The Software Quality Assurance Dilemma
by Bill Hayduk
The Need:

RAD development projects are being undertaken at an unprecedented rate. This iterative process of changing and adding to an application causes it to be more unstable than development projects in the past. And in response to increased global competition for goods and services along with operational disasters (see Kidder-Peabody, Barings and Daiwa Bank), companies are embracing two important and related concepts:
  1. Total Quality Management (TQM)
    - a concept that makes quality a responsibility to be shared by all people in an organization, with the achievement of quality control to be considered as an end in itself.
  2. Risk Management
    - determining the potential frequency of occurrence of a problem, the potential damage if the problem were to occur, and managing this risk.
These two concepts intersect with respect to the process of developing software applications. Companies want to assure that their customers (both internal and external) receive a quality product while assuring that the level of risk or exposure is kept to an acceptably low level. Wall Street is currently integrating systems to avoid having traders operate in relative technological isolation. Software Quality Assurance and Automated Testing provide both an increased level of quality and a decreased level of risk that are achieved through RAD test development and full regression testing of the application-under-test. How do companies provide this level of assurance without properly trained testing experts?

Current Solutions for Firms:
  1. Train current staff in Software Quality Assurance

    2. The inherent problem is twofold: the first is that companies are much leaner than in the past. Departments are much less willing to commit resources to testing. Second, companies try to automate testing without having a solid manual testing process in place and then utilize automated testing tools that are either not robust enough for the business needs or they meet the business needs but are too complex for end-users to learn in any acceptable time frame. Many firms spend upwards of $4,000 per employee in training classes and upwards of $5,000 per software license, only to have the package discarded and the testing left to the developers.

  2. Hire an automated testing consultant

    3. This is a current phenomenon that leaves companies feeling cheated. Many current "consultants" in the resource pool are, in reality, business people who have learned some basics about either the software testing tool at their current site or the basics of system testing, but are not equipped to analyze, design and implement a full testing methodology. There are also many pitfalls along the way which testers who do not have expert support will be aware of and many will fall into these traps which are inherent to automation. For instance:

    •  Testing does not begin with the automation process. Why do these consultants begin with it?

    •  Once automation begins, how maintainable are the scripts?

    •  How will all the files be stored?

    •  Which method is most effective for recording scripts?

    •  How do you handle defects and the defect elimination process flow?

    •  Which metrics should be utilized in analyzing exit criteria data?


    The "consultants" have been placed by consulting firms that have no in-house experts to support them and therefore no chance to succeed. This solution leaves firms upset with the software package and/or the consultant. The firms feel frustrated that the automated tool and the consultant did not produce the desired effects.

  3. RTTS’ Solution

    4. Develop a RAD testing group to take advantage of the explosion in the need for testers. Provide either a team of experts or individuals who can analyze an application, devise a suitable test plan, and deliver the expert level of quality needed by firms. Most companies do not want to develop their own QA Department nor do they have the time or resources to do so. RTTS can provide either a mobile team or individual Testers/QA Methodologists to achieve this for the length of the development and testing life cycle. Supported by a team of experts, these Testers/QA Methodologists are formally trained in a proven Testing Methodology and in automated testing solutions. RTTS is currently educating and training applicants in all aspects of its Formalized QA Methodology, which includes: The Testing Life Cycle A Uniform Approach to Software Testing Automated Testing Solutions in the Client/Server Environment

    The Players

    QA Engineers educated in all aspects of RTTS ‘s proven methodology will be available to fill the following needs:

    •  Project Manager- Leads team of testers. Analyzes testing environment, proposes Test Cycle workflow process, coordinates testing effort, oversees Defect Tracking Workflow.


    •  Business Analyst - Analyzes application-under-test, reverse engineers business rules , develops Test Scenarios and Test Plan.


    •  Automation Test Engineer - decomposes the application into a modular hierarchy, provides naming conventions, creates scripts for automated regression testing.

    The most important benefit that RTTS provides is QA consultants supported by a team of experts. RTTS provides constant support and training in the form of direction, analytical support, solutions on technical issues and all other testing challenges at no additional cost to the Client.
Conclusion: Why put your firm’s project at risk or produce an inferior product because of poor testing practices when you can have expert support ? RTTS has the solutions to your testing needs!!!