Essential QA in a CMS/Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) Implementation
Believe it or not, some people do not see value in the quality assurance (QA) process. For example, some may find it tedious and uncreative; the stakeholders may see it as an added cost with little to no return on investment. Like it or not, QA is a very important phase in the development lifecycle.
The idea of having an objective tester, who is not close to the development of the content, is crucial to success. They need to review functionality in an effective way to ensure that the code being delivered to the stakeholder is without bugs and functions per the requirements.
There are several benefits to QA in an Adobe Experience Manager implementation that will help your business succeed, make clients happy, earn new business, and make more money. Let’s take a look at some of these benefits and learn what the true advantages are of having a proper QA presence inside your development workflow.
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If the goal of your company is profitability, saving money should be a vital part of your business plan. Proper testing will save time reworking a component that the stakeholders found unsatisfactory. Since the tester is essentially the representative for the business, they will find bugs earlier in the development process to ensure that when the client does their testing, they can focus on content and long-term strategies rather than looking for bugs. This time saving helps limit the number of rework cases thus saving the stakeholders money.
As your team continues delivering bug-free components or content, you will build more trust and respect from the customer. This is an immeasurable benefit. When your client’s trust grows, so do the conversations they have with other, potential clients. The word-of-mouth reputation you will be building is going to help the bottom line greatly.
Another great advantage your organization will see from utilizing proper QA goes far beyond time and money. It perpetuates the flow of quality work and provides a foundation on which superior content can be delivered. If an organization places importance on delivering bug-free code to its clients, the rising tide will lift all boats. Showing you are only willing to deliver the best code possible encourages improvement across the organization.
Your QA specialist is not just someone who critiques the functionality of the code. They are the stakeholders representative inside the development team. There are some key characteristics a good tester will have. They need to have a good technical background to know how to use the technology being developed. They need to have excellent communication skills, to be able to verbalize issues found inside the usability of a component. A great attitude is a must, they need to be able to find the good inside of the work, not just the bad. Finally, attention to detail. Having an almost neurotic or obsessive commitment to testing all possible scenarios is paramount.
QA does not just mean, “does it work, and does it work well?” It also means, “does it work the way the business wants it to work, and does help achieve the final goal?” A tester is on the front lines for the business team, trenching through the agile waters, to help bring a top-notch product to market.
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