QA

QA (short for Quality Assurance) is the process of making sure a product works correctly — before it reaches real users.

In tech, QA usually means testing software to catch bugs, glitches, or usability issues. It includes both manual testing (clicking around like a user would) and automated testing (scripts that simulate actions and check for errors). QA helps teams avoid embarrassing failures, like crashing apps, broken forms, or checkout bugs that cost money.

Why is QA more than just “testing”?

Because it’s a mindset. QA isn’t just about finding mistakes — it’s about building trust. A strong QA process ensures your product behaves as expected, even in weird situations (like a user with no Wi-Fi, or one who types in Chinese characters). It also gives dev teams feedback loops that help them improve before shipping.

In short: good QA prevents fires. Want to learn how it works in practice? Start here: What is Quality Assurance – Atlassian