8 Proven Strategies to Level Up Your Software Performance

How a development team manages software quality is a vital element of project management. And it’s not just limited to software testing, but it is more about offering quality assurance to your users. 

Thus, creating an effective testing strategy in the early stage of the software development cycle helps you identify critical issues and solve them. The sooner you detect bugs, the less it is going to cost you in the future. Besides, testing helps ramp up the software quality, its performance and increases the speed at which you deliver your products. 

Detecting operational issues at the earliest not only increases efficiency but also reduces costs, creating a win-win situation. On the flip side, poor software quality aggravates errors and can be a time-consuming process. 

Here, in this blog post, we've compiled a list of eight strategies that you can use to improve your software quality.

Top Strategies to Level Up Your Software Performance

1. Early Testing

Early testing is one of the most important steps, which helps developers resolve most of the defects during the design phase only. While most developers rely on manual testing for many problems, companies focus more on automated testing tricks for non-UI tasks. 

For this, businesses outsource backend staff augmentation and hire skilled developers as these engineers apply good testing practices, including manual, API, security, usability, and performance testing. In addition, these engineers ensure the security, accuracy, and performance of your overall backend needs through regular follow-ups. 

Testing early could have a huge impact on the money spent on fixing certain bugs. For example, an error that could cost you $100 in the requirement phase can cost $10,000 or more in the later stages of product implementation.

2. Test on Multiple Devices

Testing on multiple devices helps developers make better and more calculated decisions regarding the quality improvement process. From different screen sizes to OC configurations, test as many varieties as possible. 

To cover most users, Windows and Mac are the most popular operating systems that you can use for testing purposes. Besides, target all the web browsers, such as Safari, Chrome, Opera, and Firefox. The development should be clear on using the same configurations as end-users for testing purposes. There are different testing tools that allow engineers to access real-time environments without the need to install any additional hardware. 

3. Team Communication

A clear flow of communication among the development team is extremely crucial. This is because most of the time, most problems are due to a lack of clear communication or misunderstanding among the team members. Everyone should give their input when setting testing requirements and sharing feedback. 

Besides, sharing consistent KPIs or Key Performance Indicators and test reports throughout the project helps in keeping the coordination transparent. Transparency prevents project risks and ensures the smooth running of in-house development processes. 

4. Develop a Risk Registry

A risk registry or a risk log is created to identify, track and mitigate potential risks that could hamper the software quality. Project managers create a risk log to record all the possible risks, analyze them, and introduce strategies to mitigate them. Common examples of risks include data security risks, legal compliance and regulatory risks, supply chain disruptions, etc. 

When registry risks, it generally includes elements like identification number, risk categories, a brief description of the issue, probability of occurrence, impact, risk analysis approach, team members responsible for overseeing the risks, and finally, an action plan. 

5. Document Your Requirements

Before working on managing software quality, it is imperative for developers to document their requirements. This document should outline the clear scope of the project, milestones, and technical specifications to ensure that you meet deadlines on time. 

It should also include the customers’ needs and a list of processes (with a step-by-step breakdown) that allows developers to keep track of the development process. For this, it is vital to have a clear understanding of the client's needs and a clear idea of their expectations. 

6. Create a Quality Management Plan

A quality management plan is different from the requirement documentation since it focuses primarily on product development. A quality management plan defines a clear set of objectives in regard to software quality expectations, defines roles and responsibilities, and organizes different tasks to make sure the product matches customer needs and expectations. 

Usually, it outlines quality standards, testing tools and strategies, reporting tools and assurance policies, and software quality targets. Developers can easily resort to this plan every time they get stuck or need assistance. 

7. Create Bug Reports

Creating a bug report makes testing more efficient. A bug report outlines all the possible cases, and use cases and explains behaviors at the time of testing new features. Developers also add screenshots and other proofs of failures along with possible solutions in the report.

Having an effective report communicates well among the team to avoid any sort of miscommunication and confusion. Thus, it is vital that your bug report is clear, concise, and includes all the minor and major details related to all the possible issues. 

8. Prioritize Training

Employee training can help you get the most out of your engineers, as they can play the role of your end-users. Prioritizing training brings awareness among developers as to what they should look for in leading software products. 

In fact, studies have shown that engineers wish to develop their development skills during different stages of their careers. Companies should offer tools and resources that help devs upgrade their coding skills and contribute their part in the software development process. In addition, training programs create a continuous environment for learning and improve team culture. 

Taking a Quick Recap

Companies need to have stringent software quality measures in order to develop a good product and ensure effective performance. Advanced testing across different environments using the latest tech tools is the key to improving software quality. 

Besides, the entire process of software development is time-consuming and demands patience. As a developer, you must be open and patient enough to introduce tons of iterations and additional tweaks based on consistent analysis and feedback. Lastly, a clear communication flow among team members is what facilitates everything.