SQA Tips to Remember After the Uber Auto Fiasco

With Uber Auto dominating headlines, the tech community has been wondering about the company’s SQA practices. Software quality assurance isn’t something companies usually take lightly. In fact, mobile testing alone is a priority for 55% of organizations.

Here’s What Went Down

On March 31^st, a Noida resident was billed Rs. 7.66 crore (approximately $910,933) for a ride worth Rs 62 ($0.70). According to the fare’s breakdown, he was charged Rs 1,67,74,647 for the trip and Rs 5,99,09189 for waiting time.  

On April 2^nd, a similar instance was reported from Hyderabad. This time, the user was charged Rs 1 crore ($119,860) for a 10 minute ride. “”What kind of technical glitch is this? Even the customer care did not respond,” lamented the victim in an Instagram video.

On the same day, another incident was reported. This time, a Pune based user received a bill of Rs. 3 crore ($359,579).  

While Uber India has taken note of the issue and is investigating it, this is definitely a PR nightmare. The glitch also drives the assumption that SQA was rushed or not as thorough as expected.

Why SQA is So Important

Software quality assurance (SQA) has a vital role in the software development lifecycle. It ensures that the quality of any software product complies with predetermined standards. Therefore, it identifies issues before they escalate into major problems.

Thorough software testing and quality assurance also deliver several benefits, including –

• Guarantee of Quality – SQA helps ensure that software is of high quality, i.e. reliable, efficient, and user-friendly.
• Time and Money Savings – With quality assurance, bugs and errors are caught early. This spares companies from spending resources to fix them later. Plus, the software doesn’t end up running additional costs such as those Uber can expect due to its current glitch.
• Stable Products – Software quality assurance vets software blocks for reliability, usability, functionality, etc. This results in launching stable, competitive software.
• Customer Satisfaction – Needless to say, quality assurance ensures that software fulfills the needs of customers. It also eliminates any surprises they may face while using the software.
• Protection of Brand Reputation – By ensuring that products work as intended, companies won’t have to worry about their reputation. But – as was the case with Uber – customers noticing errors can impact the brand’s image.

The Value of SQA by the Numbers

For some of you readers, nothing resonates as much as numbers. So, here are some proving the value of quality assurance in software development.

• Quality assurance budgets have constantly been on the rise. From the 25% recommended by the World Quality Report, they rose to 31% in 2016. By 2019, budgets were expected to cross 40%.
• 55% of companies engaged dedicated software testers. Majority are even outsourcing this work to software quality assurance services providers.
• According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for testers and SQA engineers will grow by 25%. This is because of the increasing use of software across all sectors.
• Confirming the rising importance of software QA is the growth of its market. As per the Global Software Quality Assurance Market Size 2024, the market will reach $3,989.57 million by 2028.

Tips for Effective SQA that Delivers Great Results

Quality is a core goal for every successful organization. Therefore, there should be no compromise on software testing and quality assurance. Here are some tips from our experts to help you ensure this too.

Have Clear, Measurable Objectives

You need to have clear goals to ensure the creation of milestones and even giving rewards. An effective strategy for this is SMART goals – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

Once your goals are set, ensure that everyone is on the same page and aware of where they’re heading. Finally, measure constantly to see how well everyone performs and improve.

Don’t Be Scared to Automate Your SQA Process

Automating quality assurance in software development isn’t a trend; it’s a necessity. In 2022, 55% of companies automated their SQA to improve quality. Meanwhile, 30% made the transition for the sake of time to market.

Despite this, only 42.5% have mature QA automation. One reason for this is the inability to find the right tools and people to handle this job. Thankfully, there’s an easy solution for this.

Be Open to Outsourcing Your SQA Tasks

There are many IT companies offering SQA services to appreneurs and businesses alike. Unfortunately, this option is often overlooked. As a result, companies lose out on benefits such as –

• Reduced overhead costs as compared to in-house QA teams
• Access to a pool of skilled QA professionals with diverse experience
• Easier scalability based on project needs
• Streamlined QA processes and quicker bug resolution
• Flexibility to adapt to project demands without maintaining a full-time QA team

The key to succeed, however, is to select the right outsourcing partner. While this guide covers valuable tips for startups, they’re as effective for businesses of all sizes.

Don’t Cut Corners; Rigorously Test at Every Stage

Rigorous testing is crucial for ensuring issues don’t make their way to the hands of users. Otherwise, you’re putting yourself at the risk of bigger problems in the long run.

Here are some things to consider for each type of test –

• Unit Testing – During unit testing, your focus should be on how each component functions in isolation.
• Integration Testing – The goal of this test is to verify that components function and interact seamlessly together.
• System Testing – The tester needs to ensure the entire system’s functionality operates smoothly.
• Acceptance Testing – This SQA test should focus on whether the software satisfies user requirements prior to release.

Employ Test Design Techniques

In addition to exhaustive testing, be open to the test design technique.

This procedure allows SQA professionals to identify test conditions, test cases, and test data beforehand. That way, you get a well-formed test strategy that detects defects instead of ad-hoc test cases.

You may also like how these techniques increase test coverage while reducing execution time. Just remember to select the right technique. Each tends to excel at identifying certain types of defects but struggle with others.

Allocate Sufficient Time for SQA Tasks

Unfortunately, most testers are challenged by tight deadlines. This, in turn, reduces product quality. This is where a scrum master can shine. They need to ensure the QA team plans testing activities based on user stories, test effort, testing technologies, and the availability of testing resources.

Another way to optimize testing time is to review test cases when they’re 20% done. This allows reviewers to identify mistakes early and make any necessary connections.

If You Need Help with Tip 3, DPL is at Your Service

The Uber Auto fiasco was a much-needed reminder on the importance of SQA. So, if you need the best team for the job, we’d like to offer our SQA services.

Connect with our team via the form below and let’s help you prevent bugs and issues from sneaking out.