Quality assurance is critical in a low-code environment.
As with a pro-code development, the same level of diligence must be applied when assessing risk, requirements and scope of testing in Power Platform. The responsibility of testing becomes a team-wide effort which is engrained into our ways of working and company ethos.
At Marra we know the importance of having confidence in the product we are delivering. We work by a set of 9 test principles to achieve this to suit the Power Platform model, including testing in isolation, risk prioritisation, and the shift-left approach. Our methodology of continuous improvement aligns with any platform changes in the future.
Quality does not take a hit in the fast-paced delivery environment Power Platform provides.
At Marra, we do more than measuring the number of passes and failures in our testing as a statement. Quality is assured in our over-arching approach throughout the software development lifecycle. We achieve this through applying the same testing approaches that we would in any traditional software development project, such as regression, functional, and user acceptance testing. We adapt them where needed, so we don’t comprise our testing strategy.
Does low-code mean low quality?
In short, no. A key benefit of Power Platform is the ability to quickly deliver complete software solutions. There is the potential for testing to be left by the wayside in such rapid development. But not at Marra. Our testing approach meets the demands of fast paced delivery and does not cut corners. It means we’re efficient in our testing activities.
Making sure testing isn’t testing for our clients.
With Northumberland County Council (NCC), user acceptance testing was a key component in the development. We didn’t just test whether features of an application complied with expected behaviour, but considered if they were working the way they needed to for NCC’s users. We then adjusted or proposed recommendations based on the results of this testing.
Getting a helping hand from Microsoft.
As part of the Microsoft Power Platform’s rapid delivery process, it provides built-in ‘Checkers’ for accessibility checks, peer reviews, and other automated checks. It can also inform our development teams of performance measurements through its ‘Monitor’ tool.
Power Platform also offers two end-to-end automation frameworks, Test Studio and Test Engine, which allow us to test applications are functioning as they should throughout development.
Ensuring quality.
Whether it’s a Power App to handle your company’s internal annual leave processes, a Power BI dashboard delivering insight into your organisations KPI’s, or a Power Pages company portal, we can assure you that we apply the same high standard of quality assurance across all our products.
Talk to Marra today about how your company can benefit from Microsoft Power Platform and low-code technology.
Written by Jamie Shields, Associate App Maker