Software Quality Assurance - A new career option
IN TODAY'S highly competitive business environment one major factor that gives high client satisfaction and helps retention is the consistent delivery of high quality products and services. Quality is nothing but doing the right thing at the right time with the right people.
All major software organisations invest heavily in creating their own Quality Management System and regularly assess and audit the processes using various quality models like ISO and CMM/CMMI. They are now relying on the Software Quality Assurance to optimise their processes.
Software Quality Assurance (SQA) is a planned and systematic approach to quality evaluation and adherence to product standards, processes, and procedures. SQA includes the process of ensuring that standards and procedures are established and are followed throughout the software acquisition life cycle. Compliance with agreed-upon standards and procedures is evaluated through process monitoring, product evaluation, and audits. Software Quality Assurance provides teams and senior management with objective insight into processes and associated products. There are two main streams in SQA area. One category involves in-line tasks of a Quality Control nature such as Testing. The second category involves tasks of a Quality Assurance nature such as process consultation, reviews and audits. In other words, a software quality assurance analyst is the eyes and ears of the management and also the facilitator, trainer and reviewer for the project team.
Skills & Qualities
A SQA engineer focusses on quality control activities such as preparation of documentation (test plans), writing automated test cases, user test cases, completion and execution of the test cases, data and results collection. Organisations typically staff this role as a part of the delivery team and more often than not, more than one individual is required to service project needs. Career progression involves growing from junior tester to test manager.
Skills required in this role are:
Exposure to programming languages such as Java
Testing methodologies - unit, functional, regression, UI, load, performance, stress, integration and system testing
Testing frameworks and tools - JUnit, IBM XDE Tester, OptimizeIt, WAPT Stress tool, GFI LANGuard security scanner etc.
UML and ability to understand test requirements and traceability to test cases
A SQA engineer focussed on quality assurance activities is responsible for the performance of the overall SQA process spanning over project management, quality assurance and life cycle methods. This is an add-on responsibility to senior members of the project team or managed centrally through the QA department shared across projects. Career progression involves growing from junior process engineer to SBU head or portfolio manager of process consultants.
Typical skills required in this role are
Ability to convince, collaborate and manage relationships with project members
Assertiveness and influencing skills to drive actions and escalate issues/ risks
Command over quality models such as CMMi, ISO and ITIL
Excellent understanding of Life Cycle processes and Defect Management
Expertise in measurement, statistical tools, trends and analysis
Exposure to software engineering areas such as analysis, design, programming, maintenance and support
As organisations continue to scale and expand, the need for proactive models such as SQA has become all the more mandatory. The need for professionals who are focussed on Quality Assurance activities, is growing all the while. You will do well if you have long-term career objectives in the field, as career progression in the field is more attractive than ever before. This is an excellent option for individuals who have passion and zeal for excellence and want to make a positive difference in an organisation.
SUNIL JANGLE
faqs@cnkonline.com
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