In a previous post we discussed the perception that QA may be counting too much. Before we go deeper into that consideration, one of the other concerns is the reliability of the measurement. We define Reliability as getting the same result if the measurement is taken under the same conditions twice. Whether that result is correct is a different question but if the measurement is different when taken under the same conditions, it is not only invalid; it is also unreliable. This can cause real problems, as it has in some projects. Measurements taken by the vendor differed from the ones taken by the customer. Not surprisingly the vendor measurement showed less outstanding defects than the customer’s ‘equivalent’ measurement. It was eventually traced to one label used on only a few defects that was being excluded by an earlier filter on the vendor side. Once that condition was removed, the counts agreed.
Tag: Quality Assurance
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Count the ‘Bouncebacks’
“Bouncebacks’ is not a technical term in common use. In our usage here we are counting the number of times a defect (or issue) bounces back and forth between tester and developer (or other personnel). It is common for a defect to have a count of at least 2 and maybe 4 if some clarification is required. Here we are looking for defects or issues that are bouncing back and forth between development and testers too many times. One of our clients recently did this and then concentrated on the items that had high counts. Not surprisingly they discovered that the majority of the issues with high bounceback counts revolved around poorly written requirements. Instead of getting the requirement correct in the first place, the concept was being clarified by continuous back and forth communication late in the project with a high overhead and testing cost.
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Out of Ideas
What happens if you are out of ideas of what or how to improve?
Not surprisingly this has been considered by some of the pioneers of Quality Assurance. They understood that there was a limit to the number of ideas a person could generate. The recommendation was to change the composition of the group coming up with the solutions while retaining continuity. One recommendation was to change everyone except the group note-taker. There is nothing to prevent people coming back in a few years with new solutions to new problems (or suggesting them to the new group once they have had a chance to recharge). Giving a break can work wonders for creativity.
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No plan survives – Part 2
No plan survives contact with the enemy
An earlier post referenced the fact that the Quality Assurance and Business Plan need to be integrated to be successful. In addition, the last post made the comment that a Quality Assurance initiative can be derailed by passive or active resistance (as can all plans). The additional concern is that QA initiatives are small incremental long-term improvements. The ROI does not fit nicely into a financial quarter or even an annual plan. We also referenced the need to know the Stakeholders and their wishes to address them pre-emptively.
However, the key consideration is to ensure accurate and supportable measurements that can be used to demonstrate any successes and to start with small improvements to have demonstrable successes reasonably quickly. Then we build on those successes to make more changes that have more substantial impacts.
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National Software Testing and Quality Engineering Conference and TASSQ
National Software Testing and Quality Engineering Conference
The National Software Testing and Quality Engineering Conference is scheduled to take place on May 26, 2026, at the Delta Marriott in Downtown Toronto– 75 Lower Simcoe St, Toronto, ON M5J 3A6, Canada
This conference is specifically designed for experts in software testing, quality assurance, and quality engineering, and it aims to provide a thrilling new gathering tailored to their needs.
The field is currently experiencing a revolution with the introduction of AI, making this an ideal moment for professionals to take charge and stay ahead of the curve.
By attending this one-day event in May, participants will have the opportunity to network with industry pioneers who are shaping the future, as well as leverage the power of AI through interactive workshops.
TASSQ May 2026 Meeting
Presenter: Tina Fletcher [The Moving Target of Software Quality]
Location: Online – Zoom
When: Tuesday May 26, 2026
Networking 6:00 – 6:30
Presentation 6:30 p.m. (until 7:30 p.m.) EST
Cost: $20.00 (CAD)
Register at https://tassq.org/events. (Still coming)Presentation Abstract: When I started my career twenty years ago, software quality basically meant “no bugs,” and testing meant executing a finite set of cases. Since then, I’ve watched the concept evolve alongside significant shifts in technology and industry practices. Because these changes have been largely additive, we face an ever-expanding horizon of what “good” software looks like.
In this talk, I offer a definition of modern software quality that incorporates the many expectations accumulated from technological and process trends such as Agile, automated testing, cloud hosting, DevOps, and AI. Drawing on my own painful experiences with neglecting or misunderstanding the evolving dimensions of quality, I’ll share examples of what I’ve learned from them and what effective practices can look like.
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TASSQ and National Software Testing and Quality Engineering Conference
TASSQ April 2026 Meeting
Presenter: Ari Rowland [Future proofing yourself in the AI world]
Location: Online – Zoom
When: Tuesday April 28, 2026
Networking 6:00 – 6:30
Presentation 6:30 p.m. (until 7:30 p.m.) EST
Cost: $20.00 (CAD)
Register at https://tassq.org/events. (Still coming)Presentation Abstract: Will be coming
National Software Testing and Quality Engineering Conference
The National Software Testing and Quality Engineering Conference is scheduled to take place on May 26, 2026, at the Delta Marriott in Downtown Toronto– 75 Lower Simcoe St, Toronto, ON M5J 3A6, Canada
This conference is specifically designed for experts in software testing, quality assurance, and quality engineering, and it aims to provide a thrilling new gathering tailored to their needs.
The field is currently experiencing a revolution with the introduction of AI, making this an ideal moment for professionals to take charge and stay ahead of the curve.
By attending this one-day event in May, participants will have the opportunity to network with industry pioneers who are shaping the future, as well as leverage the power of AI through interactive workshops.
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Juggling multiple streams both from a testing POV
Multiple streams were necessary but the merging was not well organised.
In the last post we discussed the merger. It was rocky but eventually everyone had provided their input and we were into Integration and subsequent testing phases. Obviously, as is usual, some of the problems should have been caught earlier and there was a degree of rework which we could have avoided. Step’s 1 and 2 did reduce the rework quite a bit.
Step 3 blend all the streams together and test as one integrated whole. It took awhile but the testing progressed satisfactorily.
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TASSQ (Next Week) and National Software Testing and Quality Engineering Conference – May 2026
TASSQ March 2026 Meeting
Quality Assurance for Startups and Small Organisations
Presenter: Neil Price-Jones
Location: Online – Zoom
When: Tuesday March 31, 2026
Networking: 6:00 – 6:30
Presentation: 6:30 p.m. (until 7:30 p.m.) EST
Cost: $20.00 (CAD)
Register at https://tassq.org/events.Startups and Small Organisations need to consider the Customer Experience, Business Value and Adhere to Security and Compliance for their clients. They also need to consider making the project Scalable, make sure the users are involved and that they are Agile.
QA and QC can help with all of these items but they are frequently ignored until it is too late. Then when the product is released there is a scramble to make updates and release items without proper testing. Putting in QA earlier resolves these problems.
This webinar will address the benefits of QA for Startups and Small Organisations.
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National Software Testing and Quality Engineering Conference
The National Software Testing and Quality Engineering Conference is scheduled to take place on May 26, 2026, at the Delta Marriott in Downtown Toronto– 75 Lower Simcoe St, Toronto, ON M5J 3A6, Canada
This conference is specifically designed for experts in software testing, quality assurance, and quality engineering, and it aims to provide a thrilling new gathering tailored to their needs.
The field is currently experiencing a revolution with the introduction of AI, making this an ideal moment for professionals to take charge and stay ahead of the curve.
By attending this one-day event in May, participants will have the opportunity to network with industry pioneers who are shaping the future, as well as leverage the power of AI through interactive workshops.
Further information at: https://nationalsoftwaretestingconference.com/about/