Software Testers Powering the Digital World

You’ve probably heard the saying: “Behind every successful man is a woman – to tell him where he is wrong!” This applies to the digital world too! But hey, I’m not advocating gender bias here, because in the digital world the players change and it can very well be said, that “behind every successful app, is a software tester to tell the developer where he/she is wrong”! The truth is that app success comes from well co-ordinated team work between developers and testers.

The digital revolution had its humble beginnings in the 1950s with digital computers and digital record keeping growing in popularity. From then on it grew in leaps and bounds and by the 1980’s, the internet, mobile devices, social networking, big data, and computing clouds, together truly revolutionised work practices across sectors, even embracing the common man on the street. Today, we have AI & ML, Robotics, 5G, IoT and other new technologies taking the digital world by a storm.

If you are reading this blog, you are definitely among those who have benefitted from the digital revolution. So let’s step back for a moment to think of how this revolution came to be. The driving force was the hard work of millions of software developers and testers who burnt the midnight oil in less advanced times, and worked long and hard to perfect the apps that positively impact every aspect of our lives – be it health, education, entertainment, shopping; or ranging across the wider spectrum of manufacturing, services, agriculture, healthcare, information technology, defence and the list goes on.

In our daily interactions we are often beneficiaries of the adage: To err is human – to forgive divine. But in the digital world, testers are expected to be superhuman and forgiveness is not in the digital dictionary! After all, a simple error like a missing punctuation mark has the potential to become a ticking time bomb! Truth be told, there is a group of silent souls that fight tooth and nail to ensure that this does not happen – you guessed it right – it is the army of Software Testers. This is precisely the reason why software testing is so important to the digital world, prompting a huge surge in the demand for Software Testers.

Let’s sample some statistics here. Markets and Markets – a renowned market research company, states that the global Automation Testing market size which was forecasted at USD 20.7 billion in 2021 is expected to grow to USD 49.9 billion by 2026 – a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 19.2% during the forecast period! The highest CAGR is expected to be in the APAC region, which includes India. The report mentions that governments are taking initiatives for rapid adoption of new technologies like AI and ML, automation, IoT, mobile and web-based applications, cloud-based services, and other technologies. But who will ensure that these technologies and apps don’t backfire and perform as expected? Your guess is right again – it’s the Software Testers! These facts make it amply clear that the role of Software Testers in the digital world is very vital.

The three crucial pillars on which the digital world stands are: Quality, Security and Speed. None of these can be compromised in any way. Software testing is the heart that keeps these three pillars erect. Let’s look at the practical ways in which Software Testers are powering the digital world.

Talking of the first pillar, Software Testers take on the onerous responsibility of assuring the quality of the software that runs the millions of apps in the digital world. Quality assurance aims at optimising processes to eliminate defects and wastage in terms of time and resources. Quality is a word with very wide connotations in the digital world. There’s the need to ensure that the software is bug free; that the performance is stellar across networks, browsers, operating systems and battery capacities; there’s the need to eliminate interface and compatibility issues; rapidly changing customer preferences is another challenge; indeed there are a host of issues to be addressed. The Software Tester has to conduct various tests like Unit Testing, Regression Testing, Performance Testing, Acceptance Testing, Accessibility Testing, Stress Testing, etc. to ensure that the software will run as expected, across the world. Software Testers use advanced methodologies like Agile and Devops which run on the principle of continuous improvement, and also advanced testing tools empowered by AI and ML, to ensure the quality and performance of the plethora of apps that power the digital world.

The second pillar on which the digital world stands, is equally important – the safety and security aspects. The issue here is two pronged: security of the app ensuring that all risks and bugs are eliminated; and safety/security of the clients, as well as end-users. There’s a huge amount of data that goes through every app, often very sensitive data, and the slightest leak to an unauthorized person, is totally unacceptable. Here again, it is the Software Tester who checks all aspects of safety and security, analysing the software from various angles, to ensure that there is absolutely no compromise for any of the stakeholders.

Coming to the third pillar of the digital world, here again there are two aspects of speed, both of which are equally important. The first aspect is the need to get the new apps or their updates to the market early, and second is the need for app speed in the user’s hands. Competition in the digital world is very stiff, and there’s a tearing hurry to get the apps and their updates to the market, ahead of competitors. Here again, Software Testers work in crunched time frames, to ensure app quality, safety and speed. Then of course there’s the issue of app speed that needs to be taken care of. The complexity of this increases because the app speed needs to be good wherever the end user chooses to use it across the world, despite the issues of less than perfect networks and browsers in less advanced regions. The fast paced digital world does not have the luxury of time and here’s where the role of Software Testers once again gains immense importance in powering the digital world.

With every stride that the digital world makes, it is paramount that it is supported by equally advanced testing tools and methodologies. All the development in the digital world will come to nought if testing is compromised. As more and more industries adopt cutting-edge technologies like IoT, AI and 5G, to run their business, software testing plays a dominant role in creating stable and secure digital ecosystems. Thus Software Testers become the backbone on which new technologies can seamlessly be incorporated to power the digital revolution. Software Testing driven by AI and ML are pivotal for ensuring quality, security and speed that are so fundamental and non-negotiable in the digital world.

Before I sign off, let me present some encouraging facts and figures. Following up on the pandemic-driven unprecedented spurt in e-commerce and other online activities, tech giant like TCS, Infosys, Accenture etc. are setting up separate teams for building software for e-commerce platforms. This spells good news for Software Testers – a clear indication of where the future belongs! Nasscom’s report further confirms this, stating that there is an increasing demand for Software Testers in India, with the Indian IT Sector trending as a net hirer, adding 1,38,000 new jobs in the current FY 21-22. The report states that there were initiatives to train more than 2.5 lakh employees in digital skills. This speaks volumes of the role of Software Testers in driving the Indian digital growth story!

There’s a great future out there – don’t be left behind. Be a part of the digital revolution. Visit www.mypathglow.com. Sign up for PathGlow’s Full Stack Software Testing Course and get future ready in just 3 months!