SQA2 Case Studies: E-Learning
Overview
An e-learning company specializing in childhood development apps faced significant QA challenges. Their manual testing processes led to long regression cycles and high personnel costs. SQA² conducted a full QA assessment, identified inefficiencies, and implemented automation to improve quality and reduce testing time. This engagement resulted in more reliable releases, reduced manual testing efforts, and a long-term roadmap for building a world-class QA organization.
Project Background
The client operates in the e-learning space, developing applications for childhood development and learning. While they recognized the importance of QA, their approach was reactive and relied on adding more testers rather than optimizing processes. SQA² was chosen due to our expertise in evaluating QA organizations and delivering structured roadmaps for improvement. The client needed guidance on transitioning from a high-cost, manual-heavy QA approach to a more efficient, automated, and structured system.
Challenges
The client’s QA process presented several challenges:
- Long Regression Cycles: Testing their flagship product required multiple days and a large QA team.
- High Personnel Costs: Reliance on manual testing resulted in inflated costs.
- Lack of Automation: No automation framework existed, making testing slow and inconsistent.
- Inefficient Processes: There was no clear understanding of what processes were missing or redundant.
- Broad Feature Set: Multiple applications with varying requirements made standardization difficult.
- Deeply Embedded Inefficiencies: QA and development teams followed inconsistent processes across teams.
Solutions Implemented
SQA² addressed these challenges by implementing structured QA improvements:
- Comprehensive QA Audit: Conducted an E² assessment to identify inefficiencies and areas for improvement.
- Tailored QA Roadmap: Designed a structured plan to transition the organization from high-cost, manual testing to an optimized QA function.
- Automation Framework Development: Built an automation framework to cover web and mobile applications.
- Process Optimization: Shifted focus from pure quality control (QC) to QA 2.0, improving requirements quality, design quality, and process efficiency.
- Regression Testing Automation: Automated critical test paths, reducing regression cycles and improving test reliability.
- Issue Resolution in Automation: Identified and resolved technical barriers preventing test automation, such as an underlying CSS property affecting UI interactions.
Outcomes
The engagement with SQA² led to measurable improvements:
- Reduced Regression Testing Time: Automated testing reduced the manual effort required for each release.
- Improved Software Quality: Fewer defects made it to production, increasing product reliability.
- Long-Term QA Strategy: The structured roadmap provided a clear path to developing a mature QA organization.
- Sustained Impact: Years after the project, the automation framework and QA processes implemented by SQA² remain in use, continuously benefiting the client.
Client Feedback
The client acknowledged the lasting value of SQA²’s contributions. The automation framework and QA roadmap continued to support their quality initiatives years after implementation. The structured approach helped the client refine their QA processes while maintaining flexibility to adapt to evolving business needs.
Lessons Learned and Best Practices
- Investing in Automation Yields Long-Term Benefits: A well-structured automation framework reduces costs and improves efficiency over time.
- QA is More Than Just Testing: Shifting from QC to QA 2.0 ensures higher-quality software from the start.
- Right-Fit Solutions Matter: Tailoring processes to a company’s specific needs is more effective than applying generic best practices.
Contact Us
Looking to optimize your QA strategy and improve testing efficiency? SQA² specializes in structured QA roadmaps, automation frameworks, and process improvements to help businesses achieve high-quality software with reduced costs. Contact us today to learn more.
