Need for Quality Assurance Initiatives in Automation Testing

Automation testing is the process in which an automation tool is used to test a particular product for its functionality and other features. This process of testing is preferred over manual testing due to a number of reasons like it is cost-effective, less time consuming, easy to conduct testing on multi-lingual sites, does not require human intervention as well as increases test coverage.
However, automation testing aims to increase the test efficiency and software’s value, implementing this process also involves a number of risks. Some of these include high starting cost, limited features that can be set for automated testing, requires one to have good understanding of programming, etc. Therefore, it is important for the person conducting automation testing to be sure about the choice he/she makes of the software to conduct this test and also be vigilant of all the risks involved.

Since, testing is the process that is carried out before launching a product in the market and in fact, even after that. Therefore, it becomes important to maintain highest quality standards and take some quality assurance initiatives so as to ensure that the product delivered is flawless and best in terms of quality.
Need of Quality Assurance Initiatives
Quality assurance is a planned and organized set of activities that are carried out to ensure that the product delivered is highest in quality as well as conform to the set requirements, procedures and standards. This is not a one stage process but a regular initiative that needs to be taken during the entire software development life cycle (SDLC).
Almost every company follows this practice and ensures that the product delivered by it has been delivered in compliance with pre-determined requirements and standards. Ensuring the best quality in its product is one of the simplest yet most effective way to retain customers for long and make sure that the product manufactured is used by the intended audience.
Quality Assurance Initiatives in Automation Testing       
Like every testing process, it is also important in case of automation testing to ensure that the utmost level of quality is maintained. It is the responsibility of the testing team and other members of the project to ensure that the necessary quality assurance initiatives are taken. This is to ensure that testing a product using automation testing tools does not degrade its quality.
Apart from this, there are a number of other reasons that make it essential for the companies to take quality assurance initiatives in automation testing. Some of these include:

1. Maximize performance:

Testing a product using automation testing does not imply that all the bugs would be easily identified and fixed. It is important to understand that automation testing does the majority of testing job but manual intervention is important to ensure that there are no errors or flaws that might act as a hurdle in the product’s performance.
Setting high quality standards ensures that the product delivered in the market after testing is free from flaws and hence, can be used to maximize performance and output.

2. Value Customers’ time:

Companies should understand that it is extremely crucial and important to value the time of their customers. It is easy to simply develop and launch a product in the market. But, this might turn out to be a major loss causing decision ever taken by the company.
Launching the product without rigorous testing and ensuring quality even in the testing process might lead to a delivery of poor performing product. This, in turn, might end up wasting a lot of customers’ precious time as well as their trust in the company.

3. Increased Business:

Delivering a high-performing and reliable product in the market help ensure higher retention rate of the company. Retention rate implies the rate at which a company is able to hold back its customers or increase their loyalty towards the company.
A product without a flaw is sure to gather higher attention and more users. This, in turn, helps the company to win more customers and hence, attain more positive publicity.

4. Optimum Quality:

Taking quality assurance initiatives in automation testing is not just about bug fixing, it is also about fulfilling promises made to the customers. Whether the demand for the product was raised by the customer or it is a company owned product, taking some extra initiatives pays back in long run.
Higher product quality implies that the customer would be able to trust the company as well as its products easily.

5. Ends Scope of Error:

While it is true that testing in itself is the process that helps ensure the delivery of best quality products in the market, taking extra caution can be an added advantage. A product might have been developed by the best team of developers but this does not end the scope of errors and flaws. This, in turn, proves that a product without proper testing is very likely to fail.

If a product is under automation testing process and one still opts to take quality assurance initiatives, this is sure to ensure the product delivered will be without any sort of flaws and complications.
Quality assurance initiatives in automation testing is not about doubting the proficiency of the team or the process. It is just about being extra careful and making sure that the company is able to win a happy and satisfied clientele. Also, taking quality assurance initiatives in automation testing is not about lengthening the process, it is actually more about improving the results for the company in long run.