Testing and QA remains a significant cost for business change projects at approximately a quarter of the total IT budget. Whilst this cost is already hefty, industry analysts predict a hike in this over the next three years, to approximately a third of the IT budget.
Given the increased pressure on organisations to make cost reductions, remain competitive and continue to improve profit margins, such a substantial increase in spend on testing and QA could have significant repercussions.
The reason behind this increase is the rapid change in the way organisations develop and implement technology projects. The adoption of Agile development methods, DevOps, Cloud computing and the focus on digital technology, added to the increased importance of Customer Experience (CX), are changing the demands on how testing and QA need to be undertaken. This change is putting more pressure on testing and QA being a key stage in solution delivery and a ‘protector of the brand’.
To address the changing landscape for testing and QA, it is essential that organisations review how they undertake it. Organisational change, new methods and process backed by the latest tools and technology will be critical for success.