Whether it’s a mobile app, website, or large-scale enterprise solution, ensuring that software performs flawlessly can make or break a business. However, despite the importance of testing, a shocking statistic reveals that only 16% of companies consider their software testing process efficient. This finding highlights a pressing need for organisations to reassess their approach to testing, which could have significant implications for product quality, user experience, and even company profitability.
The state of software testing: Why so inefficient?
A variety of factors contribute to the widespread inefficiency in software testing. Here are the most common challenges faced by organisations:
Lack of automation
Automation is crucial to increasing testing efficiency. Yet, many companies still rely heavily on manual testing, which can be time-consuming, prone to human error, and difficult to scale. Without automation, teams spend a disproportionate amount of time on repetitive tasks, slowing down release cycles and increasing costs.
Even when automation is implemented, it’s often not leveraged to its full potential. Companies may automate only a fraction of their testing, or their automation tools might be outdated and poorly integrated into the overall development pipeline.
Inadequate test coverage
Test coverage measures how much of the software’s code is tested by the existing suite of tests. Many companies struggle to achieve comprehensive test coverage, leaving critical parts of their systems untested. Low coverage increases the risk of bugs slipping through, leading to product failures and customer dissatisfaction.
Often, this issue arises from pressure to meet release deadlines, which forces development teams to prioritise speed over thorough testing. The result? Critical bugs make it into production, requiring costly post-release fixes.
Siloed testing reams
In some organisations, testing is treated as a separate phase, isolated from the rest of the software development lifecycle (SDLC). This siloed approach can result in delays, miscommunication, and a lack of cohesion between development and testing teams.
Testing is often seen as a last-minute hurdle rather than an integral part of the development process, leading to inefficiencies. As the CEO of Leapwork, Brink Frederiksen, explains: “What makes digital infrastructure today so tricky to test is the copious amount of complex, interconnected applications. A tiny error in one application could have a monumental cascading effect and shut down businesses. Whether big or small, all updates need appropriate testing, but many businesses have outdated, siloed approaches. It shouldn’t be about testing one individual app – it should be about testing the entire user journey.”
Agile and DevOps methodologies emphasise collaboration and continuous testing, but not all companies have fully embraced these practices, leading to testing bottlenecks and suboptimal results.
Skills gap in testing teams
The rapid pace of technological change has created a skills gap in the workforce, particularly in software testing. Many testers are still catching up with modern practices like test automation, continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD), and artificial intelligence (AI) in testing.
Without the right skills, testers may struggle to use advanced tools or implement efficient testing strategies, leaving companies with outdated or ineffective testing processes.
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Poor test management and tracking
Efficient testing requires effective test management and tracking. Many organisations fail to efficiently manage their test cases, test data, and testing environments, leading to duplicated work, incomplete testing, and inaccurate reporting. Without a structured approach to managing and tracking tests, it’s easy to lose sight of testing goals and miss critical defects.
The consequences of inefficient testing
Inefficient software testing doesn’t just slow down development—it has far-reaching implications for businesses:
- Higher costs: When bugs slip through to production, they become far more expensive to fix. Post-release defects can require emergency patches, pulling developers away from planned work and costing companies both in terms of labour and reputation
- Delayed time-to-market: If testing is inefficient, it delays the entire development cycle. In a competitive market where time-to-market is critical, slow release cycles can result in missed opportunities and lost revenue
- Poor product quality: Ineffective testing leads to more bugs and defects
making it into the final product. This, in turn, damages the user experience, leads to higher customer churn, and tarnishes the company’s reputation - Decreased team morale: Development and testing teams often feel frustrated when testing is inefficient. Constant firefighting to fix post-release bugs, coupled with a lack of time and resources, can lead to burnout and decreased morale
How companies can improve their software testing efficiency
While the challenges are significant, there are strategies companies can adopt to improve their software testing processes and boost overall efficiency. Here are some key ways to do so:
Embrace automation
Implementing and optimising test automation is one of the most effective ways to boost testing efficiency. Automation tools can handle repetitive tasks quickly and accurately, freeing up testers to focus on more complex testing scenarios that require human judgment.
Automated tests should be part of the development process from the beginning and integrated into CI/CD pipelines to ensure continuous testing and fast feedback loops. This way, bugs can be identified and resolved early in development, reducing the chances of significant issues slipping through to production.
Find out more with our one-day Introduction to Test Automation course.
Shift-left testing
Shift-left testing involves moving testing earlier in the SDLC, embedding it into the development phase rather than leaving it as a post-development task. By testing early and often, issues are caught sooner, and development teams can fix them before they become significant problems. This proactive approach leads to shorter development cycles and fewer post-release defects.
Foster cross-team collaboration
Breaking down silos between development, testing, and operations teams is crucial for efficient testing. Companies that adopt Agile or DevOps practices often see a dramatic improvement in testing efficiency because these methodologies encourage continuous integration and communication between teams.
Development teams should work closely with testers to ensure that testing is aligned with the project’s goals and timelines and that issues are addressed collaboratively throughout the SDLC.
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Building an efficient testing culture
To address the challenges of inefficient software testing, companies need to adopt a culture of continuous improvement, where testing is seen as an integral part of the development process, not an afterthought. This means investing in the right tools, fostering collaboration between teams, and encouraging a mindset of quality and accountability across the organisation.
With only 16% of companies finding their current software testing processes efficient, it’s clear that there’s a significant opportunity for improvement. By embracing automation, investing in skills, and adopting modern testing practices, businesses can ensure that their software not only meets user expectations but also remains competitive in the market.
Looking to overhaul your testing approach?
In a landscape where software failures can lead to lost revenue, diminished customer trust, and brand damage, inefficient testing is no longer an option. The 16% of companies that have streamlined their processes are reaping the benefits of faster release cycles, lower defect rates, and greater agility. For the rest, it’s time to reimagine the role of testing and make it a driver of success rather than a bottleneck.
Help improve your testing approach by strengthening team knowledge with software testing training and certification.
