How the Pandemic Impacted Quality Assurance Testing

2020 delivered the most severe pandemic the world has experienced in modern history, forcing businesses across the globe to abruptly adapt in ways no one expected. With quarantines and shutdowns requiring immediate changes, companies scrambled to transition their operations and business methods to the digital space – and at a rate faster than anyone believed possible. Brick and mortar businesses were forced to move their shops online, conferences and sporting events were canceled, and as travel was suspended worldwide, companies flooded into Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and other virtual spaces in an effort to maintain connection and a semblance of business as usual

This shift impacted the way most of the world worked, and its effects likely change the way work is done into the foreseeable future. Some enterprise-class companies like Twitter, Facebook, and even Microsoft and Google have announced plans to keep work remote well into 2021 and even beyond.

Top software testing companies closely followed this evolution with a vested interest, quickly realizing that software testing services will be the linchpin in the success of this worldwide transition. As a record number of companies and organizations across the nation are driving business through the internet, quality assurance testing for software is critical to ensure accuracy, speed, and profitability.

The Pandemic Creates a Priority for Outsourcing QA Testing

The initial shock of the pandemic had companies tightening their purse strings, but as the crisis continued with no end in sight, and realization set in, they scrambled to adjust their business models and even expand into areas that they did not have experience. This shift – along with the urgency to meet new business objectives – expedited the willingness to consider and adopt outsourcing of QA and software testing services. The need to do so quickly became a priority and previous hesitations to spend the money was overcome by the need to maintain quality amid so much uncertainty.

“Outsourcing performs better during recessionary periods like today because cost quickly becomes a priority on company agendas. Cost efficiencies are created when employing lower-priced resources to assist with defined efforts. Additionally, bringing in strategic resources to assist with some internal initiative rather than attempting to grow that capability internally ultimately leads to cost savings.” —Gary James, President & CEO, QualityLogic

In a nutshell, companies in crisis could not afford to make mistakes. Those businesses that already employ software testing regularly were bolstering their services while companies new to the demand began outsourcing to software testing companies such as QualityLogic.

While QualityLogic works with a variety of different sectors, from broadcasting and eCommerce companies to health care and mobile app development, we have always maintained the same approach: to help our clients create and release quality software.

“Their entire team is professional, knowledgeable, and willing to go the extra mile—we consider them a partner. We rely on them heavily, and they’ve never let us down, so we find the project to be money well-spent.” Matt Dee, CTO, Direct Care Innovations

Integrating Remote QA Testing During a Crisis

As a third-party software testing company, QualityLogic is accustomed to working remotely with clients. It’s how our business has run for decades. While many companies rushed to adapt to a remote workforce, our company has spent years developing best practices and time-tested protocols that positioned our operational model as world-class, enabling QualityLogic and our clients to excel in the current environment.

By embedding our teams into the QA process, even though we are not working at our client’s physical locations, we are still integrated as a “remote” partner. That creates strong and lasting relationships, which are one of the most important aspects of our business and we work tirelessly to maintain them. Those relationships have enabled us to become experts at handling challenges that arise from providing remote QA resources at offsite locations across the nation and the world.

Currently, businesses are facing challenges from an unprecedented digital expansion – including both functional and user experience. It is crucial while working remotely to focus on maintaining the quality of the product function as well as monitoring behaviors within product integration for the user experience. Adaptability in the current environment is paramount to help ensure the quality of your ongoing output and how it is perceived by the end-user especially when your company is reliant on a remote workforce without the immediate feedback within the process.

Companies forced online during the shutdown may not be as familiar with a remote environment and are turning to the time-tested expertise of QualityLogic for working within these conditions. And while it might seem complicated for companies new to the process, they are learning quickly that the integration process can be seamless when two important factors are put in place:

1. Communication: Continuous and consistent communication is key to maintaining productivity and mitigating error. Everyone involved in the process must be up to date on the status of any project, not just daily, but by the minute. Effective strategies should include real-time communications tools for immediate project updates, questions, or feedback. Communication tools also provide a way for everyone to access changes, results, or reports online and in real-time.
2. Culture: While the feasibility of testing remotely may seem like the priority at hand, a healthy culture is the foundation of all business practices. The ability to create connections and nurture relationships is dependent on the ability of a team working remotely to align with the client’s corporate culture. QualityLogic makes alignment with the company processes, priorities, and values as important as integration into the technical aspects of the work.

Growth and Opportunity Still Requires QA Testing

The industries most severely affected by the pandemic were reliant on a physical location (e.g. restaurants, hotels, and retail business). However, those business models based on a SaaS (software as a service) platform, digital products, or a product/service that people continue to need regardless of the medium (e.g. home repair, online shopping, etc.), were typically stable and in many cases experiencing growth. Even so, companies like Zoom were initially overwhelmed with demand which forced them to adapt quickly and invest in unanticipated growth, but growth nonetheless.

Broadcasting, eCommerce, and streaming services all saw a significant surge in 2020. Additionally, because the pandemic is so dependent on the healthcare system, the world experienced remarkable growth in telehealth and pharmaceutical research and development. In terms of software testing, it is clear that as technology-based companies including education, finance, and healthcare continue to advance, QA software testing must grow along with them.

IBISWorld, a leading global industry research company, has indicated that the Software Testing Services industry is expected to experience moderate growth following the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic through 2025, with revenue rising at an annualized rate of 5.2% to $7.9 billion.

QA Testing Helps Ensure Success

The pandemic pushed the boundaries of business whereby the quality of software, websites, and other technology has become more important than ever. As more businesses choose to outsource their QA testing as a result of COVID-19, they can be confident in the fact that QualityLogic has spent decades building continuity within teams and technology to provide access, knowledge, and the resources required to be an effective and reliable partner especially in times of crisis like these.

Safeguard Your Brand with Software QA & Testing

Want to learn more about how our QA and testing services can safeguard your brand? Contact us to find out how we can improve the ROI of your QA.