can’t use the app, will search for similar apps and will never return because of the bad experience. The result? The business is losing money because transactions are not made. The solution: testing will help you save time and money in the long run.
Security
The users will always look for trusted products and apps that they can rely on. Trustworthy apps that will allow them to give personal information to with confidence and know it will be safe.
It is well-known the fact that many times even the insignificant security issues have brought huge problems to businesses around the world.
Our personal information should stay as private as possible, especially when we talk about banking information or security details.
How testing can help?
It’s simple!
- The user receives a trusted product
- Keeps the private information safe
- Vulnerability free products
- Risks are eradicated beforehand
- Saves a lot of troubles later on
The quality of the product
For instance, the development of an application includes many procedures and testing takes a glimpse of every bit – it checks whether app graphics are correctly aligned, tests the primary features, checks whether menus are intuitive and so on.
Even after developers fix the issues, some others may appear unexpectedly. That’s how testing works! It’s a great way to face the challenges, solve them and be a part of the quality product being delivered to marketplace.
Usually, testing companies have lots of devices and tools available to cover as many testing scenarios as possible. Testing is done from many aspects and also includes the feedback on the user experience the tester had. It’s clear that professional recommendations can make a difference and help the product become as intuitive and user-friendly as possible.
Customer satisfaction – the delivery of high-quality products
Represents the ultimate goal for a product owner! Apps should be tested in order to deliver the greatest possible user experience. Being the finest product in this competitive market will help you reach reliable customers, resulting in an excellent long-term impact.
Once consumers have an incredible experience, they’ll inform their friends, without a doubt.
Nowadays, first impression is important, otherwise customers will discover other items that meet their requirements.
So, keep in mind to invest in testing at the beginning of product development, so you could eliminate all the possible risks. Bringing the greatest value in this highly competitive market will surely make your company stand out!
Are you not convinced yet that software testing is necessary and important?
Clean, clever and high-quality software can make our lives easier, but sometimes unsolved errors can have devastating consequences.
Famous disasters due to lack of testing
The crash of an Airbus A400M military transport plane
A software configuration error caused the crash of an Airbus A400M military transport. Seems that the mistake was not in the code itself but rather in design settings customized into the electronic control unit of the motors.
Image source: unsplash.com
Northeast blackout of 2003
The Northeast blackout in 2003 was a mass power outrage across some areas of the Northeastern and Midwestern United States on August 14-28, 2003, starting just after 4:10 p.m. The incident was caused by a programming error, because at that point software was not working legitimately. Similar troubles also affected the backup systems.
Image source: unsplash.com
Overexposure of radiation therapy patients in Panama
One of the most famous software disasters. Multi Data Systems International, a U.S company wasn’t able to calculate the exact dosage of radiation for patients undergoing radiation therapy. Actually, the software allowed technicians to use 4 shielding blocks, but the Panamanian doctors wanted to use 5. In the end, they’ve found a way to trick the software. The change resulted in overexposures to patients: 8 patients died, while another 20 displayed injuries and significant health problems.
Image source: unsplash.com
CSA mess
The Child Support Agency (CSA) IT system it’s known as one of the worst public administration scandals in modern times. When EDS Child Support System introduced a highly complex IT system to the CSA, at the same time the Department for Work and Pensions took the decision to restructure the entire system. Due to lack of testing, catastrophic errors were introduced as a result, because the two pieces of software were totally incompatible. The system managed to overpay 1.9 million people, underpay another 700,000, had US$7 billion in uncollected child support payments, a backlog of 239,000 cases, 36,000 new cases “stuck” in the system, and has cost the UK taxpayers over US$1 billion to date.
Image source: unsplash.com
To conclude
Testing represents a major component of any development and change in any software. It is done to check that everything works properly. The general goal of testing is basically not to discover any existing software bugs, but mainly to reveal the circumstances that could negatively impact the customer, maintainability and usability.