{"id":3310,"date":"2020-12-24T13:18:21","date_gmt":"2020-12-24T13:18:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goodcore.co.uk\/blog\/?p=3310"},"modified":"2025-04-07T11:06:29","modified_gmt":"2025-04-07T11:06:29","slug":"importance-of-quality-assurance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goodcore.co.uk\/blog\/importance-of-quality-assurance\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Software Quality Assurance and Why is it important?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Making mistakes is a human phenomenon, but sometimes a small mistake or oversight can prove to be very costly. Like everything else, this holds true for<\/span> bespoke software development<\/span><\/a> too.<\/span> There can be flaws in a software product\u2019s design and code due to human error but when these mistakes go unidentified they compromise the software quality and result in undesirable and expensive consequences. This is what makes \u201csoftware quality\u201d so important.<\/span><\/p>\n

Software Quality refers to the ability of a software product to perform its expected functions in a safe and fault-free manner. Just like you evaluate the quality of fruits before purchasing them by checking their freshness, size and shape, the quality of a software system is evaluated through Quality Assurance (QA). This highlights the importance of quality assurance in software development but this is one of the many reasons why QA matters for software providers, product owners and users.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is software quality assurance?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Software quality assurance (SQA) is the process of ensuring that software meets specified quality standards and functions as intended. It involves systematic activities like planning, testing, monitoring, and improving software development processes to prevent defects and ensure reliability. SQA focuses on maintaining high standards throughout the development lifecycle to deliver a product that meets user requirements and performs effectively.<\/span><\/p>\n

Understanding the SQA Process: Basics of Software Quality Assurance<\/span><\/h2>\n

Starting from the basics, let\u2019s understand the process of quality assurance and other closely related concepts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why is quality assurance important in software development? Often quality assurance is understood as the process of conducting tests to identify bugs and errors in the code of the software product but that is not just what software quality assurance is. Testing is a part of the QA process and an important stage in the software development life cycle but quality assurance practices are not limited to the testing stage only. Similarly, QA is not equivalent to quality control either.<\/span><\/p>\n

Read also:<\/b> Software testing lifecycle – A complete guide<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

What is the difference between quality assurance, quality control and testing?<\/span><\/h3>\n

Quality assurance, quality control and testing are related but different concepts. Here\u2019s how they differ from each other.<\/span><\/p>\n

Testing<\/b> is the act of checking the software code and design to detect errors and flaws. There are different types of testing procedures such as Grey Box, <\/span>Black Box, and White Box testing<\/span><\/a> and they can be automated or conducted manually by the QA team to check the performance of a software\u2019s code and design. Testing can be conducted during the testing phase in the <\/span>software development life cycle<\/span><\/a> or throughout the development process.<\/span><\/p>\n

Quality Control<\/b> refers to the process of validating that the developed product corresponds to the requirements and specifications. It is conducted on a completed or near-completed product to ensure that all its features perform perfectly together.<\/span><\/p>\n

While testing focuses on errors in code and design, quality control focuses on verifying the quality of the product as a whole.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Quality Assurance<\/b>, on the other hand, is a broad term that encompasses both testing and quality control and focuses on the quality of the overall process of software development. It refers to the consistent improvement of processes to ensure better quality control. Unlike testing and QC, QA is involved at every stage of the development process. It makes sure that each step of the process (Requirement gathering and analysis, planning, designing, coding and development, testing, and launch) is performed right so that quality is maintained throughout the project lifecycle.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The illustration below correctly depicts the concept of all three in relation to each other.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"QA,
QA, QC, and Testing in Software Development<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What are the principles of Software Quality Assurance?<\/span><\/h2>\n

The principles of software quality assurance (SQA) are foundational guidelines aimed at ensuring the development and delivery of high-quality software. They establish a structured approach to prevent defects, ensure compliance with standards, and meet customer needs. The principles of SQA include:<\/span><\/p>\n