Quality Assurance (also known as QA) is the process of testing a product or software program for its overall usability and functionality. In this process the program software is being developed so that it meets or exceeds the customer’s needs. Generally a QA tester will create a variety of scenarios and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the application. He will also determine what would be a reasonable approach to improving the program. After testing, he will document his findings and these results will then be included in the software’s documentation and he will sign this document as an evidence of his commitment to the quality of the software.
There are three main categories of QA certifications, eCommerce, Enterprise and Web. The first category covers the traditional process of designing, developing and testing eCommerce stores. The Web category focuses on the more advanced practices of incorporating various technologies and server-side technologies. These include Flash, JSP, PHP, ASP, HTML, XML, PHP, and more.
Once a person becomes certified he can either be a full-time test engineer or a part-time test engineer. If he is a full-time test engineer he is able to work for an organization for a certain period of time or he might decide to test drive a new project. If he chooses the latter option then he would work as part of the team that is responsible for creating and implementing the software. Most QA certifications require a person to have at least five years experience as a test engineer. Many organizations also insist that a person is a certified member of the United Kingdom Professional Engineers Association (UAPEA) before being considered for certification.
Test engineer jobs are the most common type of QA job in the industry. In commerce, a person will be responsible for implementing ecommerce systems and supporting business applications used to manage ecommerce businesses. Some test engineers create test cases that demonstrate how a product functions when used online. Others test the security of a website, the customer support quality of a website and whether or not the site is easy to navigate and understand.
In order to become a qualified test engineer a person must complete a Quality Assurance Certification. Each organization that offers a QA certification has their own set of standards that the test engineer must follow. A person can earn his certification by successfully completing one of the following two tests. Either the person must successfully complete the first test or the person must successfully complete the second test. The first test usually involves testing the site’s usability and understanding.
In order to get his certification, a person must successfully complete a test covering everything from site usability to security issues. This test is known as the Site Exam. On the second day of the certification the person must present the final report to the attending panel of testers and gain approval to sit for the next certification test. Once the person gains certification, he can work as a consultant for one of the companies that offers the QA services.
Becoming a QA consultant is not easy. It takes a lot of hard work, determination, professionalism and knowledge. However, these qualities are greatly rewarded when a person’s certification is recognized. Companies and organizations recognize a person’s knowledge and skills if they have gone through a rigorous certification process. There is no doubt that the QA Certification will help an individual find a career in commerce because of the recognition that it provides.
