With customers taking the lead in
determining the success of a software product in the market, enterprises have
their task cut out. They can no longer afford to give short shrift to quality
while focusing on faster releases alone. In traditional QA, siloed departments
often work at cross purposes to each other and render the overall quality of a
product less effective. So, to transform the whole QA value chain and deliver
outcomes like speeding time to market, increased collaboration, and the
delivery of a quality product, DevOps
QA takes center-stage. The latter helps to streamline the functioning of
silo- driven departments by driving a culture of collaboration.
What is DevOps and
what are its benefits?
DevOps combines Development and
Operations wherein the thrust is on automating the processes between the two
teams. DevOps QA facilitates the
development, testing, and release of software, quickly, reliably, and cost
effectively. It is underpinned on building a culture of collaboration between
the traditionally silo-driven teams. Here, three distinct elements in the whole
ecosystem viz., people, processes, and products are integrated to deliver value
to the end customers. With DevOps testing services, the entire
SDLC is streamlined and accelerated to release applications or services within
quick turnarounds.
The various benefits of a DevOps
driven build-test-deliver pipeline are as follows:
As enterprises root for digital
transformation to stay competitive and deliver the best user experiences, DevOps specialists are looking into
the end-to-end product cycle. They do so with the aim of enhancing the quality
of software at a lower cost.
·
Quick fixing of glitches: In the shift-left scheme of development and testing, a code does not move
beyond a point until it is tested for various parameters. This results in quick
identification of vulnerabilities or glitches and their resolution/mitigation.
Thus, the clean code is passed on to the next module or cycle for integration.
·
Streamlined processes including automation: As DevOps quality
assurance goes about breaking silos around teams and streamlines their
processes, the quality and speed receive a boost. DevOps test automation stays central to the entire activity as
codes are put through automated test scripts for validation. Also, automation
can run repetitive processes iteratively leading to the quick identification of
glitches.
·
Better engaged workforce: With DevOps test automation
taking up the load of running iterative tests, testers can be deployed
elsewhere. The testers can better utilize their skills in activities where
there is a scope for innovation. The engaged workforce can ultimately benefit
the organization with activities that can keep it competitive.
·
Collaboration: In traditional QA,
teams across the organization generally do not go beyond their remit. This
approach often results in ignoring issues, glitches, or vulnerabilities when
the product module moves across the pipeline. Since glitches can get into the
software at any point in the SDLC, everyone in the organization should be made
accountable. There should be a change in culture wherein every member cutting
across departments or processes should ensure the product moving through their
part of the pipeline is devoid of glitches. Such collaboration can lead to the
identification and removal of glitches thereby improving the overall quality of
the product.
·
Continuous integration and delivery: Arguably the ultimate outcome of DevOps where a product
can be upgraded based on the feedback from customers or the market. In the real
world, customers may come across issues in a product, which did not find
traction during development. The operations team must keep their ears to the
ground and listen to the feedback. The same should be passed on to the
development team for correction. The product pipeline should have a loop of
continuous integration and delivery to ensure the quality of the product
remains top-notch.
Since the ultimate aim of DevOps is
to render the development and delivery of a product glitch-free, QA should be
an integral part of the cycle. In other words, DevOps without QA is a recipe
for failure. Let us understand this with an example. With faster time to market
being one of the objectives of DevOps, enterprises may release a product
without proper QA. Since a comprehensive round of QA testing involves checking
the usability, functionality, security, and other aspects of a product, the
overall quality suffers.
So, even if the customer receives a
product quicker than others in the market, its lack of quality can mar the user
experience. The quality issues again force the product to be fed into the
development pipeline. This entails additional cost, time, and effort on the
part of the team. So, on one hand, the product does not receive any goodwill in
the market, on the other, it leads to the accrual of additional expenses for
the organization. In the competitive world of business, these shortcomings can prove
to be the undoing of enterprises.
QA is everyone’s
responsibility
In DevOps software testing,
ensuring the quality of software is treated as everyone’s responsibility. This
does not, in any way, imply that the QA team becomes redundant. Rather, it
underlines that quality has to be ensured at every point of the SDLC and
beyond. Every team and individual within the team should take responsibility
for the quality and stability of the product. QA should assume a more strategic
role of establishing a robust testing architecture or/and offering an oversight
of QA.
Conclusion
To ensure QA remains an integral
part of the whole DevOps-led SDLC, it should sit at the core of the build
rather than being treated as an afterthought. To be at the top of your game and
make the product stay clear of the competition, DevOps should be implemented
across the SDLC.
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