Software defects will occur, it’s just a fact of life. The key is to find and fix them as early in the development process as possible, so they don’t cause problems for the customer experience (CX) later on. With a thorough and continuous approach to performance testing, you can do just that.
When organizations run tests at each stage of the development life cycle, defects can be caught and fixed before they become too costly and time-consuming to fix, and well before they can cause reputational damage due to poor CX. Not all testing is equal, however, and there’s a time and place for certain types of testing. Knowing when, why, and where to use the various types of performance testing is critical to catching errors, identifying their source, and resolving them quickly for better quality CX.
Types of Performance Testing
When it comes to performance testing, there are seven types that every contact center needs to know about in order to design a thorough testing strategy. Let’s take a closer look at the subtle differences of each, and where, why, and when to use them.
Volume Testing
This type of testing is used to ensure that a system can handle increased data volume without loss of performance. More specifically, these tests identify load issues and bottlenecks and assess real-world capabilities.
Stress Testing
Also known as Endurance Testing, this type of testing is designed to push a system to its limits in order to determine if the software application will crash under heavy load conditions. It also measures how quickly an application is able to recover from the strain.
Integration Testing
A more exhaustive type of test, integration testing is used to ensure that all the components of a system work together seamlessly. Running regular integration tests can help avoid problems caused by mismatched versions or incompatible components.
Soak Testing
Considered a non-functional form of testing, soak tests examine software performance during long periods of time or with increased user volume. Like stress testing, it pushes software applications to their limits
Load Testing
Another type of non-functional form of testing, load tests measure the performance of a system under various abnormal, simulated conditions to ensure that the system can handle increased traffic without breaking down.
Scalability Testing
The third form of non-functional testing, this type of test assesses the ability of a system to scale up or down based on surges or drops in user requests. While similar to load testing, this measures the ability of a system to expand or contract with demand rather than through abnormal conditions.
Continuous Testing
Not a single type of test, but instead a strategy or approach to HOW you go about testing, Continuous Testing is where you provide continuous feedback on the quality of the software by testing at every stage of the development lifecycle instead of at the end. By running continuous tests (like any, some, or all of the types we just defined), businesses can catch and fix defects early in the development process and fix them to avoid failures that adversely affect customers.
When it comes to software development, the more – and more frequent – testing you can do, the better. Let’s take a look at some of the key benefits that an automated, continuous performance testing strategy can deliver.
Five Benefits of Continuous Testing
Save Time and Money
By automating tests and running them continuously, it’s possible to eliminate the need for lengthy and costly test cycles. Continuous testing allows organizations to find and fix defects sooner and release software faster. In addition, continuous testing can help avoid the cost of rework, which can be significant.
Improve Quality
Continuous testing helps improve the quality of the software by giving immediate feedback on the impact of code changes. In addition, because tests are automated, they are more consistent and accurate than manual testing, which means fewer false positives and false negatives.
Reduce Risk
Releasing software with possible defects is incredibly risky—not only for customers but also for businesses. By catching defects early through continuous testing, you can mitigate the risk of customer impact and protect your reputation. Continuous testing can help avoid compliance penalties and legal costs associated with software vulnerabilities.
Increase Collaboration
Continuous testing requires close collaboration between development and QA teams. QA teams need to provide Development with early feedback on any actual and potential errors uncovered through testing so that Development can fix problems before they cause customer impact. By collaborating closely, both teams will have a better understanding of the other’s role in the software development process—which leads to more efficient and effective communication overall.
Enhance Customer Satisfaction
By releasing tested and defect-free software quickly and frequently, businesses can keep their customers happy by giving them new features and functionality on a regular basis. Additionally, customer-facing problems can be discovered and resolved before they cause brand damage.
Conclusion
Continuous testing fueled by the power of automation is a winning methodology for ensuring the delivery of flawless customer experience. When organizations run tests at each stage of the development life cycle, they can quickly catch defects before they can become too costly and time-consuming to fix and before they cause reputational damage in the eyes of the consumer.
A flawless customer experience cannot be obtained without testing and by testing through every stage of the development cycle, organizations will more successfully be able to reduce risk, save time and money, and the trust of their customers.
Ready to learn how Cyara can help? Click the link below to read our infographic for more information on the seven types of automated performance testing and get connected with a continuous testing expert today!
