How to implement QA as a mobile app development agency?
Our vision on QA is to make sure the right product works the right way
As a mobile development studio, it’s important to test and make sure the apps we are developing for our clients are bug-free and compliant to the clients expectations.
Traditionally, QA (standing for Quality Assurance) is a task involved at the very end of the project, once the app is done — or almost done. The person is charge of the QA would be provided with a requirement document. The main task of the QA person is to reproduce use cases and check if the actual behaviour meets the expected behaviour. The QA person has to report bugs, crashes or anything which is not compliant with the quality standard of the final product.
QA shouldn’t be a punctual act, it should be an habit
At Samsao, the QA role is managed by the Product Owner of each project. For us, good QA should be conducted by someone involved in the project from the very beginning, by someone understanding all the stakes and challenges of the app. The Product Owner works closely with the development team, and he or she is the one writing the acceptance test cases of each feature. In other words, QA at Samsao is much more than executing use cases and reporting bugs.
As we are still a small-medium size team, the PO (Product Owner) is also the Project Manager from the client perspective. He or she is the one gathering all the input and feedback from the client to make the best app possible. The PO/PM does much more than talking to the client and attending meetings. He is the guardian of the quality of the app by understanding the needs of the clients, briefing the development team, ensuring high quality standard components in the app, testing, reporting, solving problems and updating the clients on the progress of the project.
QA at all levels
At Samsao, the PO is not the only one doing QA. At the technical level the developers conduct unit testing to make sure all the component of the app are functional. This process consist in individually and independently test units of source code to ensure proper operation. This process helps to ensure whether usage and operating procedures are fit for use. Developers can also do functional testing to ensure that the application behaves the way we want it to.
The client also plays a key role in testing. It’s also his responsibility to test the app and approve it to ensure it’s compliant to its needs and expectations. Most of the time, it is perfectly normal to have back and forth with the client to align visions. Mobile development as we see it is an iterative process in which client feedback and testing are necessary. It is also a way for the client to be involved in the development and understand what happens behind his product.
