Software QA focused on developers – and not the cloud

Remember the old saying, “Everyone is talking about the weather, but nobody is doing anything about it?” That’s pretty much the case when it comes to using the cloud as part of a software QA process.

In research conducted by SD Times in July, we asked, “At what stage is your company, or companies that you consult, using the cloud for software testing?” Very few respondents indicated that they use the cloud in this way:

At what stage is your company, or companies that you consult, using the cloud for software testing?

We are using the cloud for software testing on a routine basis 7.9%
We are experimenting with using the cloud for software testing 17.3%
We are studying the technology but have not started yet 26.7%
No plans to use the cloud for software testing 39.6%
Don’t know 8.4%

When it comes to software quality assurance, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas most of the time. Or to put it more clearly, the activity usually but not always is conducted by the organization’s employees:

Does your company outsource any of its software quality assurance or testing?

Yes, all of it 4.4%
Yes, some of it 26.6%
No, none of it 65.0%
Don’t know 3.9%

There’s no one favorite model about where testing lives. Is it part of the development group? Is it separate? Is it sometimes separate and sometimes integrated? The answers were surprisingly evenly split.

Does your organization have separate development and test teams?

All test and development teams are integrated 30.2%
All development teams and test/QA teams are separate 32.7%
Some development and test/QA teams are separate, some are integrated 34.6%
Don’t know 2.4%

Enterprise developers can’t simply throw the code over the metaphorical wall once it was completed and let other IT staff take complete responsibility for quality assurance – even after deployment.

We asked, “Who is responsible for internally-developed application performance testing and monitoring in your company?” with separate answers for prior to deployment and after deployment. The answers showed that developers still responsibility after deployment – and sysadmins were in the loop during the development process.

Who is responsible for internally-developed application performance testing and monitoring in your company?

Software/Application Developers prior to deployment 60.8%, after deployment 47.7%
Software/Application Development Management prior to deployment 52.8%, after deployment 53.8%
Testers prior to deployment 50.3%, after deployment 41.5%
Testing Management prior to deployment 48.7%, after deployment 38.5%
IT top management (development) (VP or above) prior to deployment 36.7%, after deployment 34.6%
Systems administrators prior to deployment 24.1%, after deployment 45.4%
Networking personnel prior to deployment 21.5%, after deployment 31.5%

When it comes to software quality assurance, one thing is for certain: We are all in it together.