Katalon recently published a report called the State of Software Quality Report 2024. This report provides helpful information about what's happening in the software industry. It's based on a survey of 3,800 people from around the world who work in this field and interviews with 14 experts, including someone named Gaston Marichal from the qualified team. The report tells us about the current state of software quality and advises people and companies who want to improve how they work.
The State of Software Quality Report 2024 found some important things about how software quality is handled now. Let's take a closer look at the report's most critical findings.
Automated tests are the best way for QA professionals to work. They save time and make testing more accurate and reliable.
Behaviour-driven development (BDD) is also seen as very effective. It means developers, testers, and others work together to ensure everyone understands what needs to be done and how to test it.
Another good way of working is test-driven development (TDD). It's used less, but it helps ensure high-quality code and that all program parts are tested immediately.
Many people in the survey said they need more time. Half (48%) mentioned that having enough time makes it hard to make good software. This shows that we must find better ways to test and manage time.
Automated tests are excellent, but setting them up and running them can be challenging. Many companies need help getting started with automation, connecting it to everything else, and ensuring it keeps working well. This can take a lot of time and effort.
Frequent changes in what is needed are another big challenge. Agile development is suitable for being flexible and often changes priorities and goals, making it hard for QA teams to keep up.
There aren't enough skilled QA professionals, which is a big problem. As the need for good software grows, so does the need for good testers. But it's hard for many companies to find and keep these skilled workers.
Using artificial intelligence (AI) in QA is still uncommon, especially among experienced professionals. They prefer old methods and are hesitant to try new technologies.
People also said that not having good and reliable AI tools is a big problem. The AI tools available now may not work well for QA teams, making them hesitant to use them.
Another problem is that many QA professionals need to gain the training or skills to use AI tools effectively, making it difficult for them to integrate AI into their work.
Security and privacy worries make using AI harder. Since AI tools often deal with sensitive data, keeping them secure and following privacy rules is very important and challenging.
Even with current problems, the future of AI in software testing looks good. Since 2022, more people have used AI for test cases, scripts, and data generation. For example, AI use for test cases and script generation went from 35% to 37%, and for test data generation, it went from 32% to 36%. This shows a steady increase in using AI for QA tasks.
New technologies are changing how software is made and tested. Innovations like blockchain, the Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced data analytics bring new tools and methods to improve software quality significantly.
The industry is seeing many new testing tools and methods. New solutions, like advanced automated testing platforms and AI-powered analytics tools, are being created to help QA teams. These innovations are making testing more efficient and effective.
Managing time well is essential to addressing the need for more time in testing. Prioritising tasks, agile methods, and good planning tools can help QA teams use their time more effectively.
Using automated tests effectively requires a good plan. Starting with simple things, picking the right tools, and slowly doing more can help organisations use automation effectively.
QA teams must be flexible and adapt to changes that are required. Talking often with the people involved, having plans that can change, and getting feedback regularly are essential to stay on the right path.
Companies must train and help them grow to meet the need for more skilled QA workers. To keep talented people, they can offer training programs, certifications, and chances to advance their careers.
Continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD) can improve software. It helps test and put out updates often, so problems are found and fixed early.
Working together with developers, testers, and others improves testing. When everyone shares their ideas, testing matches the business's needs, and we find more problems.
Because keeping data safe is more important than ever, QA teams must focus on security and privacy when testing. This means testing for security regularly and being aware of new ways data might be at risk.
Having skilled QA professionals is essential for making good software. When they keep learning and growing, companies meet their quality goals. Keeping QA teams getting better is critical to maintaining quality.
The State of Software Quality Report 2024 advises on improving software. Some essential tips are using best practices like CI/CD, working together more, using AI tools, and helping workers improve with targeted training.
The landscape of software development is constantly changing, driven by new technologies and approaches. Therefore, it is essential to prioritize and maintain high standards of software quality.