Why software testing is important
Few can argue against the need for quality control when developing software. Late delivery or software defects can damage a brand’s reputation — leading to frustrated and lost customers. In extreme cases, a bug or defect can degrade interconnected systems or cause serious malfunctions.
Consider Nissan having to recall over 1 million cars due to a software defect in the airbag sensor detectors. Or a software bug that caused the failure of a $1.2 billion military satellite launch.(2) The numbers speak for themselves. Software failures in the US cost the economy $1.1 trillion in assets in 2016. What’s more, they impacted 4.4 billion customers.(3)
Though testing itself costs money, companies can save millions per year in development and support if they have a good testing technique and QA processes in place. Early software testing uncovers problems before a product goes to market. The sooner development teams receive test feedback, the sooner they can address issues such as:
Architectural flaws
Poor design decisions
Invalid or incorrect functionality
Security vulnerabilities
Scalability issues
When development leaves ample room for testing, it improves software reliability and high-quality applications are delivered with few errors. A system that meets or even exceeds customer expectations leads to potentially more sales and greater market share.