By Business & Finance 
The Quest for Quality team: Dejan Cuic, Evelina Emma Robas, Aleksandar Ristic, Sandra Zemljaric and Nikola Šopar, Comtrade Digital Services
Survey results announced by Comtrade Digital Services show that 47% of Irish businesses that develop software don’t engage with testers or quality assurance (QA) from product conception.
A survey conducted by Comtrade Digital Services, which consisted of 133 decision-making, medium-to-large IT enterprises, has discovered that only one-in-five bring testers and QA on board after the first prototype is produced.
With the digital world making more and more inroads in business now, physical products on show don’t have the same reach nor grasp users as much anymore. Aspects such as customer loyalty, user experience and engagement are what companies go for to stay afloat.
This leads on to the potential negative impact of substandard product and service development; the survey shows that 43% of companies in Ireland involved in software development do not have a QA team or manager.
Comtrade wishes to combat this issue and a host more in their Quest for Quality conference in Dublin, taking place on the 4th and 5th of October, 2017.
Nikola Šopar, Director of QA Services, Comtrade Digital Services, said: “Businesses are now fighting competition on multiple facets. In order to stay competitive, they must have a digital presence that prioritises the user experience. That requires the consistent and quick rollout of innovative platforms that will attract and retain today’s digital-savvy customer.
“But launching new platforms isn’t enough: they must be issue-free and easy to use, or businesses risk losing customers within a matter of seconds. That requires engaging with quality assurance experts and software testers as soon as a platform is conceived. They understand human behaviour and can predict problems that users may encounter when using the platform, therefore eliminating them before the product is launched.”
Dejan Cusic, Business Director, Ireland & UK at Comtrade Digital Services, went on to say: “We want to help Irish businesses navigate the platform economy with our Quest for Quality conference. It will give attendees the opportunity to discuss and learn about very specific issues that are relevant to both engineers and business owners. We want to show that when approached correctly, carefully thought-out digital platforms can become a key differentiator between one business and the next – and the difference between success and failure.”
The Quest for Quality conference takes place at The Marker Hotel in Dublin on the 4th and 5th October, 2017. More than 100 software-testing professionals from Ireland and abroad will combine to create an event full of expertise; discussions and practical, hands-on advice.
