The Top QA Trends of 2021 for Enterprises to Follow

 

top-software-testing-trends-of-2021

In the fast-evolving technological landscape of today, software applications perform a variety of activities and incorporate different technologies and frameworks. They are the reason behind customers leveraging the benefits of digital transformation. So, to ensure they perform to their optimum and deliver the expected outcomes, they should be subjected to rigorous and comprehensive QA software testing in the SDLC. Also, with Agile-DevOps becoming the de-facto methodology for enterprises to build quality applications in the quickest possible time, software quality assurance has assumed increased salience. Today, QA is not merely about finding bugs but has expanded in its scope or import. As a complex philosophy encompassing a wide range of objectives, any software testing company uses QA to evaluate a product idea, predict its behavioural outcomes, and analyze the opportunities and threats, among others.

Even though traditional methods of software quality assurance are in vogue, there is a need for the QA testing services to adapt to the latest software testing trends and stay one step ahead of the competitors. To achieve ‘quality at speed’ for software applications operating in an ecosystem comprising increasing complexity of devices, environments, and data, the latest quality testing trends in 2021 are as follows.

Top software testing trends to follow in 2021

2021 promises to be an ambitious year for enterprises after the pandemic-induced lockdown witnessed in 2020. Many of the trends have already emerged over the years and are likely to be consolidated this year.

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Testing

Both AI and ML are going to be the trendiest approaches and key drivers for the next industrial revolution. For most CIOs, AI and ML are the top investment priorities. According to the latest QA techniques, humans are likely to be replaced by software testing other software. There are tools to speed up the testing process and eliminate any human interface. The objective is to build software capable of testing and healing itself. In other words, AI can become more ‘aware’ and find more bugs when provided with more code samples.

As applications based on complex neural algorithms and networks become capable of predicting outcomes from complex data patterns, they need to be validated with proper use cases. With the worldwide revenues for AI expected to grow by 16.4% and touch $327.5 billion in 2021 and $327.5 billion by 2024 respectively, as per the data released by IDC, QA software testing needs to incorporate AI & ML to create improved bug detection algorithms.

Blockchain Testing

The usage of virtual currencies like bitcoin is increasing rapidly. As a nascent technology, blockchain has the potential to improve the security of financial transactions. Blockchain testing can enable smart contracts and improve the capability of systems for fraud detection. As per Marketsandmarkets, the worldwide blockchain market is likely to touch a whopping $39.7 billion by 2025. This promising technology working as a record-keeping database can be used in areas like supply chain management, shipping, food, and other industries.

It can be leveraged to enhance the security of financial transactions and make them failproof. If a recent PWC report is to be quoted, then about 77% of financial institutions are expected to embrace blockchain technology in their processes by 2020. These statistics highlight the growth of blockchain technology and that of blockchain testing in ensuring the applications run optimally.

Prioritizing Cybersecurity Testing

According to Cybersecurity Ventures, cybercrime is expected to cost the world more than $6 trillion annually from 2021. At the same time, the global security testing market is likely to reach $16.9 billion by 2025 at a CAGR of 22.3% (Source: Marketsandmarkets.) Given the growing usage of mobile and web applications for a variety of activities including conducting financial transactions, cybersecurity testing should be an integral part of the SDLC. It can help to secure confidential information such as credit and debit card details, social security numbers, and digital wallet details, from hackers. Also, ensuring cybersecurity has become a necessity for software quality assurance services given the stringent regulatory standards in place.

Internet of Things (IoT) Testing

The period 2021 – 2025 is expected to witness a growth in the global IoT market by $421.28 billion at a CAGR of 33% (Source: Reportlinker, a market research solution.) With smart connected devices having embedded software being used progressively in several areas including in driverless cars, drones, and smart homes, among others, their performance needs to be tested on predetermined metrics in real-time. IoT systems collect, process, and transmit data from various interconnected devices without users being aware of it. Also, manufacturers of such devices and software may overlook security concerns in their haste to add new features.

The inherent vulnerabilities of such systems can be a cause of concern given their critical usage in various sectors. For example, unsecured IoT devices can be used by threat actors to bring a large system like a power grid to a virtual halt thereby plunging a city or town into darkness. It is only through rigorous IoT devices testing that any vulnerability or susceptibility of an interconnected device (and software within) can be identified and remedied.

RPA Testing

As an extension of automation, Robotic Process Automation can be used for complex processes to complete rule-based activities. This technology has the potential to transform the workplace and execute most tasks that are currently being performed by automation tools. As per Globenewswire, the market size of RPA may reach $7.2 billion by 2025 at a CAGR of 32.6%. The technology can be used by any software testing company to replace regression and load testing thereby saving significant time, cost, and effort. RPA testing can be used to automate complex processes through an easy-to-use interface and has an increased role to play in improving healthcare services.

Conclusion

In a technology-driven global landscape, enterprises need to develop and deploy advanced software applications to deliver superior user experiences. However, it is only through stringent QA software testing that the performance of such applications can be assured at an optimal level. The latest software testing trends prove the omnipresence of complex software applications in operationalizing and sustaining the global digital ecosystem.

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James Daniel is a software Tech enthusiastic & works at Cigniti Technologies. I'm having a great understanding of today's software testing quality that yields strong results and always happy to create valuable content & share thoughts.

Article Source: https://community.nasscom.in


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