Starting a new company can be overwhelming because of the many factors that need to be considered and prepared for. There are many challenges that can get in the way of smoothly operating and scaling. While there are many limitations to consider, especially for smaller startup groups, technology gives entrepreneurs and visionaries hope.
Many of the big names that have become big household names now started out small. Jeff Bezos started Amazon inside his garage. Mark Zuckerberg started what is currently the biggest social media platform, Facebook, in a dorm room. Michael Dell also started Dell in a university dorm room. Through time, hard work, strategies, and technology, they were able to grow their businesses to become the giants that they are today.
If there is one thing to be learned in this, it is that creating great companies is an actual possibility. Software and tech companies, in particular, can take advantage of certain technologies that they can use to propel their business to new heights. Now is a great time to start, with all the AI-assisted tools that can help startup companies overcome the most common challenges faced by startup software companies:
Common Challenges Among Startup Companies
- Limited manpower
The core members of the team may need to wear different hats at the onset due to financial constraints. They may have the option to hire professionals, but they’re not likely to hire at a grand scale. We may also be looking at core members with limited knowledge and skills performing other vital functions.
While this is clearly one of the biggest hurdles for startups, the owners need to get the ball rolling. Knowledge and skills are essential because we don’t want to release substandard products that will only be returned because of their subpar quality. Worse, a poorly tested app that handles confidential information, for instance, may pose a risk if it fails to function properly. That is why it is important to run quality assurance checks. These things may not be readily addressed due to staffing challenges.
- Quality assurance
Due to the limited manpower, quality assurance may easily be overlooked. Hiring manual testers can be expensive. Testing can be time-consuming. Is this something a startup can afford?
QA should not be underestimated. Releasing high-quality products is important, especially for startups. This is how you gain visibility, brand loyalty, and eventual company growth. Don’t run the risk of going the whole nine yards in designing and creating your product only to be shut down because of the repercussions of the lack of proper testing. It may also cost more to repeat the whole development cycle over.
- Time management
With the limited manpower that you have, meeting your timelines can be difficult without a clear and effective strategy. In the software business, releasing ahead of the competition is key to gaining the majority of the market share; however, as a company, you need to strike a balance between time to market and quality.
Another factor to consider is adhering to your timelines when it comes to enhancements, modifications, or revisions. The product will once again undergo testing, which takes time.
- Financial challenges
Limited financial capacities may force startups to compromise on a number of things, such as staffing, timelines, and technology. Having strong financial planning and raising investments at the product development stage is necessary because revenue generation happens at a much later time.
How Startups Can Benefit from Test Case Management Tools
A solution that startups can explore is using test case management tools for the number of benefits that they offer:
Offer diverse tools
Automation may be expensive for smaller projects. The good thing is that the more advanced test case management tools allow testers to execute manual and automated tests as they deem necessary. These tools make testers manage both manual and automated testing more conveniently.
While automation may not be able to fully replace manual testing yet, it can replace these kinds of manual tests:
- Tests with repetitive tasks
- Tests with high-risk conditions
- Tests that are too complex for human testers
- Tests cases that require a multitude of users
- Tests that are susceptible to human errors.
- Tests whose outcomes are predictable
By replacing these manual tests, companies can get more accurate testing results faster. They can also reuse test cases.
There are manual tests that cannot be automated. These tests meet the following criteria:
- Test cases focused on UI/UX
- Tests that are exploratory
- Tests focused on customer errors and usability
- Tests that can be executed quickly
- Non-repetitive tests
Most companies are already using the blended testing approach with the use of test case management tools.
Improve productivity and accuracy
Test case management tools address staffing problems because it doesn’t require as many testers. Other team members can also take part in the testing process.
They allow the other members to focus on other functions instead of manually running tests or gathering information. They can also complete full test cycles in minutes or hours. Test automation saves time and money and improves productivity in this sense.
Having fewer testers doesn’t mean compromising on the quality of testing. Before releasing your product, you’ll want to check its function and non-functional stability – something that automated testing can do.
Manage full coverage testing
It can be difficult for smaller startups to manually manage tests with higher test coverage due to financial and staffing constraints. Test case management tools make managing full coverage testing possible, faster, and more convenient. Having higher test coverage is important because QA teams are able to test more of the code this way, and staffing constraints shouldn’t stop companies from aiming for better testing. Better test coverage helps detect errors in the earlier phases, and test case management tools help startup companies in this sense.
Accelerates time to market
Test case management tools also allow teams to adhere to their timelines because of how this helps hasten the testing process. It is critical for startups, in particular, so that they can start generating revenue for the business, aside from gaining a bigger chunk of the market share.
Reusability
Testers are able to store reusable test suites in the repository. This makes the error and bug detection process faster, thereby driving productivity, efficiency, and product quality.
Ease of Use
It works best to hire an expert to write the test cases, but for the most part, these test case management tools have become easier to use. This technology also makes reporting and communication more convenient.
Cost-effectiveness
Writing test cases may be costly but it’s inexpensive to run. With the nature of the software business, this is cost-effective in the long run because of the need to execute tests multiple times – in the current version and whenever there are modifications. From a long-term perspective, companies can save more by using test automation.
In the software industry, innovation is key. When you decide to run a startup software company, you’ll want to have your future releases in mind already. You won’t be looking at just one software development life cycle; it becomes an iterative process.
These test case management tools and techniques help startup companies keep up because they are able to help address the staffing and budget constraints. They also help ensure that these products are fully functional, stable, and reliable.
