Quality and testing

What is Quality?

The Quality Processes

Before we get into quality assurance, we need to have a clear understanding of what is quality.

All projects have one or more objectives. The objectives are translated into requirements. Requirements could be functional or non functional.

Quality is the degree to which the end product meets the customer or user requirements.

What is Testing?

Testing is a set of activities to find defects in the end product. It is a process which helps to measure the divergence of the end product from the agreed requirements.

A defect is a finding where the end product does not follow a specific requirement.

Testing has evolved with time. Testing activities, tools and techniques have been defined based on the type of requirement. In order to find more defects in less time, the testing process and methodology continues to improve with new experiences.

History

The Indus Valley Civilization

Quality and testing have been prevalent in one form or the other right from the ancient history of mankind. If this was not true, we would not be able to see quality examples of application of  architecture, books, science, social principles and medicine even today.

Quality in Manufacturing

Application

The principles of quality and testing are being applied to projects in almost every field that we can think of - Software, construction, manufacturing, government, defense, medical sciences and retail. Interestingly, one can apply these principles even in the area of spirituality to measure one's progress on this path.