My inspiration doesn't come from any particular app or digital product. It starts with small things in daily life. When we use various work tools, or even when we're eating dinner, we all expect things to work as they should. And when something doesn't go as expected, I immediately feel it's something that needs fixing.
This feeling made me realize how much I care about making sure everything functions correctly and efficiently. After studying Information Technology (IT) and becoming a QA Engineer, I became even more certain this was the right path. It’s a role that lets me be part of ensuring things meet expectations.
Hello, my name is Prite, and I've been a QA engineer at Seven Peaks Software for over three years. This article will explain what Quality Assurance really is and why our job means more than simply finding bugs.
Most people think the QA role is just about finding bugs, or acting as Quality Control (QC) by testing based on assigned tickets and reporting issues. But our job is actually much broader. Of course, a software tester's primary duties include things like:
But our work goes far beyond those basic duties. We need to plan the software testing strategy, design the testing approach, and guarantee the digital product’s overall quality. Our highest aim isn't just detecting bugs, but preventing them. We help ensure the delivery of high-quality digital products that users can trust and rely on.
In the new era of software development, Quality Assurance is no longer the final checkpoint waiting to detect faults. We are part of the development team right from the beginning. This is the Agile mindset, where QA performs continuous testing throughout the entire process. Here, we practice one thing called the "pre-work meeting." In this meeting, everyone responsible, including developers, QA engineers, and sometimes management or tech leads, joins to discuss and agree on all requirements or new features before development starts.
We review everything, both technical and non-technical. We ask questions, pinpoint potential risks, and discuss requirements. This is an example of shift-left testing, which allows us to check for problems and bugs even before development begins.
In the faster Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) process, the QA role becomes even more significant for using automation testing. This ensures that new code deployments do not break existing functionality and allows for quick updates. Fixing problems early helps reduce time spent going back to rework, saves software testing effort, and prevents delays later on. Ultimately, it saves the team time and energy.
Since our job is to guarantee quality, sometimes the most rewarding result isn't always measured in monetary terms. Instead, it's about creating a great and secure user experience. I still remember one of the most memorable times: when we received wonderful feedback from a client saying our efforts in developing and delivering the digital product had genuinely improved their quality of life.
Hearing directly from users that our work creates a real impact means so much to me. This continuously reinforces the value of my work, knowing that I am making a genuine difference for our users.
In addition to enhancing user experiences, security testing plays a vital role in our interconnected technological landscape. As QA Engineers, we focus on finding security loopholes in the software, such as penetration testing, to stop data loss and build user trust, a value that is hard to quantify financially.
In the Quality Assurance profession, as we gain more experience as a QA tester, the career path opens up significantly. We can grow into a QA Lead or a QA Manager to oversee teams and set broader strategy. Additionally, we can choose a more technical route, such as becoming an automation tester, a software tester who uses automated tools, which is a highly sought-after skill.
When we talk about growth, choosing your workplace is highly influential. In my view, the most important thing is not comparing which company is better than another. Instead, we must ask ourselves what we truly want and which company can provide those opportunities. As long as a company aligns with what I am looking for, where I work doesn't matter. For now, Seven Peaks is the place that gives me what I need and offers me the opportunity to continue growing and developing myself in the future.
In addition to the career path, another important aspect of this field is performance measurement. In Quality Assurance work, there are several metrics used to evaluate testing results, such as:
Other KPIs may also include reducing the overall number of errors or improving testing efficiency.
The QA engineer role in the software development process spans everything from manual to writing code for automation testing. However, in this new era, the responsibilities of Quality Assurance are no longer confined to just these two areas. We are beginning to incorporate AI tools to assist with tasks. Even with AI as a helping tool, the work still requires human QA engineers to supervise and take full accountability for all outcomes.
Coupled with an era where working from home and remote work have become the norm, many companies in the software industry, including Seven Peaks, offer QA testers the opportunity to work remotely. This is possible because most software testing does not require a physical location, as long as we have effective tools, systems, and strong team communication.
But no matter how far technology advances or where we choose to work, the essential element that keeps our QA performing at its peak is the team and the work culture. The reason I can do my best work at Seven Peaks is because of the continuous, effective communication we maintain within the team. This fosters a vibrant exchange of data, opinions, and diverse perspectives. All of this ties directly back to practices like the pre-work meeting we discussed, clearly demonstrating that open communication is the heart of building quality here.
At Seven Peaks Software, we value QA Engineers who have a mindset focused on problem prevention, strategic thinking, and collaborating with the developer team from the very start.
If you believe in building genuine quality, instead of just waiting to catch errors at the finish line, come and be part of our team. See our open QA positions and other job openings here.
Quality Assurance Engineer
Prite ensures accuracy and precision in every detail, ensuring all digital products function as users expect. He currently serves as a QA Engineer at Seven Peaks. Prite utilizes expert test strategy planning and team communication to deliver the highest quality work before it reaches the end-user. With over three years of experience, Prite is proficient in the Agile framework and champions a Shift-Left mindset, focusing on proactive issue prevention rather than downstream fixes.