Quality Assurance (QA) plays a crucial role in software development. Yet, even experienced teams make common QA mistakes that lead to poor software quality, increased costs, and frustrated users. The good news? Every mistake has a solution.
1. Skipping QA in the Early Stages: Why It’s a Costly Mistake & How to Fix It
The Mistake: Delaying QA Until Later Stages
One of the most common mistakes in software development is treating Quality Assurance (QA) as a final step rather than an integral part of the entire lifecycle. Many teams focus on coding first and push testing to the end of the development cycle, assuming that QA can catch and fix all defects just before release.
However, this approach leads to several problems:
- Expensive Bug Fixes – A defect found late in development can cost 10x to 100x more to fix compared to one caught during the requirements or design phase (IBM Research)
- Project Delays – Late-stage QA often results in rushed testing or last-minute bug fixes, pushing back the release date.
- Rework & Technical Debt – When issues aren’t caught early, they accumulate and require significant rework, making the codebase harder to maintain.
- Poor User Experience – Releasing a product with undetected bugs leads to usability issues, crashes, and negative customer feedback.
The Solution: Shift-Left Testing & Early QA Integration
To avoid these problems, software teams should adopt a shift-left testing approach. This means integrating QA as early as possible in the software development lifecycle (SDLC) rather than treating it as a separate phase.
How to Implement Shift-Left Testing:
Start Testing During the Requirements Phase
- Use static analysis and automated code reviews to identify potential issues before development begins.
- Involve QA engineers in requirement gathering to define clear, testable acceptance criteria.
Use Test-Driven Development (TDD)
- TDD is a development practice where developers write automated unit tests before writing the actual code.
- The cycle follows: Write a test → Run the test (it fails) → Write code → Run test (it passes) → Refactor.
- This ensures that every function or module is tested before it is deployed.
Adopt Behavior-Driven Development (BDD)
- BDD extends TDD by using human-readable test scenarios (often written in Gherkin syntax) to ensure collaboration between developers, testers, and product managers.
- Example of a BDD test scenario:
Given I am on the login page
When I enter valid credentials
Then I should be redirected to the dashboard- BDD improves communication and ensures that tests align with user expectations.
- Manual testing alone is insufficient for fast-paced development. Automating unit tests ensures that code changes don’t introduce new bugs.
- Developers should integrate unit testing frameworks into their Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines.
Recommended Tools for Early-Stage Testing
Using the right tools helps ensure QA is seamlessly integrated from the beginning:
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| JUnit | Unit testing for Java-based applications |
| Cucumber | BDD framework for writing human-readable test cases |
| Selenium | Automated browser testing for web applications |
| SonarQube | Static code analysis to catch early-stage defects |
| Postman | API testing to ensure backend stability |
Example: The Cost of Late QA vs. Early Testing
A 2017 study by the Cutter Consortium found that teams practicing shift-left testing reduced defect rates by 40% to 50%, while those relying on late-stage testing saw bug-fix costs increase exponentially.
Example Scenario:
- A banking app is under development. The QA team is only brought in after months of coding. They discover a security flaw in how transactions are handled.
- Fixing this issue now requires rewriting core transaction logic, delaying the launch and increasing development costs.
- Had the team followed TDD and security testing from day one, this flaw would have been caught before major development, saving time and money.
Skipping QA in the early stages is a costly mistake that leads to bugs, delays, and poor software quality. Implementing shift-left testing, TDD, and BDD ensures that defects are caught early, reducing costs and improving product reliability.
Are you testing early enough in your development cycle? If not, now is the time to shift-left.
2. Inadequate Test Coverage
The Mistake:
Relying only on manual testing or limited test scenarios can leave major defects undiscovered.
The Solution:
Use a combination of automated and manual testing to ensure comprehensive coverage. Prioritize writing tests for critical user journeys and edge cases.
Recommended Tools:
- TestRail (test case management)
- Katalon Studio (for automated testing)
- Postman (for API testing)
3. Lack of Performance and Load Testing
The Mistake:
Ignoring performance testing can lead to crashes and slow load times, especially under high user loads.
The Solution:
Integrate load and stress testing into your QA process to simulate real-world conditions before release.
Recommended Tools:
- JMeter (for performance testing)
- LoadRunner (for load testing)
- Gatling (for real-time user simulation)
4. Ignoring Security Testing
The Mistake:
Failing to test for security vulnerabilities leaves software exposed to breaches, data leaks, and compliance risks.
The Solution:
Perform regular security testing, including penetration testing and code analysis, to identify vulnerabilities before deployment.
Recommended Tools:
- OWASP ZAP (for security vulnerability scanning)
- Burp Suite (for penetration testing)
- SonarQube (for code quality and security analysis)
5. Not Testing Across Different Environments
The Mistake:
Testing only in one environment (e.g., local or staging) can lead to unexpected failures in production.
The Solution:
Test your software in multiple environments, including various devices, browsers, and operating systems. Use cloud-based testing platforms to cover diverse setups.
Recommended Tools:
- BrowserStack (for cross-browser testing)
- Sauce Labs (for cloud-based testing)
- LambdaTest (for mobile and web testing)
6. Poor Bug Reporting & Tracking
The Mistake:
Unclear, incomplete, or inconsistent bug reports slow down issue resolution and create confusion among developers.
The Solution:
Use a standardized bug report template with clear steps to reproduce, expected vs. actual results, and attached screenshots or logs.
Recommended Tools:
- Jira (for bug tracking and agile project management)
- Bugzilla (for open-source bug tracking)
- Redmine (for issue tracking)
7. Lack of Continuous Testing in CI/CD Pipelines
The Mistake:
Manually testing every release slows down development and increases the risk of missing defects.
The Solution:
Implement continuous testing within your CI/CD pipeline to automatically catch bugs in every deployment.
Recommended Tools:
- Jenkins (for CI/CD automation)
- GitHub Actions (for automated workflows)
- CircleCI (for continuous integration and deployment)
Avoiding these QA mistakes will significantly improve software quality, reduce development costs, and enhance user experience. By integrating early testing, automation, security checks, and performance monitoring, your team can release reliable, high-performing software.
Tony, a revered technical author and expert in software testing and quality assurance, has his roots in Texas. He embarked on his professional journey at Caltech, diving deep into Informatics. This laid a robust academic groundwork, further cultivating his analytical prowess and understanding of software testing and quality assurance principles.
Post-graduation, Tony’s career took flight at GE. As a Senior QA professional, he was integral in maintaining software system reliability and performance. His intricate strategies facilitated numerous project successes.
Craving new challenges, Tony then moved to eBay. Here, his ability to identify risks and execute effective testing processes ensured seamless user experiences. Subsequently, he joined Uber, ensuring the safety and reliability of the company’s software platforms through efficient testing frameworks.
Despite professional feats, Tony enjoys a grounded personal life in Texas, nurturing his two sons and indulging in local cultural events. As a technical author, his insightful writings have helped shape the industry, guiding countless professionals. Tony’s enduring dedication and expertise continue to influence software testing and quality assurance, marking him as a true pioneer in the field.
