The title of this blog might surprise many, but let me explain! First, let’s clarify what Quality Assurance (QA) really means. In simple terms, QA is the process that ensures a product meets specific standards and fulfills the expectations set by both the team and the customer. But is it just about the quality of the product or application we’re developing, or is there more to it? From my experience, QA encompasses much more—it touches nearly every aspect of what the team does.
This perspective might seem unconventional, right? I used to share that same belief as a developer. I thought QA was solely the responsibility of the testing team, tasked with validating features developed by the team—either giving the green light for release or reporting bugs for developers to fix.
However, as I took on more ownership of projects, I realized how flawed that assumption was. I discovered that QA is much broader than I initially believed, and my understanding of its role has evolved significantly.
Let me illustrate this with an example from a project I managed. My team was given an existing application to improve and maintain. We quickly encountered issues with subscriptions and payments, stemming from poorly written code created years ago by a different team—code that also lacked basic documentation. Neither the development nor the testing team fully understood how the subscription system functioned or the assumptions made by the previous team, leading to numerous issues despite our best efforts in maintaining the subscription module.
Typically, the testing team is expected to validate features and identify all possible issues. If some bugs are overlooked, testers often bear the blame. But what about the gaps in their knowledge? Wouldn’t better documentation have been beneficial? Isn’t maintaining clear documentation about core features and their underlying assumptions part of QA? Imagine how different the outcome could have been if we had accessible documentation of the subscription and payment features from the previous developers for the current team to reference.
Don't get me wrong—good documentation is just one aspect of this discussion, but there are countless strategies we can employ to improve the quality of our work, ultimately benefiting the product.
This is just one example illustrating how outcomes could differ if everyone maintained high standards in their work and recognized that QA is not solely about testing software and filing bugs!
This is just one of many instances where the outcome might have been significantly different if everyone had upheld high standards in their work and recognized that Quality Assurance goes beyond merely testing software and filing bugs.
From this experience, I came to understand that Quality Assurance is a shared responsibility among all team members, not just the testers. Business analysts play a crucial role in providing clear requirements, while developers contribute by ensuring quality through proper documentation, conducting code reviews, and writing effective test cases. Testers and project managers are vital in testing and validating the project, and the release team must maintain high standards during the final rollout. In essence, every role is interconnected in fostering a culture of quality.
To draw an analogy from the restaurant industry: ensuring food hygiene isn’t just the chef’s job. Everyone in the restaurant—from those handling produce to servers—must practice cleanliness to prevent contamination.
The same principle applies to Quality Assurance. It’s a shared responsibility. When everyone works together to maintain quality, the product thrives!