QA for Windows Server Desktop Solution (SQLCM)

Challenge

The system was rather old and heavy, and every new change introduced by developers caused a bug in the connected functionalities of the solution, making it unusable. We were hired to fix it. Our goal was to ensure that all updates to the code went through, and the product would be stable and reliable for the client’s use. This required meticulous testing of various components within the Windows server desktop solution.

Solutions

To tackle this challenge, we employed a comprehensive QA strategy that involved a range of testing activities, such as:

• Exploratory testing
• Ad hoc testing
• UI testing
• Functional testing
• Confirmation (retesting)
• Regression testing
• Build verification testing (acceptance testing)

Regression and confirmation testing were performed several times during a project to prevent reappearance of bugs after each new update. By executing regression testing as frequently as the code changed, we were able to catch recurring issues early in the development cycle and address them before releasing the updates to the client. 

We also did a bit of automated testing using the Ranorex tool for writing test suites. However, most of the testing was executed manually to ensure thorough coverage and accuracy. The project spanned across MySQL servers and AWS and underwent rigorous testing for almost a year. 

Through the project, we closely collaborated with developers and product managers. This helped us stay on the same page and ensure that any issues that arose during testing were promptly addressed and resolved. The team chose Skype for communication. Other tools we used for collaboration are Jira, where we tracked bugs and TestRail for writing down test cases. 

In general, the composition of the team on our end included six testers and a Team Lead who worked part-time.