Introduction
Software Quality Assurance professionals play a crucial role in making sure applications run smoothly, are user-friendly, and free from defects. At BetterQA, our comprehensive approach to quality assurance goes beyond bug detection, focusing on seamless collaboration and continuous improvement. Here’s a look at how this approach shapes a typical qa schedule for our team.
1. Morning: Preparing for the Day
A typical day for our QA engineers often starts with reviewing the testing schedule and priorities:
- Checking communications: QA professionals begin by checking emails and communication platforms like Slack or Teams for updates on current tasks or bugs that need immediate attention.
- Reviewing test cases: They go over the day’s test cases to ensure everything is in place, especially when new features or updated software versions need testing.
- Team stand-ups: Participate in Agile stand-up meetings, actively identifying risks, and potential blockers, ensuring the team is aligned on quality goals. BetterQA adds value by presenting independent status reports highlighting risks early in the process.
2. Mid-Morning: Test Execution
Once the planning is complete, the focus shifts to executing tests:
- Manual Testing: QA professionals manually simulate real-world usage by running test cases and documenting any unexpected behavior as bugs.
- Automated Testing: If automated tests are part of the workflow, this is the time to review the results. Automated testing tools help cover large parts of the application efficiently and quickly identify failures.
- Defect Tracking: Any bugs or issues encountered are logged in tracking systems like JIRA. This documentation includes detailed reproduction steps, expected vs. actual outcomes, and bug severity.
Regardless of the bug detection method we use, it ensures the system is aligned with the client’s business needs.
3. Lunchtime: Recharging & Learning
Lunchtime offers a chance to recharge. BetterQA professionals sometimes also use this time to catch up on industry news or the latest tools and techniques in quality assurance. Continuous learning is key in this ever-evolving field, and many of us take this opportunity to enhance our knowledge during breaks.
4. Afternoon: Collaboration & Problem Solving
Afternoons are typically spent in close collaboration with developers and other stakeholders. Our proactive approach to collaboration ensures that stakeholders are always informed and aligned on quality standards. What’s more important, through independent, transparent feedback, we reduce the risk of hidden defects being pushed through under deadline pressure. Some of our afternoon activities include:
- Working with Developers: QA professionals often work directly with developers to clarify issues, discuss possible fixes, or get insights on how specific features are built, helping them refine their test strategies.
- Retesting & Regression Testing: Once bugs are fixed, the QA team runs retests to confirm the fixes work as expected. They also conduct regression tests to ensure that new changes haven’t broken existing functionality.
- Exploratory Testing: This type of testing, which involves exploring the software without predefined test cases, helps uncover hidden issues by using the software in unexpected ways.
5. Late Afternoon: Reporting & Documentation
As the day winds down, QA professionals focus on documenting their work and reporting findings:
- Test reports: They compile reports that summarize the results of the day’s testing efforts—both successful tests and those that uncovered defects.
- Bug follow-up: QA professionals check the status of bugs they’ve logged, following up with developers if needed, and updating bug-tracking systems with any new information.
Planning for Tomorrow: Before wrapping up the day, QA professionals plan for the next day, whether that means preparing new test cases or coordinating with team members to ensure everything is ready for further testing.
6. End of the Day: Retrospective & Continuous Improvement
- Daily Reflection: Participate in retrospectives to reflect on the day’s work, identify challenges, and brainstorm improvements.
BetterQA Focus: Continuous improvement is a core principle at BetterQA. We don’t just refine our own processes but actively contribute to improving the overall development and testing workflows. This ensures that our clients’ products continue to improve in quality, iteration after iteration.
The importance of a well-thought QA schedule
For a professional working as a QA engineer, making sure to maintain a thoroughly planned daily schedule can make the difference between a wasted day and a productive one. Below we have an example of how the daily schedule of our QA engineers has proven fruitful:
In a healthcare project, early QA involvement allowed the team to identify potential integration issues during the design phase, before development began. This proactive approach helped them collaborate with developers to resolve the problems quickly, preventing critical failures later on. Such problems were fixed early on due to sticking to a rigorous QA schedule from strat to finish.
Finishing thoughts
A well-structured daily schedule is essential for the success of software projects. At BetterQA, our approach—focused on early involvement, thorough planning, and continuous collaboration—enables us to identify and resolve potential issues before they become costly. Our QA engineers follow a consistent schedule that prioritizes risk-based testing and ongoing improvement, helping clients save time and reduce costs. This approach ensures that every day contributes to delivering high-quality products.
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