Software Testing and QA Approach | First Line Software

Because First Line Software is a one-stop agile development shop, our Testers often work as integral as members of a development team working on a client software project.

We can meet your software testing needs

First Line Software delivers a wide range of software testing services. We can meet your software testing needs in either of 2 main ways:

As an integral part of a software development project being developed for you by First Line Software.
As a provider of software testing services for projects developed by your own engineers.

Among the software testing services we have rendered for many client projects in a broad range of industries:

Design software testing strategies.
Prepare comprehensive test plans.
Select appropriate software testing tools and methodologies.
Conduct the actual software testing: manual tests, automated test, or a combination as appropriate.

The best testing is of little value unless the results are reported and understood by project stakeholders. So our software testing service always includes analysis of product readiness or "done" status, and a detailed report for the development team and client that begins with an Executive Summary (which includes recommendations), and then provides full details of any outstanding issues revealed by software tests.

First Line Software Testing and QA Approach

Because First Line Software is a one-stop agile development shop, our Testers often work as integral as members of a development team working on a client software project. They perform agile testing of the software as it is delivered throughout the project.

Alternatively, our Testers may conduct so-called "plan-driven" quality assurance testing - testing that takes place after all software development work has been completed by the client's development team.

Either way, First Line Software's software testing experts bring a range of analytical and technical skills to every project, as well as the ability to collaborate effectively. It’s not uncommon for our Testers to have expertise across other domains - Business Analyst, or User Experience (UX), for example. Combined, these skills equip them to select the appropriate quality criteria, prepare test data, and understand the client’s business/industry, as well as product requirements and project goals.

Types of Software Testing

First Line Software Testers have accumulated significant experience across a range of testing types.

Today, mobile testing in particular is a critical testing category that includes screen rotation, UI guidelines, low wifi and other mobile-specific cases.

Is Software Testing Important?

It’s not uncommon for prospective clients to ask how important Testing is to the overall development process – especially if the product specifications were followed closely by the development team. Even if specifications are carefully prepared in advance of the project launch, it’s simply not possible to anticipate every requirement for a complex project or foresee how the software will actually function when it is put into production. If you add system integration to the mix, it becomes even more vital for software testing to be included as a key component of software development projects.

To deliver our software testing services, First Line Software employs technically skilled testers, and utilizes the types of software testing systems necessary to prepare test data covering specific business scenarios, to track defects, perform impact analysis, conduct regression testing, and determine when test automation is the right choice.

Agile and Automated Testing

The recent trend towards agile software development methodology presents a new twist to software testing services – the introduction of short development cycles and frequent releases. This compresses the overall amount of time that can be spent on testing, and consequently requires increased reliance on test automation. Automating frequently-used test scenarios saves time and facilitates introduction of changes later in a sprint or milestone.

Consequently, it is critical is to understand what can and cannot be automated. Through the successful delivery of many projects with these compressed timelines, First Line's testing teams have gained significant expertise in adapting Testing strategies and plans to be effective within agile development time constraints.

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Client References

I want to express my gratitude for all of your team’s hard work, support and extra help. We are very grateful for all that you have done for us.
Senior Project Manager, a U.S. specialty digital design and web development agency

Your quality of work is exceptional, and your flexible approach has allowed us to build and deploy a large amount of complex functionality in a very short space of time. Kudos to everyone for their professionalism and for delivering results that exceeded our expectations.
CEO, leading social media analytics provider

We have never had a better release that we can think of. And that is all because of your hard and dedicated work. So here is a big THANK YOU to everyone from all of us!
Editor, leading Scandinavian newspaper

For a software vendor like ourselves, picking the right development partner is crucial. First Line’s technical expertise and solid project management, coupled with their proficiency in Agile methodologies, have made them an integral part of our product development group.
VP Product Development, leading enterprise software vendor

Our First Line Team has been doing a great job. All of the guys check in great code, and they have a forward thinking mindset, not a feature-to-feature approach. They are also very open in terms of sharing knowledge, which is critical to running productive distributed teams.
Application Development Director, global marketing company

We've all learned a lot from you, and it is great working with you.
Application Development Director, global marketing company

The First Line team has an excellent process and we can learn from your team and improve.
Product Owner, Strategic Software Consultancy

I would like to thank the First Line development team for their dedication and high level of quality in their work. Despite being thousands of miles apart, we have been able to work quickly, effectively, and intelligently. Your team has been a major part of why we have been successful thus far.
VP Engineering, e-learning startup

First Line is a great technology partner capable of delivering complex, ‘industrial grade’ projects. They have demonstrated strong technical competence and solid understanding of the media and publishing domain. We have also been very impressed by the management team's attention to our needs and commitment to our success.
CEO, leading European digital media company

Your effort is the #1 reason that this project is going so well. I've worked with a lot of teams over the years and there are very few teams that I trust and respect. When you are given a task or feature, I never have to worry whether or not it will be accomplished on time and I never worry about the quality - you always deliver.
Architect, Strategic Software Consultancy

The team we put together in the last half of this year is one of the most productive, skilled and enjoyable I’ve ever worked on. It’s great to see the product brought to life, and I’m proud to work with all you folks.
Senior Architect, Fortune 100 company

The First Line Software team is professional, results driven, and proactive. I know that when we provide requirements for new functionality, they will not only deliver on the scope of what has been asked but will look beyond and give insight into how we can make our product even better. It has been a privilege to work with First Line Software, and I look forward to continuing our partnership in future.
VP, global marketing company

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Development process

We discuss: project and business objectives
We provide: business analysts who assess current business processes and systems to identify specific gaps and areas for improvement
You provide: critical knowledge of your tasks and objectives

We discuss: general requirements of IT solution
We apply: proven methodologies and expertise for collecting requirements
You provide: subject matter experts on key issues

We present: potential solutions for your IT project
We provide: expertise in available technologies and recommendations for solutions and define implementation costs
You decide: which solution First Line will build and deliver

We explore: cooperation models most suitable for you
We offer: proposals for various options
You choose: the most comfortable model for your company

We discuss: detailed requirements for implementation
We activate: a team of exceptional developers and testers who use best-in-class methodologies
You receive: process transparency, regular demo versions, solution that meets your business objectives

We review: whether the end deliverable meets the business objectives
We provide: solution release version, installation and configuration management services, staff training
You receive: IT-solution that achieves your business objective