Quality Analysis in App Development is Not the Last Thing You Do

Characteristics of quality in every mobile app are different and so for each type of app, a unique set of indicators is required to be constructed to measure the performance level. Most of the companies conduct the testing and measure the performance almost at the end of the software development cycle. Instead, quality is a continuous process and should begin at the very first, Planning phase.

Before we move ahead with the quality assurance measures at each phase, let’s first determine the characteristics of quality from the Software point of view or we can say the expected outcome. Here they are:

1. Components, systems, and processes in conformance to requirement
2. Qualified to meet business and end user expectations
3. Perform the specified functions properly for a pre-defined timeframe under the recommended usage environment

Purpose of QA

1. Ensure the quality of software through a related set of validation and verification activities
2. Increase the confidence that software will meet the quality characteristics

In the post, you will find critical quality assurance measures required to be taken at different stages of the Software Development Life Cycle.

If you are seeking an app development company or already working with one to develop a mobile application, then make sure your technology partner undertakes these quality measures:

Requirement Gathering

At this phase, both internal characteristics of the software development process and external features of the software from the user perspective need to be determined to set the requirement.

Key quality measures at this phase are:

1. The company you have hired take requirements from you in different formats including interviews, questionnaires, workshops, role-playing, use cases, and prototyping.
2. Requirements of all the stakeholders concerned with the app development project including end-users, sales, and technical teams have been efficiently covered.
3. Cover every aspect from features and functions to release date and maintenance.

These verifications will help the company to close any gap to avoid future clashes related to expectations.

Analysis

This is the validation stage. All the requirements have been understood and create a Requirement Management Plan, which includes defining and documenting the product requirements.

Quality initiatives at this phase include:

1. SRS (Software Requirement Specification) document is prepared carefully involving Project Manager, Development Team, Sales and Business Analysts, and Project Stakeholders.
2. Ensure that the requirement is feasible for the company from operational, technical, and economic perspectives
3. Planning and assessment cover Security Risks such as Disaster Recovery and Test Plans, Conversion Plans, and Implementation Plan
4. All the senior members of the team approve the SRS document
5. Check your SLA (Service Level Agreement) at this phase only, though the requirement is at the end. Remember that 100% testing is not possible, and you will need maintenance/support after the software is released.

Designing

At this phase, high and low levels plans are created covering software architecture and features of the software application.

Quality activities at this phase are:

1. Set standards for all the stakeholders to follow to remove flaws and conflict at the next phase.
2. Make an effective strategy for appropriate development and testing environment.
3. Ensure that factors that impact development processes such as the involvement of third parties, components that represent front-end and their behavior, and users-flow and database communication is well-developed and approved.
4. Analyze design, interface, test program, supportability, process, and technical reviews.

Development

Coding of the software is done at this phase. Your objective at this phase is to get the Source Code Document (SCD) and a developed software application.

1. At this phase, verify these things:
   Test cases for testing are properly validated
2. Code inspection and review are conducted on a regular basis by senior members or project manager
3. Developers have covered all the elements mentioned in the SRS document
4. Testing of each component is done

Testing

Once the software application is ready, testing team come into action. The outcome of Testing Phase is Testing Artifacts.

Quality initiatives of this phase are:

1. Select release criteria carefully
2. Check what automated testing tools are being used and what and how manual testing is being conducted
3. What is the priority of bug fixes

Deployment and Maintenance

At this phase, your product is delivered to you, however, once you/users start using the product, the real-world problems come up, which need attention of software developers and testers.

1. Check that Build is properly validated by Project Manager
2. Ensure that the maintenance team is providing you proper support

Verification and validation at the right stage and at right time can help you save time and cost. So always evaluate how your software development company is using new technologies and what quality assurance system they are following at each phase.

Software Development Practices-What Delivers the Best

Here are some Software Development best practices. Make sure that your technology partner in application development follows these practices well:

1. Formal review process of deliverables at each stage
2. A separate QA team for each stage with high level of accountability
3. Participation of QA team in meetings
4. Less paper-work for developers
5. Short, crisp, easy to read standards documents
6. Team of different departments contribute to create Requirement Traceability Matrix (RTM)
7. Formal unit testing, which means testing of each component of software. This should be done at development phase.

Guest article written by: Siya Carla is Business Development Manager at Finoit Technologies, a leading mobile app development company which makes ideas into reality by providing unique web design and custom software development services.