Quality Assurance (QA) testing is vital to any commercial industry, and especially industries that are constantly developing and testing new products and prototypes. It allows companies to ensure their product meets quality standards and continuously improve processes and results. Streamlining operations with no impact on product quality often translates as cost savings. Product improvements make for satisfied and loyal customers, and can additionally attract new customers. It may even warrant a price increase due to product and service guarantees. In the end, a QA engineer benefits everyone.
Why is QA testing important?
QA engineering helps improve and regulate the process and standards around software development and maintenance, manufacturing, and other related functions. Companies implement QA testing to ensure that they are producing consistent, high-quality products. The process aligns product quality with the business plan, meets applicable guidance and specifications, and complies with regulations. This process helps keep product quality consistent and reveals any issues early on.
QA engineers use testing and other methods to identify inconsistencies and weaknesses in their products. They further use the information gathered and an analysis of the related processes to determine if updates or modifications may result in improved quality. This part of the process can help to identify failures and other problems before they occur and suggest solutions.
How can a QA engineer fit into your team?
A software QA engineer performs a wide range of functions, ensuring your products meet project specifications, comply with company policies and procedures, and conform to applicable regulations and standards, such as ISO. QA engineers may not be as visible as the rest of the development team; however, they play several vital roles:
- Develop and define testing strategies
- Ensure the specifications are met within the scope of work
- Assist with final installation and acceptance testing
- Provide objective oversight and review
- Ensure that the development process aligns with Company policy and procedures
QA engineers are typically involved throughout the manufacturing and development processes. Early in manufacturing, for example, they may test component parts to ensure that they meet specifications and quality standards and are otherwise suitable for use. A software QA engineer may review software planning and design documents, review code, schedule and coordinate periodic QA testing or oversight, develop and implement testing procedures, monitor and track feedback and QA outcomes for future improvement. QA engineers can also calculate risks, such as the risk of a certain occurrence during production or failure.
We often think of QA as a final step in the development process, but QA should occur throughout the process to be most effective. Strategising QA engineers at development milestones will help ensure the final product meets company standards, project specifications, and applicable regulations. QA engineers typically work independently of process engineers, giving them a different perspective. Many companies outsource this function and turn to TechTeamz for their QA staffing needs.
How can a QA engineer improve processes and development?
QA engineers are not only responsible for ensuring the product meets necessary specifications, regulations, and quality but are also responsible for continual improvement. QA continuous improvement includes analysing software requirements and the QA processes. These constant analyses and review of processes allow QA engineers to determine possible bottlenecks, failures, or other manufacturing risks before they occur and determine improvements to the process which reduce or eliminate such risks.
The amount and extent of changes required for process improvements through QA depend on the quality system’s product complexity level of development. Basically, product improvements and quality processes involve identifying all requirements and specifications, including regulations, which must be met. The QA engineer analyses the process to determine if there are any contradictory or imprecise constraints. Modifications to the manufacturing or QA processes can streamline it.
QA engineers constantly monitor the manufacturing and testing processes and always look for ways to improve. QA engineers use reliability, efficiency, security, maintainability, rate, testability, usability, and other pertinent measures, to determine quality and potential process improvements. QA engineers document these metrics as part of an overall quality management plan to avoid losing track over time.
Which industries are QA engineers typically used in?
QA engineers are useful in many industries to ensure project success. Several of the most common industries hiring QA engineers include:
- Semiconductors & microchips
- Electronics Engineering
- Software Industry
- Pharmaceutical Industry
- eCommerce Industries
- Manufacturing Industries
- Legal Industry
Every project can benefit from a QA engineer to help ensure that processes and procedures are carried out properly and that products and services meet expectations. Happy customers translate to repeat and word of mouth business. While the QA engineer helps to protect product quality, control cost, and to some extent even protect the safety of workers through proper process and procedures. Looking for a QA engineer for your next project? Tell TechTeamz the skills and specialisations that you need and we will find you the expert engineer you’re looking for.