If you are looking forward to scaling up your business and interested in knowing how to utilize resources for steady growth, then you are on the right page. As every entrepreneur wants to see their business growth, and if the change is constant, it’s like a dream come true for them. But the reality is quite challenging. You know the main hurdle is that people are not aware of using resources to ensure growth in their firm. Though things can be real tricky and quite challenging at times but if you get it all right, you can surely gain immense growth in your business.
As many times, developers try their level best at testers, unhelpful drag on developing new codes that fail to give clear details. Equally, testers view developers with a lot of irritations for failing because of testing codes. That’s why Gap analysis is especially beneficial for both devs and testers.
If you face the same problem, you have to conduct a gap analysis for the same. The gap analysis theory is also applicable for testing as well. That’s why in this article, we will inform you about the gap analysis theory. Along with this, there is a need to check gap analysis. Here you will know about gap analysis testing, how it works with the help of an example, and how the future of testing will impact gap analysis. Many of you want to know about the QA gap analysis. That’s why we consider it. So your problem will rectify easily and quickly. This complete guide on gap analysis will help you tread on the right path.
What is QA Gap Analysis?
It means analyzing the space between two states of the company system. There are two types of systems: the present system state and the other is the future system state. For understanding the future state, you have to think about the whole process of QA. That’s why the quality assurance team helps to bring the system to its optimum condition. This state is known as the expected system state.
The expected system sate is the height we want our product to reach. At the same time, the current state of the system tells us where we are.
To reach the expected state, every business person has to cover the space between the two states. In Gap analysis, this “Gap” has been considered. For example, in the current testing phase, you are developing 20 bugs. But in reality, the common bug is less than five in number. Therefore, Gap analysis is the assessment that we perform to check the difference between the real and expected state. Here, we have to check if some feature is missing or any unclear requirement, etc. Apart from this, why is there a need for gap analysis? We have to find this for our business growth.
The most crucial reason for performing gap analysis is to optimize resources. Even you can increase your tasks’ overall efficiency by making a gap analysis part of your workflow. Apart from these, there is another reason to find specific areas where you have to improve. These are the areas:
- Improve testing team performance- Firstly, you have to improve your testing team performance. You have to identify the problematic areas and fix them accordingly.
- Breaking down: You have to break down the problems into manageable steps. It seems quite simple, but dissembling problems can be Overwhelming. In that situation, you have to follow the QA Gap analysis. It will help to guide teams to the right steps and assists in completing the testing cycle quickly.
Suppose you don’t have any issues with the system. It doesn’t mean your performance has any scope of improvement. It doesn’t matter what you have the plan to aim for steady progress. That’s why gap analysis focuses on various aspects of performance. The first attribute consists of productivity, employee competency, and performance level.
How does QA Gap Analysis work?
Now you will understand what the Gap analysis is and why there is a need to perform QA Gap analysis. Let’s move further; how does it work? It is also an essential aspect to understand. Here are the steps:
- Identify problematic areas and Goals: Let suppose you have made an output target. But because of some reason, your team is unable to complete it. Now, what will you do? The best solution is to ignore all the causes that lead to not meeting your target. The leading cause may be because of subsequent change requests. So, when you find the cause of the problem, then only you will find a solution to get rid of that obstacle.
- Decide an Expected State of the System: After identifying problems, and everything works according to plan. Now you have to decide the expected state of the system. Does it mean where you want to expect your company to be?. Or, you can say that, what do you see as a future state of the company?. So you have to decide on an ideal future state for your firm. In the case of QA, you are establishing new principles like reusing test cases and managing test data. This step will help your company in the long run.
- Analyzing Present State: If you focus on the individual causes, you will not reach your goal. Suppose there is a gap in your team automation training? Is there any problem with the availability of test data or automation tools? The correct answer to this question will help you to close current gaps and also prevent future gaps.
- Compare the Present State and Ideal State: For this, you have to measure how far your team is from the original goal. For example, if your team sets to plan right testing eight modules per day. But at last, they managed to test only six modules. So after comparing both states, you have to quantify and act accordingly.
- Make a plan to remove Gaps: Now, you have to do some damage control. So you have to work and make a plan to fix all inefficiencies. Suppose there is any problem while gathering requirements, you have to discuss with a business analyst and decide to fix it. At this time, you have to include your entire team while creating a plan.
After knowing QA works, let’s see how by analyzing gaps, you can solve your testing problems.
What are the Main Issues?
There are some issues with gap analysis? It is related to the fact that it will not tell you which code is being considered in the codebase. Many developers add new codes for the future, but it cannot suits since they are inactive. Therefore it will result in code that shows up as a new, untested code. Along with this, many types of codes contain blocks of old and unused codes. It should be cleaned usually, but again it will destroy the gap analysis.
Another reason is that the code is tested, doesn’t mean that the code is bug-free. Even some of the worst bugs are small changes that may lead to improper function or failure to create code. So it is crucial to keep doing both types of testing so that you can identify the areas in your existing codebase that are to be adequately tested.
How Gap Analysis Addresses Testing Shortcomings?
As mentioned above, testing is the most critical aspect of a company. In some cases, it is considered underrated. Here you will know about how gap analysis addresses testing shortcomings. These are some essential points to be considered while testing.
- Try to avoid missing chances for Testing: Often, the code changes are complicated and not easily visible to you. Suppose, what if your developer demands a new code for a change? If the tester is not aware of where exactly the difference is considered? For this, QA Gap analysis helps you. It allows testers to see the code changes. To efficiently work on them, keep updated all the documents by your team, everything that is happening related to code. By doing this, the chances of missing will be reduced.
- Generate Enhanced Test Reports: As mentioned earlier, the gap analysis helps testers find and test all code changes. This is important in the team where constant change requests are coming. That the team will easily handle this type of change. Therefore your testing team has to focus on these and generate better and useful test reports.
- Identify Errors before Delivery: To rectify software systems, you have to adapt to changing requirements accordingly. As we all know that, in agile developments, there are going to be a lot of changes in the code. Sometimes, continuous changes also give rise to regression errors in that source. Even recent changes also contribute to the majority of errors. Therefore, QA gap analysis is combined with all efficient testing, which helps the testing team find these mistakes before the production process.
- Try to avoid Hotfixes after release: Many times, software releases with some unaddressed or unrecognized bugs. While detecting bug after the release, it becomes crucial to fix that bug. Along with the setting, you have to release an updated version too. This will also curb the effects of release to significant exposure. But in the case of gap analysis, testers and developers have to work together. To find out the leading cause of problems and reducing communication gaps as well. It will result in eliminating the need for hotfixes.
How Artificial Intelligence Impacts Future Gap Analysis?
As we all know that machine learning and robotics are the latest trends. Artificial Intelligence has a significant impact on developments, along with testing also. But the question is how Artificial Intelligence helps in the gap analysis?
In QA, Artificial Intelligence has its importance. It will help in analyzing test data, test cases, and problems. After completion of the analyzing process, Artificial Intelligence helps to find patterns in the errors. Let us understand it by example: If you are a soccer team coach, and you are highly disappointed by your team performance as it lost six or seven consecutive matches. Now, what will you do?
- You will try to watch the recordings of all the matches.
- Then, you will find your team weaknesses, where are they lacking? In defense, attack, or goalkeeping, where is the problem?
- If you identify that your team is losing because of defense in most of the matches. So here you find the “Gap.”
Artificial Intelligence also works in the same manner. It helps to find out patterns among the repetitive problems. And form there only it identifies the main reason. Therefore Artificial Intelligence helps with gap analysis, along with other QA issues and shortcomings.
In many cases, firms focus on future risks that can turn out to be harmful to business. But we have to face it anyhow. Sometimes there is a need to focus on the present state of affairs, and we have to take action today only as you can’t be careless while taking actions for your company. The gap analysis helps the teams to concentrate on today and now only. In other words, we can say that gap analysis allows you to examine your current scenario. Since once you identify it, you can align the current state with your company goals and targets.
Conclusion
So we will conclude it by saying that gap analysis has a significant role in the firm’s smooth functioning as it is expected that fewer human errors and excellent output. Even the robust process also enables all the completion of tasks in a faster and effective manner. It will increase investment. It just likes finding a golden goose for a company owner. So make QA gap analysis with the help of Amplework. It is mandatory as a part of your testing process, and get away from all shortcomings that you are facing in your company’s growth. Now there is no barrier to growth and your company.
