What is quality assurance on a web?
Quality assurance or QA for short, is a proof that a product has been reviewed. In the IT sector, by products developers often imply websites and web applications. The QA involves an ample amount of tests of the web design and the processes that have been implemented during the development cycle. The process involved in basically any QA procedure is designed to discover issues with the design, as well as point out development errors when testing the user interface of a product. Lastly, the process also helps you understand and gauge user experience.
The Scope of the Test
It is important to note that QA of a website cannot be tested 100%. This is due to the different testing variables used during the web development. Some of the variables include internet connection speed, non-desktop devices, and operating systems. The work of a QA Engineer is to ensure that the product used was successful in 99% of the cases. Applications used by customers to access products available on the web may have their limitations and its virtually impossible to cover everything at once.
Cross Platform Check
To accomplish a cross-platform check, various devices, browsers, and systems have to be used during the testing process. This will ensure the product is convenient to as many users as possible. If these combinations are thoroughly tested, then the QA Engineer will be confident that vital parts of the product are working as expected, even in when the number of simultaneous users access is high.
Outdated Device Check
Moreover, the QA procedure involves testing the app or site on older devices or outdated browsers. Due to end users preferences, some of the oldest browsers are also used to check current products in the market as the majority of people usually don’t bother to update. A site that looks perfect in browsers that are currently used may not look that great in older versions of the viewer. The work of QA is to check out for these rough spots and report an incompatibility. The only way to ensure that the product performs as expected is by using every available tool to find out their online interaction. In this case, virtual machines can come in handy as they can emulate the environment.
Final Notes
For any product, the QA process is very important as it secures the most pleasant experience possible. The time to check everything might prolong the development cycle, but it will be beneficial in the long run.