Best Practices For QA Testing

Quality Assurance (QA) testing is like the secret ingredient behind every successful software application. It’s the process that ensures your software isn’t just functional but reliable, efficient, and ready to deliver a smooth experience to users.

QA testing is essential for identifying issues early and ensuring the app functions seamlessly across devices and browsers, building software that users can rely on.

But it’s not just about finding faults—it’s about building confidence in your product. For SaaS companies, where performance can make or break user retention, QA testing isn’t optional. It’s the key to meeting user expectations and delivering the reliable features they rely on daily.

From crafting thoughtful test plans to integrating innovative testing tools, there are plenty of ways to optimize your QA process.

This blog takes you through best practices that help uncover potential issues early, improve software performance, and ensure every user interaction runs smoothly. Read on!

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What is Quality Assurance (QA) Testing?

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Quality Assurance (QA) testing is a process used to ensure that software functions as expected, meets user needs, and is free from critical defects. It’s like giving your product a health check before it reaches your customers. QA testing isn’t just about finding bugs—it’s about ensuring quality across the board, from performance to usability.

Unlike debugging, which fixes issues after they crop up, QA testing works deliberately. It happens throughout the software development lifecycle (SDLC) to catch problems early on. Taking this method lets development teams save time and resources.

For SaaS companies, QA testing holds even greater importance.

The software you deploy is often in constant use, and even the smallest bug can result in downtime, unhappy customers, or lost revenue. Think about features such as payment gateways or client dashboards—QA testing ensures these elements perform reliably under all conditions.

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The Key Elements of QA Testing

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QA testing revolves around a few core components that keep everything on track:

• Test planning: This is where goals are outlined. What needs to be tested? Under what conditions? Clear, actionable plans set the stage for successful QA processes.
• Test execution: Here, test cases are run, and results are captured. This phase identifies any weaknesses that require fixing before a product’s release.
• Test automation: For repetitive tasks, automation tools are often used. This saves time and ensures more thorough testing across different environments.
• Feedback and iteration: QA doesn’t stop after one round. Continuous review and updates based on testing outcomes drive ongoing product improvement.

The combination of these elements creates a system capable of delivering trustworthy, efficient, and user-friendly software.

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Why QA Testing Matters

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QA testing boosts customer trust. Users notice when your software runs smoothly. They also notice when it doesn’t. For SaaS businesses tied to subscription models, keeping customers happy isn’t just an option—it’s vital.

QA also drives efficiency. Catching issues early avoids expensive last-minute firefighting. Over time, it creates a culture of improvement where developers anticipate problems before they come up.

Understanding QA testing is more than just understanding its definition. It’s realizing its role in building products that customers can rely on and love to use.

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12 Ways to Perform QA Testing to Improve Software

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1- Automate Regression Testing

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Regression testing ensures that new updates, features, or fixes don’t break existing functionality. But as your product grows and evolves, manually re-checking everything every time something changes quickly becomes overwhelming.

Here’s where automation steps in to save the day.

Automated regression testing allows you to run repetitive tasks, like verifying login credentials across multiple devices, without human intervention.

Saving time is only part of the equation—it’s also about increasing accuracy. While humans excel at many things, spotting every tiny detail in repetitive tasks isn’t one of them. Machines, however, will methodically test your software with zero shortcuts.

Imagine rolling out a feature update designed to simplify a customer’s experience, only to find it caused payment or dashboard errors elsewhere.

The cost? Lost trust and possibly some users. Automating regression tests minimizes this risk by catching these issues early in the development cycle.

For SaaS-based products, where updates are frequent and users expect reliability, automation is critical. It allows testing to integrate seamlessly into your development pipeline, especially when paired with continuous integration tools like Jenkins or GitLab CI/CD.

Essentially, every new change undergoes a thorough test—so your team ships confident, glitch-free updates.

Getting started doesn’t have to be complicated.

Begin by identifying the high-risk areas of your software—those core features that users rely on daily. These could include sign-ups, data imports, or reporting features. Once identified, design automated test scripts specifically for these zones.

Choose reliable tools for this process, such as Selenium, TestNG, or Playwright. Most tools also allow you to simulate different environments, so your team can feel confident that the features work across browsers, devices, and operating systems.

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2- Conduct Risk-Based Testing

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Risk-based testing is a strategic approach to QA testing that focuses on prioritizing areas of the software that are most likely to fail or cause significant issues if they do. Focusing on testing high-risk components first helps teams identify critical bugs early and ensures the most important features function as expected.

This type of testing doesn’t treat all parts of your software equally—and that’s a good thing. Not every part of an application carries the same weight.

For example, in a SaaS platform, a malfunction in the billing system is far more critical than a minor typo in an instructional tooltip. Risk-based testing ensures that your team directs its attention to what truly matters for your users and business goals.

To start, you’ll identify high-risk areas through a combination of user feedback, past incidents, and technical insights.

Consider factors like the feature’s complexity, frequency of use, or potential impact on end users. For instance, if your SaaS involves large-scale data management, areas dealing with data security, backups, and retrieval should be at the top of your list. After identifying these critical zones, define test cases that specifically address potential vulnerabilities.

Risk-based testing helps teams work smarter, not harder. Instead of spreading time and resources too thin, the effort is placed where it has the most value.

A targeted approach to QA testing increases product reliability, avoids unnecessary delays, and showcases a strong commitment to delivering the best user experience.

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3- Use Continuous Integration

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Continuous integration ensures that code changes, no matter how frequent, are continuously merged into the shared repository and tested automatically. Identifying and addressing bugs or integration issues early helps prevent them from accumulating over time.

Integrating CI into your QA workflow saves countless hours.

Instead of waiting weeks between testing sprints, developers can run automated tests every time code is updated. This rapid feedback loop not only speeds up the development cycle but also boosts overall code quality by spotting issues almost instantly. Picture it like running a health monitor for your software—keeping it in check with every heartbeat.

Implementing CI requires pairing it with robust automation tools. Frameworks like Jenkins, CircleCI, or GitHub Actions allow testing scripts to run each time a developer commits a change.

Main functionalities, APIs, and even edge cases can be included in this testing process, ensuring nothing is overlooked.

One of the greatest benefits of CI is how it encourages collaboration across teams. Frequent integrations centralize code, ensuring that the entire team, from front-end developers to QA testers, works in sync. Costly surprises from late-discovered issues, after features go live, are avoided.

Using CI in QA testing isn't just about maintaining fast workflows—it’s about delivering great user experiences. It ensures your product evolves seamlessly while staying reliable, building trust with your users at every step.

Whether you're scaling up or introducing small tweaks, CI keeps your software dependable and your team focused on solving bigger challenges.

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4- Integrate Real Device Testing

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While emulators and simulators have their place, they’re no substitute for testing on an actual physical device. Real devices demonstrate how your application behaves under authentic environmental factors such as varying network conditions, specific operating systems, or hardware quirks that emulators can't replicate.

When testing on real devices, it’s critical to consider diversity.

Ensure access to a wide range of devices—different manufacturers, models, and OS versions—because an app that runs flawlessly on the latest flagship smartphone might encounter hiccups on an older device. This breadth of testing eliminates compatibility blind spots and improves overall user satisfaction.

The logistics of real device testing can seem overwhelming, but modern solutions such as cloud-based device farms help streamline the process. These platforms provide teams with remote access to a plethora of real devices, negating the need to physically purchase and maintain an exhaustive inventory.

Real device testing uncovers latent issues that might escape simulated environments, like battery drain, touch responsiveness, or performance over time. For instance, if a key feature lags under low battery conditions, finding that problem before release can save users from frustration and your support team from a flood of tickets.

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5- Prioritize Exploratory Testing

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Exploratory testing is an essential part of any QA testing strategy. Unlike pre-scripted tests, it involves testers actively engaging with the software in a freeform manner, using their insight and creativity to uncover potential issues.

Prioritizing exploratory testing allows QA teams to uncover edge cases, usability issues, and unexpected behaviors that automated tests often overlook.

The beauty of exploratory testing lies in its unpredictability. Instead of sticking to a fixed path, testers think like actual users. For instance, they might test workflows by clicking around intuitively, trying to bypass intended behaviors, or simulating real-life scenarios.

This approach is particularly powerful in SaaS products where user behavior often varies widely. It highlights issues such as confusing navigation, incomplete error messages, or unresponsive features that affect user satisfaction.

One way to make exploratory testing even more impactful is by incorporating session-based techniques. Here, the team assing specific time slots to focus on particular areas of the software. During these sessions, testers document their findings in real-time, enabling a structured but flexible testing experience.

Exploratory testing isn’t just about breaking the software—it’s about experiencing it the way real users do. By emphasizing this method in QA, teams can uncover insights that might otherwise require weeks of user feedback post-release.

And the bonus? It often results in a more intuitive, user-friendly product because issues are dealt with before customers experience them firsthand.

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6- Write Clear Test Cases

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Test cases minimize confusion, avoid rework, and ensure consistency across testing phases. Without clarity, even the simplest tests can devolve into missteps, creating delays and missed issues.

To start, a good test case has to be specific and thorough. Instead of something vague like “Check login functionality,” specify conditions like “Ensure the login form accepts valid username and password combinations and navigates to the dashboard.”

Include clear preconditions, step-by-step instructions, and expected outcomes for every test case. This way, any tester—no matter their familiarity with the product—can follow along without uncertainty.

A great tip for writing effective test cases is to view them through the eyes of the person executing them.

Are the steps logically ordered?

Are there any ambiguities that might lead to misinterpretation?

Document each step clearly and provide examples when needed. For instance, if the expected result involves a specific error message, write it out exactly as it should appear.

Reusability is also essential when developing test cases. For products that evolve with frequent updates, designing test cases in modular blocks can save your team time in the long run. For example, instead of rewriting login-related test cases for every new release, write reusable scripts that can be applied across features involving authentication.

Remember, test cases aren't just for the QA team—they're also valuable to developers, product managers, and even stakeholders. Presenting them nurtures collaboration and ensures everyone stays aligned on expected behaviors.

Ultimately, clear test cases serve as the blueprint of a high-performing QA process. They allow teams to catch bugs consistently, document results accurately, and deliver quality software that meets user expectations.

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7- Implement Shift-Left Testing

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Shift-left testing is a proactive approach in QA testing that involves moving testing activities earlier in the software development lifecycle. Rather than waiting until development is complete, teams start testing during the initial phases, such as planning and design.

One key benefit of shift-left testing is identifying potential flaws before they become entrenched in the codebase. For example, addressing a design flaw during wireframe discussions is far easier than reworking it post-build.

Teams can leverage peer reviews, static code analysis, and initial test cases to evaluate code and design as they evolve. Early intervention allows developers to fix problems without disrupting the entire workflow.

Collaboration plays a central role here. QA specialists, developers, and product managers need to work closely right from the start.

Sharing insights and discussing risks early ensures that all stakeholders develop a clearer understanding of requirements and potential challenges. Aligning goals reduces miscommunication and ensures the product meets expectations from the start.

Testing tools that support automation are particularly effective in the shift-left approach.

Automated unit tests, for instance, allow developers to confirm their code integrates well without adding unpredictable errors. Results are almost instantaneous, allowing teams to iterate quickly while keeping quality in check.

By reshaping testing as a continuous conversation throughout development (instead of saving it for the end), teams significantly reduce the likelihood of late-stage issues jeopardizing timelines. Effective shift-left testing can speed up release schedules and increase product reliability without compromising on quality—it’s all about catching problems before they start to spiral.

Prioritizing shift-left testing is about building QA into your workflow as a habit rather than an afterthought. When teams adopt this mindset, they create a better foundation for delivering robust SaaS products that users can depend on from day one.

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8- Monitor QA Metrics Constantly

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Keeping an eye on QA metrics is like having a dashboard to understand how well your testing process is working. Metrics help you figure out what’s going right, what’s falling behind, and where adjustments are needed.

Regularly monitoring these indicators improves your team's efficiency and ensures your software meets user expectations.

Start by focusing on metrics that provide actionable insights.

For instance, track defect density to measure the number of issues found relative to the code produced. This helps you understand the quality of the code being developed and highlights areas needing closer scrutiny. Similarly, keep an eye on test execution metrics to see how well your team keeps up with test schedules and goals. If delays arise, these metrics can identify bottlenecks.

But don’t just settle for mechanical tracking. Use metrics to ask bigger questions.

Why are certain tests failing repeatedly?

Are bugs clustering in specific modules or stemming from the same issue?

This kind of analysis helps teams proactively address recurring problems, rather than reacting only when issues pile up.

Clear communication about metrics is critical, too. Ensure the data is accessible to everyone involved, and presented in simple, digestible formats.

Dashboards are a great way to visualize trends, such as the progression of open defects or the pass/fail rate for critical tests. These visuals can encourage collaboration and foster a sense of ownership across QA, dev teams, and even product managers.

However, monitoring these numbers constantly doesn’t mean creating endless reports. Focus on meaningful, relevant metrics. For example, customer satisfaction metrics like defect escape rate—measuring bugs found after release—offer insight into the effectiveness of your QA processes.

If this number remains low, it signals that most issues are caught before hitting your users' hands. That’s a win for everyone.

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9- Diversify Testing Techniques

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Relying on just one testing method is like trying to see an entire painting through a keyhole—you’ll miss the bigger picture. Diversifying testing techniques in QA testing broadens your ability to identify issues across different areas of your software.

It’s a way to uncover hidden problems and ensure your product is robust for a wide range of scenarios.

Start with manual and automated testing as your foundation, but don’t stop there.

Manual testing excels at spotting usability and design flaws—things that require a human eye and intuition. On the other hand, automated testing enhances efficiency by repeatedly running large volumes of tests when time is of the essence. Combining these two ensures your tests cover both granular details and broader functionality.

Don’t overlook techniques like performance testing and load testing, especially for SaaS products that rely on scalable infrastructure. Performance testing shows how your software holds up under various conditions, while load testing pushes it to its limits by simulating heavy usage.

Imagine you’re launching a new feature—wouldn’t you want confidence that it can handle a peak surge of users without breaking?

Regression testing is another valuable tool, ensuring new updates don’t disrupt existing functionality. Every time your team makes changes, regression tests confirm old features still work as intended. Meanwhile, exploratory testing—conducted by creative testers who go beyond predefined test cases—can help uncover unusual bugs that scripted tests might miss.

To go even further, think about integrating security testing into the mix, especially if your product handles sensitive data. With risks like data breaches and hacking increasing, security testing can help you identify vulnerabilities and shore them up before release.

Each testing technique brings unique perspectives and strengths to your QA process. The beauty of diversification is that it creates a layering effect, where even if one method misses a bug, another will likely catch it.

Combining methods helps create more than just quality assurance—you’re ensuring every user interaction is reliable and polished.

The result?

A product that performs well under any circumstance. Diversification in QA testing isn’t just smart—it’s critical for delivering reliable SaaS software.

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10- Perform Load Testing Early

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Load testing should never be left as an afterthought in QA testing. Running performance checks early in the software development lifecycle can save time while preventing avoidable issues from snowballing into costly problems down the road.

If your software can't handle a surge of users during launch or major updates, it risks tarnishing your reputation and losing users. Starting load testing ahead of deadlines helps you prepare for real-world usage scenarios.

When your team integrates load testing early, you can identify bottlenecks before they’re buried deep in the architecture. Imagine discovering during development that a database query slows down under high traffic. It’s far simpler to fix that at the start rather than revamping the system once the product goes live.

Early testing gives you room to adapt without the stress of looming customer impact.

Before beginning these tests, set clear thresholds. For example, assess how many concurrent users you expect and how quickly queries need to be processed.

Use tools like Apache JMeter or Gatling to simulate traffic loads and understand the breaking points. These insights allow your team to pinpoint and prioritize performance optimizations.

Another advantage of early load testing is improved collaboration between developers and QA specialists. Performance insights collected early help everyone align. Developers can address potential scalability concerns while QA gathers data to ensure solutions actually solve the problems.

Additionally, don’t stop at testing once.

Repeat load testing as the software evolves through different stages of development. Each iteration might introduce new variables, so ongoing performance checks ensure nothing gets overlooked. It’s about staying proactive to catch growing issues before they disrupt the user experience.

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11- Automate Cross-Browser Tests

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Ensuring your software performs smoothly across different browsers is crucial in QA testing. Users interact with software in diverse environments—some stick to Chrome, others prefer Firefox, and a segment might still be loyal to Safari.

Automated cross-browser testing helps overpass these gaps efficiently by validating that your app behaves consistently, no matter which browser it’s accessed on.

Manually testing every browser version is not only time-consuming but also prone to human error. Automation, on the other hand, streamlines this process by using tools like Selenium or BrowserStack to simulate multiple browser environments. With automation, tests can be run faster and more accurately, freeing up your team to focus on deeper issues rather than repetitive tasks.

But it’s not just about speed.

Automated cross-browser testing helps in identifying browser-specific glitches early, such as layout issues or JavaScript errors. For example, a function that works flawlessly in Chrome might break into Internet Explorer.

A practical approach is to prioritize browsers based on your audience’s needs. If your analytics data shows that 80% of users access the app through Chrome and Edge, those should be your primary focus.

However, don’t neglect smaller user groups that may rely on less popular browsers. Automation helps you cover this wide scope without stretching your resources too thin.

Automation doesn’t mean you’re "set it and forget it," though. Regularly update scripts to keep up with new browser versions, ensuring your tests remain relevant and effective.

Lastly, incorporate automated cross-browser testing into your CI/CD pipeline. This way, every update to your software undergoes thorough testing before deployment. It’s a proactive strategy that keeps your release cycles quick and your end-users satisfied, no matter where—or how—they access your product.

When done right, automated cross-browser testing becomes a vital part of delivering a reliable, user-friendly software experience.

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12- Adopt Agile QA Practices

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The progressive nature of Agile allows testing and development to happen in tandem, rather than treating QA as a separate phase at the end of the product cycle. This approach isn't just practical—it’s necessary in a software environment.

Adopting Agile QA practices starts with embedding QA into every step of your development process.

Instead of waiting for the coding to wrap up, testers collaborate with developers from the very beginning. This partnership ensures that potential issues are caught early, saving both time and resources. Think of it as nipping bugs in the bud before they grow into something more complex.

Agile thrives on constant feedback, and that applies to QA as well. Each sprint—short, focused development cycles—should involve testing the work completed during that period. Improving quality also strengthens the team’s confidence. Everyone knows that what’s being built is stable before moving on to the next set of tasks.

Automation plays a vital role when adopting Agile QA. Repeated, routine tests can be automated, leaving testers to focus on more exploratory or nuanced scenarios.

Continuous integration tools like Jenkins or CircleCI can help integrate automated tests into your development pipeline, ensuring every code change is automatically evaluated. A continuous testing mindset aligns with Agile’s focus on rapid iterations.

But Agile QA isn’t just about speed. It’s also about adaptability.

Requirements might shift mid-sprint as new insights emerge. QA teams operating under Agile principles are prepared to pivot, testing new functionalities on the fly without derailing the overall progress.

Agile QA also fosters open communication. Daily stand-ups and sprint retrospectives provide regular touchpoints to discuss challenges, report progress, and refine the testing strategy.

Adopting Agile QA practices strengthens your entire development process. It allows you to deliver software that’s not only robust but also aligned with user needs.

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Conclusion

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QA testing isn’t just a step in the software development process—it’s the core of delivering reliable, user-friendly products. Incorporating these best practices helps your team catch and resolve issues early, enhance performance, and build software that users can rely on.

Automating repetitive tasks, diversifying testing techniques, and embedding Agile principles are all approaches that increase your product’s quality and boost your team’s efficiency.

Adopting these practices is more than a technical decision—it’s a commitment to providing the best experience possible for your users. Start small, choose the strategies that align with your team’s needs, and build from there.

Over time, a well-structured QA process becomes a natural part of development, giving you and your users the confidence that your software is ready to perform, no matter what.