Customers invariably look for excellent experiences offered by the software they use, which makes it unquestionably crucial for developers to support customer needs and build a great brand reputation. Quality being a primary attribute, developers must ensure the software is defect-proof and delivers the desired outcomes.
What are defects?
From the perspective of software development, a software defect refers to any deviation between the actual and expected result where the software works perfectly but doesn’t meet the user expectation (or a deviation from the software requirements specification). (Source: ISTQB)
Defects can be any error, fault, flaw, or failure in the computer program causing an unexpected or incorrect result. With applications’ changing nature and dynamics, the range of software defects has become more extensive.
What is root cause analysis?
Every issue has a root cause to it, and so does any software defect. Root cause analysis in software defect refers to the collective term that comprises multiple tools, techniques, processes, and approaches organizations utilize to identify the underlying cause of the software defect. This helps developers better understand why a particular issue crops up in the software and how the team can remediate the problem at its source.
The importance of root cause analysis
When executed efficiently, a Root Cause Analysis helps pinpoint any non-conforming element and provides the required data to prevent the issues from re-occurring. When enterprises perform RCA, they not only determine the what, how, and why of the problem, but the right analysis also outlines required improvements that teams need to incorporate to ensure that problems do not recur.
Some of the key benefits of RCA can be compiled as follows:
- Cost reduction
Multiple studies indicate that the cost of fixing defects in applications increases significantly in the later stages of the development process. Defects identified in the implementation stages might cost around five times more than they would in the design stage. These evidently impact the development costs and might also result in loss of customer faith in case the defects are discovered after the app is launched in the market and can cost the brand its reputation. Effective RCA can help companies avoid detrimental financial losses and win client trust. - Accelerated time to market
Identifying the root causes of any defect at the initial stages of app development helps to implement corrective actions appropriately, and thereby, subsequent releases of the product require lesser time in testing. Therefore, the products reach the market sooner with fewer issues, and as a result, companies can reduce the time to market and gain a competitive advantage. - Improved software quality
By enabling companies to identify the source of defects, the problem-solving process becomes more seamless, ensuring superior software quality. RCA enables companies to identify the current as well as future needs for the overall improvement of the software and the entire organizational systems. - Enhanced customer satisfaction
Flawlessly performing software is the key to retaining its users. As RCA helps to reduce the number of defects exponentially, it helps ensure optimal user experiences. Moreover, with efficient RCA, the potential defects in future releases can be controlled effectively too, which proves to be beneficial to companies in quality-critical industries where the safety and reliability of the software are critical.
Also read: What Running Test Automation Involves
How to execute root cause analysis?
Determining the root causes of defects and resolving them is crucial to eliminate the chances of the occurrence of defects. For efficient root cause analysis, companies require a structural and logical approach. Following are some of the primary steps for the process of performing and documenting RCA.
- Define defect or problem:
Prior to executing RCA, a team needs to identify and define the problem accurately. This can include addressing questions like
- what exactly happened
- the point in the process at which the problem occurred
- how often it has happened, the pattern of occurrence, how the issue was detected, and so on.
With all the information acquired, the team might look for further details to understand the problem better. The team must review the collected information and effectively define the problem based on the facts. - Collect data regarding defects:
It is imperative to precisely collect data regarding the defect that covers information on the impact, proof of defect, and how much time the defect existed if it’s a recurring defect. Often it is essential that teams communicate with customers or employees. Before identifying the root cause, one must analyze the defect entirely and gather all the data and evidence. - Identify the root cause of the defect:
Post collecting the data, the RCA team works toward identifying the primary cause of the defect. The team conducts a brainstorming session, focusing on the ‘why’ of the defect that occurred and accordingly identifying tools that best suit the requirements to lead to effective results. - Deploying the right corrective action:
Root Cause Corrective Action (RCCA) involves fixing or resolving the issues by determining the suitable measures and actions to eliminate the defect. The key focus should lie on eliminating the root cause of the problem or defect to avoid future recurrences.
It is vital for the team to identify the right tool for fixing the defects. Fixes provided by the support team are often temporary for the customer site where the issue is reported. As and when the fix is merged into an ongoing version, it is essential that the RCA team performs a proper impact analysis to ensure that no existing feature is broken. Further, an efficient workflow must be deployed to validate the fix and monitor the implemented solution to check if the solution is efficient. - Executing Root cause Preventive Action (RCPA):
Ongoing improvement and prevention of defects bring out the true value of root cause analysis. Determining the underlying cause of a problem, the RCA team offers recommendations that can pinpoint techniques to prevent similar issues in the same or other applications. RCA workflows are expected to deliver explicit guidance on how to prevent similar issues from re-occurring. These suggestions or root cause preventative actions involve diverse ongoing recommendations like improved documentation, netter team training or skill set enhancements, process changes, IT infrastructure improvements, and much more.
Conclusion
Software defects are almost unavoidable. Nonetheless, efficient RCA can help developers build flawless software products and deliver optimal experiences to customers. By enabling companies to identify the root causes of performance and functional issues of applications, HeadSpin makes it more seamless for software companies to ensure the high quality of the software and speed the time to market, leading to an overall enhancement of brand values and customer loyalty.
Article resource: This article was originally published on https://www.headspin.io/blog/importance-of-root-cause-analysis-in-software-testing
