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Irish companies need to step it up when it comes to testing their software platforms, according to Comtrade Digital Services.
The digital transformation of business is frankly inescapable at this point, with companies of every size and type scrambling to create useful and thoughtful digital platforms and software to win and retain those precious customers.
With competition fierce on digital platforms to win customer loyalty, the emphasis is on engagement and a positive, streamlined user experience. If an app or platform is difficult or unwieldy to use, you’ve fallen at the first hurdle, no matter how unique your product.
‘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’
– NIKOLA ŠOPAR
According to Comtrade Digital Services, there is not enough emphasis on testing and quality assurance in the majority of Irish medium-to-large enterprises. In a survey of 133 IT decision-makers, Comtrade Digital Services found that 20pc only bring in testers or quality assurance after the first dummy is produced.
The digital innovation race continues
The race to be the best in this new platform economy is on, but not enough companies are pausing for breath to mitigate the risk of producing substandard technologies. 43pc of companies in Ireland that develop software don’t have a quality assurance team or manager, leading to inefficiency and expensive fixes way down the production line that could have been swiftly dodged.
Director of quality assurance services at Comtrade Digital Services, Nikola Šopar, said that it won’t cut the mustard for companies to throw together a digital presence, rolling out innovative platforms at rapid speed.
“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.”
The quest for quality in software
Business director for Ireland and the UK at Comtrade Digital Services, Dejan Cusic, said that Irish businesses will get a chance to learn about the issues and opportunities around the booming platform economy at Comtrade Digital Services’ Quest for Quality conference.
“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,” he said.
The event will bring together more than 100 software testing professionals from Ireland and abroad. It will take place in the Marker Hotel in Dublin from 4 to 5 October, with insights to be gleaned from workshops, talks and panel discussions.
